Follow the Water's mission is to bridge clean water and healthy communities through education and engagement in Oregon, Southwest Washington, and communities along the Columbia River.
About Follow the Water
Follow the Water is about our relationship with our rivers. It’s about connecting people with our water—where we live, work, and play. It’s also about connecting our behaviors to the rivers so we understand that what we do affects water—both positively and negatively. Ultimately, Follow the Water is about learning and sharing new ways to be better to our water with your friends and neighbors.
Whether you are new to the area or have been here your whole life, experiencing water here in the Pacific Northwest is special. It's why many of us choose to be here. And that's why the future of our water means so much to us.
About Our Name
"Follow the Water" means going with the current, not against it—learning as we go, looking for things we haven't seen before. We hope to bring out the inner child within us to stay curious. We hope to bring out the best in all of us and stay connected. When we visit our waterways or take a sip of water, "it's a reminder of who we are," as Judy Bluehorse Skelton, professor at Portland State University, teaches us.
Our vision is that diverse communities will create and enjoy clean water.
Who We Are
Follow the Water is the work of a voluntary collaborative partnership of over 60 organizations, from federal, state, and local governments, watershed councils, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, and water-related nonprofits in our area. We work together to bring you insights about water—the science, the stories, and the positive actions we take—from the diverse voices in our communities.
Our Projects
Follow the Water has two projects that promote clean water: Follow the Water Video Series and What's Your Lawn Style.
Our video series explores connection with water in three parts: connection, disconnection, and reconnection. The series recounts personal stories about our connection with water, featuring scientists, local creatives, and Indigenous water experts. The videos were created in partnership with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and MetroEast Community Media.
What's Your Lawn Style shares water-safe lawn care information with homeowners through fun and informative videos. With trusted experts at the OSU Extension Master Gardener program, we created regimens for different styles of lawns and produced a series of instructional videos with MetoEast Community Media.
Annual Report
Explore our progress and accomplishments made possible by our coalition members, stakeholders, funders, and you, our supporters, for the 2022–2023 fiscal year.