The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is responsible for restoring, maintaining and enhancing the quality of Oregon's waterways and groundwater. Several
DEQ water quality programs are in place to reduce and prevent nutrient pollution in Oregon waters. Nutrient pollution occurs where too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, are added to bodies of water and disrupt aquatic plant growth and dissolved oxygen levels needed for healthy waters.
DEQ's Water Quality Division is developing a statewide, science-based nutrient reduction strategy to better address and prevent harm to Oregon's waterways and groundwater from excessive nutrients from a wide range of human activities. The purpose of the strategy is to provide a long-term roadmap to prioritize DEQ's program activities and resources as it relates to the prevention and reduction of nutrient pollution from both
point and nonpoint sources.
This strategy will build on current DEQ efforts and focus on actions to improve the effectiveness of programs that are already in place. DEQ be reaching out to hear the concerns, needs, and interests of Oregonians, partner agencies, and communities impacted by excess nutrient pollution to inform the priorities and actions included in the strategy.
To inform the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, DEQ is partnering Oregon's Kitchen Table, a program of the National Policy Consensus Center at Portland State University. Oregon's Kitchen Table specializes in community engagement, with a particular focus on community members who have been left out of traditional public decision-making processes.
DEQ worked with Oregon's Kitchen Table from February to April 2025 to gather input from community members and other interested parties impacted by nutrient pollution. Over 1,000 people in Oregon shared what they think about water quality issues related to excess nutrients. DEQ will use this input to guide the development of the Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Oregon's Kitchen Table hosted three virtual community forums in June 2025. Oregon's Kitchen Table shared what they have heard so far and discussed what it means for the development of the strategy.
DEQ is seeking contractor assistance to develop a nutrient strategy that incorporates existing programs, best practices, and the knowledge and perspectives of other relevant state agencies and interested parties. DEQ seeks applicants who can bring relevant experience as well as innovative solutions and expertise to the project.
Contractor tasks:
- Evaluation of DEQ's current programs and efforts to identify what is effective and any gaps in DEQ's water quality programs for achieving nutrient pollution reductions.
- Recommendations to address the identified gaps.
- Development of a road map to implement actions and priorities in the nutrient strategy.
RFP status The RFP has closed, and proposals are currently under review by the DEQ Evaluation Team. We anticipate announcing the selected award recipient in early June.
Sign up for email updates via GovDelivery for the Water Quality - Nutrients