Upper Willamette
River Basin

About

The upper Willamette River basin is a vital network of forests, woodlands, wetlands and floodplains. The river supports millions of people as a critical water resource for cities, agriculture, and recreationists.  

Since 2012, the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) and The Freshwater Trust (TFT) have partnered to restore streamside forests along this river and its tributaries. Early pilot projects proved themselves, and a full program launched in 2022. Once implementation is complete in 2027, this program will be the largest water quality trading program that TFT has executed in Oregon.  

TFT has also worked closely with the Eugene Watershed Electric Board (EWEB) and the Pure Water Partners (PWP, a group of eight local organizations) to leverage the MWMC’s shade-generating compliance program to help secure more streamside protections and better integrate project work throughout the basin. The combined effect of these programs has resulted in a more connected, more resilient natural landscape.

The success of restoration programs also depends on a great set of local partners. We’re fortunate to work with knowledgeable practitioners whose dedication to preserving ecosystems is as strong as ours. Our partners helped us swiftly recruit multiple streamside revegetation projects since 2023. This approach—combining our knowledge of process, analytics, and program-building with the place-based expertise of local partners—demonstrates a viable method to scale up and fix more rivers faster.

In 2025, the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies awarded the 2025 Outstanding Multi-Objective Clean Water Project to TFT and MWMC. This award recognized the PWP for collective work on the restoration and protection of healthy riparian forests in the McKenzie River watershed.