Rogue Riverkeeper

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Rogue Riverkeeper

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Protecting and restoring water quality and fish populations in the Rogue River Basin and adjacent coastal watersheds.

09/24/2026

🚨 ACTION ALERT: The EPA wants your input on water rules!

The federal government is, once again, deciding which streams, wetlands, and seasonal waterways count as "protected" under the Clean Water Act, and the comment period is open until October 9th.

What's happening:
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are considering updating the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The changes would limit federal protections only to water bodies that flow year-round.

The proposed update would mean that wetlands and streams that don’t have visible surface water for more than 30 days within a year (as many do in the Rogue Basin) could lose protection entirely.

This is an update to a previous decision removing protection from the Clean Water Act for wetlands that are not connected to streams with continuous flow, and reduces protection for millions of streams nationwide, including many seasonal waterways here in the Rogue basin.

Join us in sending a letter to the EPA today to support protections for all waterways including seasonal streams and wetlands for the health of our river basin.

You can learn more about WOTUS here: https://www.rogueriverkeeper.org/blog/wotus-2026

09/03/2026

Bear Creek Stewardship Day is right around the corner! Will you join us?

This is a day of community service that brings together dozens of folks from across the valley to show a little love to Bear Creek. We'll be picking up trash from the East McAndrews site in Medford between 9am - 12pm on Saturday, September 19th. We'd love to have you there to help!

There are 8 sites in total from Ashland to Central Point, and you can sign up for your closest or preferred site at www.rogueriverkeeper.org/upcoming-events/bcsd-fall-2026

We hope you can join us!

09/01/2026

‼️ Wagner Creek water quality update:

Since 2021, Rogue Riverkeeper has been tracking Wagner Creek's failing water quality status. Over the course of these six years, Wagner Creek has consistently failed for safe water contact due to high levels of E. coli bacteria, flagging it as a safety concern for humans and animals.

Thanks to our staff's persistent advocacy, local agencies are organizing to help track down the pollution source and work towards improving Wagner Creek's water quality. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (OR DEQ), together with the Department of Agriculture, are currently mailing educational flyers to 100 property owners along Wagner Creek to encourage better cohabitation in riparian zones through cleanup efforts, septic tank inspections, and better irrigation practices. In addition, other partner organizations have increased water quality testing, at various locations along the creek.

We’re encouraged to see OR DEQ and other agencies taking action, and we’ll keep advocating for continued water sampling throughout Wagner Creek to help narrow down the pollution source(s). We’ll also keep a close eye on this issue and continue to push for the sustained follow-through it deserves, and we’ll update you as we learn more.

For the remainder of this low water year's swimming season, it remains important to check the Swim Guide for water quality information to ensure safe recreation for you and your pets. Our water quality testing will continue through the beginning of September, and we will have the 2026 Water Quality Report Card published soon. Until then, swim safe!

08/31/2026

Your weekly water quality report is here, and we have an update:

2 sites have been discontinued for water quality testing this summer, including Emigrant Lake in Ashland and Lost Creek Lake in Prospect.

Aside from this, two sites failed:
❌ Wagner Creek in Talent
❌ Bear Creek at Bear Creek Park in Medford

All other sites passed and are safe for recreating in. Summer feels like it may be waning as some wet weather is (hopefully) expected later this week. Happy recreating! 💦

08/24/2026

💦 The summer's water quality testing continues, and we're seeing similar trends as we've been seeing for the past few months.

All sites tested have continued to pass with the exception of Wagner Creek in Talent.

We are tracking the failing status of Wagner Creek, and we are working with partners to better understand the contamination taking place in Talent that is contributing to the failing tests. Stay tuned for more information on this!

For the week's full Swim Guide report, visit our website at https://www.rogueriverkeeper.org/the-swim-guide

08/14/2026

‼️ Only 4 spots left on our whitewater rafting trip down the Wild & Scenic Rogue River this September!

If you've wanted to experience the serenity of the Rogue, sleeping under the stars with the sound of the river as your soundtrack for 4-days and 3-night, here's your chance!

We launch on Monday, September 7th and return on Thursday, September 10th on this all-inclusive trip with ROW Adventures, and we'd love to have you on our boats! Join Jen, Rogue Riverkeeper's Program Manager, to see the river through our lens and experience the wildlife, whitewater, and wild beauty the Wild & Scenic Rogue River corridor has to offer. ✨

RRK supporters get $200 off this trip! Give ROW Adventures a call today to reserve your spot before the trip is full. More info at https://www.rogueriverkeeper.org/upcoming-events/row-fundraiser-2026

08/10/2026

Water quality results are in from last week, and here's the scoop:

➡️ The regular suspects failed again - Wagner Creek in Talent, Little Butte Creek in Eagle Point, and Bear Creek in Medford.

As summer temperatures remain warm and water levels continue to drop, we will likely see an influx of E. coli bacteria in some waterways, and more sites may continue to fail. We encourage you to continue to check back on the Swim Guide over the last few weeks of summer to ensure your favorite swimming location is safe for you and your family to recreate.

Rogue Riverkeeper will continue to take samples and test for E. coli amounts in these and other waterways and we'll continue to share this information with you here and online at the www.rogueriverkeeper.org/the-swim-guide through mid-September.

07/31/2026

Your weekend Water Quality Report is in, and there are no new surprises here...

Per usual, two sites failed our safe water contact testing for E. coli bacteria: ❌ Wagner Creek in Talent and ❌ Little Butte Creek in Eagle Point. Please continue to avoid recreating in these two waterways for your and your pets' safety!

But don't forget: You can use the Swim Guide to inspire a new summer outing this weekend! Check out the website below to see all the sites we test on a map so you can find a new favorite swimming hole this weekend. 😎

www.rogueriverkeeper.org/the-swim-guide

Happy swimming! ☀️

07/28/2026

As summer temperatures continue to settle into the valley and water levels continue to drop following a dry winter and spring, we're beginning to see more waterways across the Rogue basin fail for safe water contact due to high levels of E. coli.

❌ Last week, sites tested and failed were Wagner Creek at Valley View Rd in Talent, Bear Creek and Baby Bear Creek at Bear Creek Park in Medford, and Little Butte Creek at Harnish Wayside in Eagle Point.

We will be testing again this week to compare to last week's results to track the trends in E. coli measurements, and we will report back with more information soon.

💦 Visit www.rogueriverkeeper.org/the-swim-guide to see the full workup of sites tested and each site's historical data. 💦

Address

Ashland, OR
97520

Telephone

+15414889831

Website

http://www.rogueriverkeeper.org/

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