Is this effective? Definitely. Should this be the only way? That depends on who you ask. There is no coordinated effort by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality or the Environmental Protection Agency (in Oregon) to restore habitat and water quality in Oregon (aside from the TMDL). These agencies provide funding, they monitor, they assess, but they rarely enforce water quality laws (except in gross circumstances). The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board is an effective organization but they have no regulatory control (probably a good thing or they wouldn't have as much support). The agencies which have regulatory control do a great job at collecting data and reporting on that data. But where is the agency whose sole purpose is to take action? Where is the Oregon Department of Conservation? It doesn't exist. This leaves Watershed Councils and natural resource agencies responsible for improving water quality in Oregon. Watershed Councils can't move boldly forward at the risk of losing members or funding and agencies must manage lands for multiple uses. This is a two-legged tripod, and the balance is tenuous.
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