Watershed Research in Portland, Ore.

Abstract

MUNICIPAL governments are prone to think of water supply in terms of reservoirs, pipelines, and pumping stations. All too often, the ultimate source of the water is forgotten or neglected in the belief that good water will always issue forth from the hills and forests. The basic pre ises have been that the engineering phases of water supply are a continuing responsibility of city officials, but that nothing should be done about the source of water because land use problems are not the concern of the city government. No one will question the validity of the first premise, but should the second one remain unchallenged? If forest fires affect the water supply, should city officials be unconcerned ? If overgrazing induces erosion, should the problem remain unsolved? And what of the accumulating evidence indicating that vegetation covering watersheds can be manipulated to the benefit of water users? Should these reports be relegated to the files, or should water authorities take an active interest in all activities which may possibly affect water supply? The city of Portland believes that the problem of water supply begins in the watershed, and not in the reservoir alone. In furtherance of this belief, Portland signed a contract with the US Forest Service in 1955 whereby the two would cooperate in planned watershed experiments which may ultimately benefit both the city and the federal gove nment. This is believed to be the first time a municipal government has undertaken watershed research in the firm belief that this course of action is