Hood River Watershed Group outlines $10M restoration grant, partnership monitoring plans

Cindy Thieman, Executive Director of the Hood River Watershed Group, and Heather Hendrixson, Manager of the Hood River Soil & Water Conservation District, briefed commissioners on completed and ongoing restoration and conservation projects.

Thieman said the Watershed Group completed its first full year as a 501(c)(3) in 2023 and is leading a multi‑partner, six‑year effort funded by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board worth a little over $10 million. The grant funds habitat restoration (about one‑third focused on water conservation), in‑stream habitat projects, monitoring and community engagement; partners include tribes, Mid‑Fork and East‑Fork stakeholders, farmers, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forest Service.

Hendrixson described local services such as pesticide applicator testing and a mobile chipping program intended to reduce fire risk by helping residents remove flammable brush and limbs. Commissioners asked about monitoring and metrics; Thieman said the group is working with ODFW on monitoring including PIT tagging and other measures to track fish use and restoration outcomes. The Watershed Group is also coordinating with the county on cleanup work near Powerdale.