About the Council

Who are We?

The North Santiam Watershed Council (NSWC)

was formally recognized by the Marion and

Linn County Commissioners in 1997.

The primary functions of NSWC include information and education, data development, and planning and implementation. The council consists of a general membership that is open to any individual, community, business and government group having an interest in the watershed and that supports the Council’s mission. Currently, a steering committee of 11 members from diverse interests and geographic regions of the watershed serves as the decision-making body. Representatives come from ten distinct interest groups within the watershed: Timber, agriculture, aggregate, other business, environmental, City of Salem, Small Cities within the watershed, irrigation districts, recreation/tourism, and counties.

We work closely with many partners, including other watershed councils in the Willamette Valley, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, local community groups, and federal, state and county agencies.

What is a Watershed Council?

Oregon’s watershed councils emerged from House Bill 3441,

which passed in 1995. Under this resolution, watershed councils

must be locally organized, voluntary and non-regulatory.

Watershed Councils are part of the Oregon Plan, which is an

effort to recover threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead

populations and to meet federal water quality standards.

NSWC Goals