Interactive Story
Restoring the Dungeness
The Dungeness Watershed, located in the northeast corner of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, sits in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains with annual rainfall totals more akin to Southern California than Puget Sound. See how local groups are working together to manage the freshwater in this dry sunny area to find the balance for fish, farms, and communities and help restore a watershed.
What We Do
Our mission is to protect and restore healthy rivers and streams across Washington so that fish, farms and communities can thrive for generations. We craft smart, collaborative solutions to our freshwater challenges that will withstand the test of time in our rapidly changing world.
Our Focus Areas
We focus our work in the following four areas:
- Helping Rivers Flow
- Reconnecting Water in the Landscape
- Planning for Future Water Use
- Developing Alternative Water Sources
Our Approach
Collaborative
We engage all water users for collective buy in
Creative
Our team crafts smart, evidence-based solutions
Transformative
We create lasting change for a rapidly changing world
Washington's Freshwater
Is There Enough?
Commonly thought of as a water-rich state, Washington's freshwater resources are at risk from past mismanagement, climate change, and increasing demand. The good news is we are doing something about it.
Our Impact
Since 1998, we have worked across the state from the San Juan Islands to the Palouse restoring water to thousands of river miles in more than 50 rivers and streams.
See Our ImpactTeanaway: A Stream Flows Again
The Teanaway River, a critical tributary in the Yakima basin for salmon, steelhead and trout, struggled for many years, often running dry. Watch our short film Teanaway: A Stream Flows Again to see how people are coming together to help the river make a comeback.
Support Our Work
You can help Washington's beautiful rivers flow full and cool tomorrow and into the future.
News + Events
Teanaway: A Stream Flows Again
The Teanaway River, a critical tributary in the Yakima basin for salmon, steelhead and trout, struggled for many years, often running dry. Watch our new short film Teanaway: A Stream Flows Again to see how people are coming together to help the river make a comeback.
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival is back on Dec. 9th! Check out this year’s film lineup!
Join Washington Water Trust at 6:30 pm PST on Thursday, December 9th for an inspiring and exciting evening of nature, adventure and conservation short films! The event will be held online which means you don't have to brave the dark rainy winter weather to attend - rather, put those PJs on, snuggle up and be prepared to laugh, cry and be inspired to make our world a better place!
Washington’s Freshwater Under Stress from Drought
On July 14th the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a drought emergency for the entire state with the exception of Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett. Despite substantial snowpack accumulation over the winter and promising water supply forecasts, the second driest spring in Washington since 1895 combined with high temperatures this summer has led to acute snow melt and critical conditions for Washington’s freshwater.
Video: Can Recycled Water Help Save Salmon in the Sammamish?
In case you missed it the first time around, learn how Washington Water Trust and partners are exploring recycled water as a food crop irrigation source in the Sammamish Valley and how it could benefit salmon in the Sammamish and beyond.
Get to Know WWT’s Newest Team Members
Over the past year, we are thrilled to have added three new fantastic staff members: Sarah Dymecki, Nicole Gutierrez and Aiman Shahpurwala who have each kindly taken a moment to share their interests, experiences and roles at WWT. Get to know these amazing WWT team members!
Understanding and Monitoring Drought in Washington
The Washington State Department of Ecology monitors developing drought conditions each year. They use information such as snow pack accumulation, precipitation, temperature, and historic and current weather patterns to assess drought conditions statewide. However, it's not just the state that monitors drought conditions, the public can play an important role as well.
Join us for a free online event to learn how recycled water can play a role in saving salmon in the Sammamish and beyond
Did you know recycled water is used in other states as a sustainable irrigation source for edible food crops but it is not yet widely being used for the same purpose here in Washington? Join us for a free online event on April 7th to learn how we are exploring recycled water as a food crop irrigation source in the Sammamish Valley and how it could lead to helping salmon in the Sammamish and beyond.
WWT raises $17,000 through Wild & Scenic Film Festival thanks to fantastic support from donors!
THANK YOU to everyone who tuned into our 7th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival on November 10, 2020. The online event turned out to be a great success with 140 households tuning in from around the country and helping us raise $17,000 to restore cool, clean freshwater to Washington's rivers in streams!
