Funding the Salmon SuperHwy – Reinvesting in Oregon

Currently, we invest about $2 million a year on fish passage projects across the six-river landscape that drains into Tillamook and Nestucca bays, most of that from a variety of state and federal grant programs. At this rate, it will take 70 years and $140 million to fix all 270+ barriers to fish passage in the Tillamook-Nestucca. Instead, through strategic and targeted investments over a 10-year period, the Salmon SuperHwy Project aims to get that job done faster at a fraction of the cost, with nearly the same overall benefit to fish. Local Tillamook-Nestucca partners are doing a fantastic job and are hard at work. However, to meet our goal, we need your help.  Our goal is to match current funding with new sources – corporate, individual, new foundations – and get something truly historic done for Oregon, together.

Through a scientifically rigorous process, grounded in local expertise and experience, we’ve identified the 93 projects that will provide the maximum conservation return on investment. The result: access for over 30 populations of six fish species to 95% of their historical habitat across a six-river landscape, known as having some of the richest Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery potential in the lower 48.

The total 10-year cost of the Salmon SuperHwy Project is $34 million. While this is a significant investment, the net savings over time allows precious resources to be directed to other needed investments in the region, and the results will set the stage for even greater conservation achievement in the future. But even beyond the habitat gains for fish, badly needed road infrastructure improvements, economic improvements, and other direct and indirect benefits for people, the Salmon SuperHwy brings communities, interests, individuals and constituencies together around a common goal – getting something remarkable done for people and fish.