OWEB Prioritization Framework Improvement Priorities at Basin and Watershed Scales: Draft OWEB Prioritization Process V 4.2

OWEB contracted to develop a framework that establishes improvement priorities at regional geographic scales and evaluates the relative merits of proposed improvement projects at local watershed scales. OWEB is required by statute to establish regional priorities that will guide funding decisions by the Board (ORS 5431.371 (1) (c)). In addition, OWEB’s Board clarified its funding goal in a “grant funding preference criterion” in September 2001. The Board agreed that, “Capital expenditure project funding priorities will primarily focus on addressing those factors in the watershed that directly limit the improvement of water quantity and water quality and the recovery of fish species listed under the state or federal Endangered Species Act.” The contracted work developed a Prioritization Framework that reflects this preference. The framework is founded on principles of conservation biology and applicable to all basins. It has been tested in two pilot basins. The protection of functioning habitats is an important goal, and should work in concert with improvement actions; however, this project concentrates on identifying watershed improvement project priorities and not habitat protection actions. A separate and concurrent OWEB project designed to identify habitat protection priorities has been initiated. This prioritization project complements the identification of habitat protection actions developed through the Land Acquisition Pilot by providing a framework for identifying regional watershed improvement priorities. This project was designed to create the following two products: Part I. Project Prioritization Framework and Part II. Basin and Watershed Scale Improvement Priorities