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Bringing Water Data to the Forefront in Oregon: The Oregon Water Data Portal
We know that Oregon has more than 100,000 miles of rivers and streams, 360 miles of coastline along the Pacific, and more than 1400 named lakes. But how much do we actually know about the water that we rely upon for our basic needs? Sure, we might be familiar with the big names like the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean, and we might have opinions on where the best kayaking, waterfall viewing, or flyfishing spots are located, but what do we know about the water we drink every day? What about the impact of algal blooms on our estuaries? Or how well we are tracking changes that affect the lake your family loves to visit every summer? What happens to our water supplies in the event of a flood or a dam failure? The truth is, there are many questions about water in Oregon that we have a hard time answering because the data we need isn’t easy to find. These types of water questions are just a few of the topics that the Oregon Water Data Portal (OWDP) seeks to address.
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