Aquatic Health - Programs

Water: Connecting Land, Water and People

Bring your family and celebrate water at this fun and educational event on Saturday, April 22 at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City. For more information, click here!

Pond 101:  A Farm Pond Management Workshop

Saturday, March 11, 2006 – Oregon Garden , Silverton

This workshop provides general information on pond construction, renovation and management. It is intended for pond owners, anyone interested in designing and building their own pond, and those who distribute information on pond management, including OSU Extension agents and others. 

The workshop will be held at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. Access to Oregon Garden is free with participation to the workshop. See the workshop brochure for more information.

Fees

• The cost for the workshop is $50.
• The cost for Oregon Aquaculture Association members is $35.
• To participate in the workshop and also become a member of Oregon Aquaculture Association, the fee is: $50 for student members, $60 for associate members and $135 for sustaining members.
• The fee(s) includes workshop handouts, lunch and refreshment breaks.
• The cost for an additional lunch for an accompanying person is $11.
•  Please register online at: http://outreach.forestry.oregonstate.edu/pond101/

Aquatic Invasive Species Education Program - A new page focused on learning about aquatic invasive species (AIS).

Master Watershed Steward Program

For a schedule of upcoming MWSP sessions and general information on MWSP visit the Seagrant Program page.

Oregon Watershed Weeks

Learn more at http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/wweek/

Invasive Non-native Species

Invasions by non-native species are now considered by many scientists as the second-leading threat (after habitat loss) to biological diversity in the United States. A recent report led by David Pimentel at Cornell University estimates that annual costs from invasive plants and animals total $123 billion per year! A number of aquatic non-native species (ANS) have been introduced to Oregon, including the European green crab, New Zealand mud snail, Eurasian watermilfoil and dozens of others. Once established, it is very difficult to eliminate invasive species from new habitats, making prevention a high priority.

Because it is difficult to completely regulate the many pathways by which new species are introduced, education is an important tool for preventing unwanted introductions. For example, did you know that dumping the contents of home aquaria into local lakes and streams is a major cause of introductions of aquatic weeds? Or that inadequate cleansing of recreational boats and trailers can spread those non-native plants to other water bodies? Oregon Sea Grant Extension is developing a number of educational programs to raise awareness of ANS issues. Oregon Sea Grant and Washington Sea Grant are currently cooperating under a joint project called the Marine Invasive Species Team, which provides regional outreach on ANS through publications, videos and workshops. Keep up with news and events through a monthly newsletter. And, be sure to check out its web site .

Small Oil Spills

The New Carissa reminded us of the risk Oregon's waters still face from large oil spills, but did you know that many more gallons of oil enter Oregon rivers and bays each year from small chronic oil leaks?

While their individual effects may be hard to see, in total these discharges can harm aquatic insect populations, young salmon and other important resources. Oregon Sea Grant Extension is developing outreach programs to help recreational boaters and marina facilities avoid small oil spills in the lower Willamette and Columbia Rivers. This program is modeled after a similar education project in Puget Sound developed by Washington Sea Grant.

General Aquatic Health Outreach

Beyond the above projects, helping Portland area residents reduce their contribution to polluted runoff and habitat disturbance is another responsibility of the Oregon Sea Grant Extension agent in Clackamas County. This agent provides presentations and trainings to schools and community groups, one-on-one telephone consultations, and can help link relevant OSU researchers to local issues.

last updated 3/1/06