The following agencies, tribal governments, and organizations are actively involved in groundwater management in the LUBGWMA.
Oregon State and County Government
Roles and Responsibilities in LUBGWMA
Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)
Oregon Health Authority (OHA)
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County Public Health
Morrow County
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Umatilla County
State Government
Department of Agriculture
Primary regulatory agency for agricultural activities: Fertilizer product registration; water quality permits for Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO); funds fertilizer product research; agricultural water quality plans and rule compliance for non-point source irrigated agriculture; co-convener of LUBGWMA Advisory Committee.
Contact:
Isaak Stapleton, Division Director
Oregon Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources
Isaak.stapleton@oda.oregon.gov
503-986-4713
Department of Environmental Quality
Primary regulatory agency for wastewater management: Water quality permits for industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities (including food processing wastewater); designating agency for Groundwater Management Area; groundwater quality monitoring and trends analysis; co-convener of LUBGWMA Advisory Committee.
Contact:
Antony Sparrow, Public Affairs Specialist
Department of Environmental Quality
antony.sparrow@deq.oregon.gov
(503) 887-9113
Water Resources Department
Water right administration; surface and groundwater management; groundwater levels monitoring and trends analysis; co-convener of LUBGWMA Advisory Committee.
Contact:
Chris Kowitz, North Cental Regional Manager
Oregon Water Resources Department
chris.c.kowitz@water.oregon.gov
(971) 600-6137
Oregon Health Authority
Education and outreach to private (domestic) well owners about how to keep their drinking water safe. In the LUBGWMA OHA is also authorized and funded by the state to provide well testing and water treatment for households where tests show nitrate levels exceed federal drinking water action levels, and OHA’s partner the Oregon Department of Human Services is funded to provide bottled water. Information at testmywell.oregon.gov and pruebadepozo.oregon.gov. OHA is also the state agency that regulates public drinking water systems.
Contact:
Gabriela Goldfarb,
Environmental Public Health Section Manager
Oregon Health Authority
Gabriela.Goldfarb@oha.oregon.gov
(971) 347-6147
Tribal Government
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Land use planning, cultural and natural resource expertise, including water quality standards development and implementation and monitoring. Collaborative co-management and proposal development expertise.
County Government
Morrow and Umatilla Counties
Land use planning, septic system permits and local public health. Morrow and Umatilla Counties are co-leading development of a Public Drinking Water Roadmap research project to identify opportunities to expand or establish new public water systems to provide longer term access to safe drinking water.
Contact:
Morrow County Public Health
(541) 676-5421
mchealth@co.morrow.or.us
Umatilla County Public Health
(541) 278-6394
Health@umatillacounty.gov