Did Ya Know? Waldo and Crater Lakes are Considered for Outstanding Resource Waters of Oregon Designation
DEQ is accepting public comment on proposed rules to designate Waldo Lake and Crater Lake as Outstanding Resource Waters beginning July 15 and ending August 28. Please find additional information, including how to submit comments, on the ORW Rulemaking page.
In April 2019, the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission and DEQ received a petition from the Northwest Environmental Defense Center on behalf of several organizations, requesting the commission to designate Waldo Lake and its associated wetlands as Outstanding Resource Waters of Oregon. DEQ had a public comment period soliciting input on whether to initiate rulemaking proceedings or deny the petition. More INFO HERE.
In July 2019, the Environmental Quality Commission directed DEQ to initiate rulemaking in response to the petition for Waldo Lake and also to include Crater Lake in the ORW rulemaking.
Outstanding Resource Waters are high quality waters that constitute an outstanding state resource due to their extraordinary water quality or ecological values, or where special protection is needed to maintain critical habitat areas. Oregon’s ORW policy, part of the state’s antidegradation policy, was adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission in 1991 and may be found at OAR 340-041-0004(8).
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