Oregon highlights gains in Lower Umatilla Basin, but advocates call for stricter corporate accountability
By Griffin Beach on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
SALEM – State agencies released the first annual report for Oregon’s Nitrate Reduction Plan on Friday, highlighting progress made during the inaugural year of a multi-agency effort to address groundwater contamination in the Lower Umatilla Basin.
The plan, launched in 2024, established a collaborative framework between the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Water Resources Department (OWRD), and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to tackle rising nitrate levels in the region’s Groundwater Management Area (LUBGWMA).
Among the accomplishments that were listed in the report:
ODA: Established a rules advisory committee for establishing groundwater protection rules of irrigated agriculture operations in the LUBGWMA. Proposed rules have been filed public comment is being reviewed before making final revisions and filing permanent rules in 2026. Reached out to landowners identifying potential water quality concerns along with information on addressing those concerns.
DEQ: Enforced wastewater permit conditions including phasing out winter irrigation, expanded monitoring and reporting, and facility infrastructure upgrades. This included completed or planned storage lagoons for wastewater at Port of Morrow, Lamb Weston in Hermiston, and Olam West Coast, Inc. It also updated the groundwater monitoring plan at J.R. Simplot in Hermiston.
OWRD: Launched a backflow education and inspection program, conducting inspections at 660 sites in the LUBGWMA. They say that at the beginning of irrigation season nearly none of the systems inspected were in full compliance, but by the end of September over 99% were compliant.
OHA: Hired a bilingual local coordinator to strengthen community outreach and expanded-language engagement spaces, as well as launching the “My Well, My Health” newsletter. Completed initial nitrate testing in 138 households that receive water from domestic wells, bringing the total number of initial wells tested to 2,095. They also increased funding for local health departments for water sampling and opened a new grant cycle for community organizations.
For residents relying on contaminated domestic wells, the report noted that 615 households receive free bottled water. Additionally, 90 new water treatment systems were installed this year, bringing the total to 289.
The OHA noted that while 415 households were eligible for these systems, about 8.4% of residents declined installation. Officials also cited a shortage of licensed plumbers as a constraint on the pace of work.
Antony Sparrow, a public affairs specialist at the DEQ, said the agency is working to phase out winter irrigation at facilities that reuse nitrogen-rich wastewater. He added that the state is looking to expand its monitoring network with new, strategically placed wells.
However, advocates argue the state’s efforts are insufficient. Kaleb Lay, with the organization Oregon Rural Action, said that while the end of winter wastewater application at the Port of Morrow was a win for Boardman residents, corporations must be held more accountable.
“These corporations that pollute being held to account to clean up their own mess, not just paying a fine,” Lay said. “If they’re going to pay a fine, it should be enough of a fine that we can invest that money in real long-term solutions that change their behavior.”
