river conservation

Washington Water Trust (WWT) will protect and enhance streamflows in the Walla Walla basin with a recently awarded grant from The Wildhorse Foundation. WWT restores water to local rivers and streams including the Touchet River, Mill Creek, and the Walla Walla River.

Our people are how Washington Water Trust makes a difference for local rivers and streams. The WWT team is growing. Meet our newest team members today!

WWT has partnered with the City of Walla Walla and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to restore Mill Creek flows since 2021. We are excited to share that these restored Mill Creek flows are the first protected across the OR/WA border! This water is protected in both states and provides vital flow for Chinook salmon, steelhead, bull trout, and other fish.

Most of Washington is experiencing drought conditions in summer 2024. Record-breaking heat melted our mountain snowpack almost 50 days earlier than normal. Conditions in the Dungeness Valley are predicted to be the second driest since 1949. Thanks to our partners and supporters, WWT is boosting flows for fish at a critical time.

The American Water Resources Association Washington Section (AWRA-WA) will host its annual state conference on Tues, Oct. 8. This year’s conference will focus on clean water in Washington, how water quality affects the designated and beneficial uses of water, and what AWRA-WA members are doing to address those concerns. Registration is now open!

We are seeking a collaborative Project Manager who is enthusiastic about working in rural communities. This team member will partner with landowners, tribes, conservation districts, land trusts, and govt. agencies to implement projects with lasting benefits to fish, streams, and communities. Learn more and apply today!

WWT signed agreements in March to kick off a project that will permanently restore more than 1.3 billion gallons of water annually to Icicle Creek. Our partners have hit the ground running since then! Catch up on Icicle Creek restoration efforts and infrastructure improvements today.

WWT has focused on fixing Washington’s water challenges for more than 25 years. Our collaborative approach has resulted in 5.7 billion gallons of restored water flowing annually in rivers and streams across 17 watersheds. Learn the latest on our work in our 2023 Annual Report!

Our Icicle Creek project reached a major milestone after more than a decade of work, collaboration, and negotiation. Upon its completion, this project will restore more than 1.3 billion gallons of water annually forever to the lower part of Icicle Creek!

In January, we welcomed the return of snow to the mountains. Since those storms, however, snow has not accumulated as we had hoped. While there is still time for the snowpack to build up, our team is preparing for what could be a dangerously dry summer.