The Rural Resilience Portfolio of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative supports climate readiness of rural communities through two main focus areas:

• Groundwater quality in Umatilla and Morrow counties, Oregon
• Rural and agricultural communities in the Northwest

Through these projects, are enhancing understanding of how climate adaptation services can better meet the needs of rural and agricultural communities. Learn more about each of these focus areas below.

The Rural Resilience Portfolio is one of three areas of work for the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, a participatory research program designed to support frontline communities. Learn more about the Resilience Collaborative.

Our Team

Portfolio staff:

Anne Thebo UW Climate Impacts Group	Chad Kruger Washington State University	Gabrielle Roesch-McNally American Farmland Trust	Georgine Yorgey Washington State University
Guillaume Mauger UW Climate Impacts Group	Karie Boone Washington State University	Kristin Smith Headwaters Economics	Patty Hernandez Headwaters Economics
Zackery Thill UW Climate Impacts Group

Project Team: University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, Headwaters Economics, Idaho State University, Portland State University, Washington State University, American Farmland Trust.

External Partners: Chelan County, Chelan County Climate Resilience Roundtable organizations, the City of Pocatello; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation; Eastern Oregon Climate Change Coalition; EPA Region 10; Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (FRBSF), Oregon State University Extension (Extension); UW Center for Health and the Global Environment; WA Department of Natural Resources

Communities: Chelan County, Wash.; Pocatello, Idaho; Umatilla, Ore. two more TBD in years three to five; Yakima Valley farmworkers

Our Work

Groundwater quality in Umatilla and Morrow Counties, Oregon

Groundwater nitrate is a core water quality and environmental justice issue in agricultural regions around the world. Since 1990, the Lower Umatilla Groundwater Basin in eastern Oregon has been designated as a Groundwater Management Area (GWMA) due to groundwater nitrate concentrations in excess of federal safe drinking water limits. 

The Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative is working in collaboration with Oregon Rural Action, a community-based organization, to identify information and resource needs within the region. We are also building familiarity with the community through conversations and local events. In response to community-identified needs, the Resilience Collaborative has developed a range of products including policy case studies on nitrate management in other regions, an overview of nitrate treatment approaches, outreach on nitrates and well testing at a local high school. We also serve as a technical assistance resource for the group. Learn more about each project below: 

Strategies for reducing exposure to groundwater nitrates in drinking water

We reviewed resources on treatment and non-treatment nitrate management approaches with a focus on strategies providing resilient improvements in water quality for households and small water systems.

Learn more

Learning Circle: Water resilience for small scale irrigators

American Farmland Trust and Oregon Rural Action are co-organizing an interactive workshop on water resilience in Umatilla and Morrow Counties.

Photo by NRCS Oregon, CC by-ND 2.0 DEED

Learn more

Review of policy responses to nitrate-contaminated groundwater

We developed several resources to support resilience in the Lower Umatilla Basin Groundwater Management Area, including a series of case studies highlighting how other rural communities in the West are responding to nitrate contamination in their drinking water.

Learn more

Funding to support Oregon Rural Action

Funding from the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative’s Community Grants program is supporting this community-led organization’s outreach and engagement efforts.

Learn more

Developing a curriculum for Umatilla High School

The Climate Impacts Group team collaborated with science teachers at Umatilla High School to co-design a science curriculum and run a series of classes on water quality in the region.

Learn more

Rural + agricultural communities in Washington

Analyzing mobile home park resident vulnerabilities and solutions

Headwaters Economics is developing a report on best practices and policy recommendations for buy-outs and relocation of mobile homes in floodplains based on a nationwide assessment.

Assessing farmworker needs

Researchers at Washington State University are assessing the entities providing support or services to farm workers impacted by extreme weather and climate change. 

Engaging a farmworker support network

Karie Boone, of Washington State University, presented findings from a farmworker needs assessment to a network that includes community health workers and supervisors, non-profits, state agencies, community-based organizations and university partners. Her findings will inform a subcommittee of this network that is participating in the development of a statewide wildfire smoke rule proposed by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. 

Engaging the region’s agricultural community

Researchers at Washington State University are providing agriculture and natural resource professionals with the tools and knowledge to integrate climate change into all aspects of their work with producers and rural communities. One component of this effort is the blog AgClimate.net, which is an important channel for sharing research, resources and tools with agricultural and natural resources professionals.

AgClimate.net

Building capacity for Extension faculty and staff

The Washington State University team helped plan WSU Extension’s summer gathering, which convened Extension faculty and staff working across the state to learn ways to integrate and infuse climate change considerations throughout their programming.

Supporting the Chelan County Climate Resilience Roundtable

The Resilience Collaborative supported the development of a county-wide climate adaptation plan and resilience strategy, and will be involved in the coming implementation phase. Additionally, researchers at the University of Washington are developing a case study of climate resilience work in Chelan County. Headwaters Economics provided technical assistance to Chelan County to develop a proposal for the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Wildfire Defense Grant program.

Supporting the U.S. Forest Service Community Wildfire Defense Grant tool

The Headwaters Economics team leveraged Resilience Collaborative funding to develop a web tool to support organizations applying for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant, and help reviewers score applications.

Get Involved

For any questions or concerns, please contact the project research leads, Crystal Raymond (clrfire@uw.edu) or Guillaume Mauger (gmauger@uw.edu).

Related Resources

Community organizations and leaders looking to build climate resilient communities may find these resources from Northwest Climate Resilience leaders and partners helpful:

• Washington State of Knowledge report (2013)
• Oregon Climate Assessment (2021)
• Fourth National Climate Assessment (2018)
• Climate Toolbox
• Tribal Climate Tool

Our Funders and Supporters

As a component of the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative, the Rural Resilience Portfolio is supported by the NOAA Climate Adaptation Partnerships Program (formerly known as the NOAA Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program). Additional support comes from the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington, the University of Washington, UW EarthLab and the UW College of the Environment.