Value of Water in the North Santiam Watershed

For the North Santiam Watershed Council and the Oregon Business Council, ECOnorthwest described the economic importance of water originating in the North Santiam Watershed. Working with local stakeholders and officials from local, state, and federal jurisdictions ECONorthwest assembled a baseline description of the current and expected future conditions of supply and demand for water in the watershed and downstream where water from the North Santiam River is diverted for agricultural and municipal use. The economic value of water use was quantified were data were sufficiently robust to support detailed analysis, and described qualitatively for other uses, including cultural and spiritual importance. The baseline value analysis informed three case studies that focused on using the information in investment decisions in the watershed. These case studies highlighted opportunities for collaboration and shared investment to maximize the value of and efficient use of the watershed’s water resources. This analysis informed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) economic analysis of the Detroit Dam and Lake Downstream Passage Project for the NEPA EIS, and ECOnorthwest staff collaborated with economists at USACE to share data and information between the two processes.