• Board of Directors, Staff & Volunteers

What are the Challenges facing the River?

No Problem, Simple Solutions

A particular challenge is to overcome the public perception that there are simply no problems facing the wild and beautiful North Umpqua River . Those who do recognize a problem often believe there are simple solutions. To compound the challenge, more people are being attracted to the North Umpqua River for recreation, habitation and livelihood resulting in increased pressure on fragile river resources and user conflicts throughout the watershed.

More People, No Plan

Agencies, local businesses and other groups play a role in the increased use of the North Umpqua River by promoting recreational and other opportunities within the watershed without a comprehensive plan to determine thresholds to protect resources from overuse. On the North Umpqua River , humans affect the resource in many ways including hydropower production, fishing pressure and introduction of invasive species. Each use brings changes to the river ecosystem. For example, hydropower production provides electricity for California , but affects the river's water quality, pH, temperature, algal production, availability of spawning gravel, and sedimentation.

More Pressures, Less Funding

State and federal agencies face reduced budgets and funding, which may affect their ability to protect resources, including remote North Umpqua tributaries important to wild salmon and steelhead. The current system for resource protection is fragmented due to the many agencies involved, each with its own mission, management plan, and pressure from the public to focus on short-term solutions. Fragmentation also blurs the lines of accountability; complicates the sharing of reliable resource information; and, in some cases, results in erroneous management direction.

A Perfect World – What is The Vision?

The North Umpqua Foundation envision an entire watershed (including aquatic, riparian, terrestrial and marine ecosystems), that is naturally self-sustaining, and a river system that displays a full range of natural biological, morphological and water quality conditions.

In this vision, the North Umpqua system is fully valued, respected and actively defended by a community that collaborates with an educated and responsive government to assure that management decisions are primarily based on science and biological considerations, and benefits to the economy result.

Simply, we envision that 100 years from today, someone on the North Umpqua River will still be able to fly fish for wild steelhead using a green-butted skunk. 

What is Our Mission ?

The North Umpqua Foundation provides assistance for educational, legal, biological and scientific protection of rivers and their anadromous fish. Specifically, the Foundation supports efforts to maintain the historic, scenic, wildlife and fishery values of the North Umpqua River . The Foundation accomplishes its mission through internal initiatives, collaboration and grant-making.

How We Started

The Foundation has worked to respond to actions that pose a threat to the ecological health of the North Umpqua River. That's how our organization came to be when, in 1983, the threat was a new hydropower project which would have had an irreversible impact on salmonid stocks, but was defeated thanks to the combined effort of many who worked together to protect the river they love.

Where We're Going

In 1999, the foundation began a revitalization effort to create a more active organization, building on that initial success and intermittent projects that had occurred over the years. With the hiring of a part-time executive director, the foundation began developing programs to engage citizens in conservation efforts on the North Umpqua River and raising funds to implement the programs, working toward a vision for the river and achievement of the organization's mission.

You Can Help

A special resource such as the North Umpqua River must be constantly nurtured and protected by those who value our remaining wild and natural places. Only by constant vigilance and on-going educational programs can a treasure such as the North Umpqua River and its wild inhabitants be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Join in the effort by contributing to the North Umpqua Foundation. Donations of all amounts are encouraged. The North Umpqua Foundation is a 501 c (3) non-profit corporation. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible.