Oregon Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships identify potential concerns and improve water quality affected by pesticide use. The partnerships combine local expertise and water quality sampling results to encourage voluntary changes in pesticide use and management practices. Land use within each of the partnerships varies. In some areas watershed partners place an emphasis on urban pesticide use, in others agriculture and/or commercial forestry may be of greatest concern.
Explore DEQ’s PSP Data Viewer to access water quality data collected by the Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships Program. It’s a new tool that provides easy access to anyone who wants to know what pesticides are in their local streams. The tool provides access to current and historic pesticide water quality data that DEQ and the Oregon Department of Agriculture use to inform the management of the program, which monitors for more than 130 chemicals in Oregon surface waters.
What partnerships do:
- Identify local, pesticide-related water quality issues
- Share water quality monitoring results with local communities and other stakeholders
- Provide context for water quality data and water quality criteria or benchmarks
- Help pesticide users identify and implement solutions
- Use long-term monitoring to measure success and progress
The goal is measurable environmental improvements, making Oregon waters safer for aquatic life and humans.
Since 2000, DEQ and other state agencies have worked closely with partners in watersheds across the state. Currently there are nine partnerships:
- Hood River
- Mill Creek and Fifteenmile Creek (in Wasco County)
- Walla Walla River
- Clackamas River
- Pudding River
- Yamhill River
- Amazon Creek watershed project (in and around Eugene)
- Middle Rogue (near Medford)
- Middle Deschutes (near Madras)
Partners include:
- Department of Environmental Quality
- Oregon State University Extension Service
- Oregon Department of Agriculture
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Oregon Department of Forestry
- Oregon Health Authority
- Watershed and other natural resource groups
- Local landowners and growers
- Soil and water conservation districts
- Tribal governments
The Pesticide Stewardship Partnership program receive guidance from an inter-agency
Water Quality Pesticide Management Team. This team developed a statewide plan to protect water quality from pesticide impacts. It also designates priority pesticides that could affect water quality and helps evaluate monitoring data.
DEQ and ODA periodically sponsor free pesticide waste collection events around Oregon for farmers and other commercial and institutional applicators. The purpose of these events is to reduce the risks to surface and groundwater from accidental release of pesticides by providing a cost-effective and safe way to manage these wastes.
Household pesticides can be disposed of through DEQ's Household Hazardous Waste Program.
All 2022 collection events have been completed. The schedule for 2023 will be announced after it's finalized.
2019-2021 Biennial Report
Produced jointly by ODA and DEQ
This report provides a summary of PSP activities during fiscal years 2019-2021, including a summary of water and sediment monitoring data and an overview of outreach and education activities conducted as part of the PSP program
2019 - 2021 Biennial Report Factsheet
produced jointly by ODA and DEQ
A concise summary of the PSP Program's 2019-2021 Biennial Report, including top takaways, highlights from the pesticide monitoring results, and information on outreach activities and waste collection events."
Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Field Audits 2017
This report outlines the findings of DEQ's 2017 Pesticide Stewardship Partnership field audits of ten partner organizations.
Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships, Quality Assurance Project Plan
This document identifies the overall plan for environmental monitoring carried out by the partners including quality assurance procedures, quality control activities, analyte lists, and key project personnel. Contact David Gruen to request a copy of this document.
Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships, Sampling and Analysis Plan
This document outlines the specific sampling locations, sampling and analysis protocols to be followed within the scope of the QAPP.
State of Oregon Pesticide Management Plan for Water Quality Protection
Oregon State University Integrated Pest Management Center
Includes information about alternative methods for controlling pests, through biological or other non-chemical methods.
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