Thank You for Your Support This Earth Day
Even as we celebrated Earth Day this week, it's been a difficult year given the volume and ferocity of unprecedented attacks by the federal administration on our environment and conservation legacy, which lent an even greater significance to this year's Earth Day. For WaterWatch, every day is Earth Day, and with your help we'll continue to do our part by protecting Oregon's groundwater, removing antiquated dams that harm fish passage, restoring impacted river ecosystems, and standing up for species, habitat, and rivers in our state legislature.

Threats to Endangered Species Habitat Protections
Last week the Trump administration proposed a significant blow to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by proposing a rule to remove the regulatory definition of "harm," an important term that is central to prohibiting actions that impair the habitat of protected species under the ESA. Removing the "harm" definition could drastically undermine habitat conservation efforts, leading to devastating effects to the imperiled species that call Oregon's rivers, wetlands, forests, and deserts home. Comments are being accepted through May 19th.

WaterWatch in Eugene This Wednesday for Oakshire Inspires
Our first Oakshire Inspires happy hour event in Eugene is at the Oakshire Public House this Wednesday, April 30th, from 5 to 8 p.m. at 207 Madison St., one block west of Washington Jefferson Park. If you're a WaterWatch member or supporter or simply enjoy rivers, water, or fishing, you're invited to join us and your fellow water advocates for some after work conservation camaraderie, fun, and raffle prizes as this Oakshire Inspires event benefits WaterWatch of Oregon. Plenty of parking in the Oakshire lot across the street!

Spring Instream: Winchester Dam Legal Battles
Articles from this spring's issue of Instream are going online at WaterWatch.org, including this piece by Southern Oregon Program Director Jim McCarthy on WaterWatch and our allies Steamboaters and Pacific Coast Federations of Fishermen's Associations in securing formal permission to participate in a state fish passage enforcement proceeding that may determine the fate of Winchester Dam on the North Umpqua River. Read the article here, and find more Instream selections under the Water News heading at WaterWatch.org.

All We Can Say is . . . Save the Date
At the risk of giving away too much too soon, we've got something special coming up this fall you won't want to miss, and it very much ties in with our ongoing 40th anniversary celebrations this year. Get out your phone or calendar now and block off the evening of Saturday, Nov. 1st, for a very special WaterWatch event for members, friends, supporters, and advocates — and our larger Oregon conservation community. A formal announcement will be coming soon, but for now, save the date for the evening of Saturday, Nov. 1st.