Tualatin River Watershed Council

What Tualatin River Watershed Council does

The Tualatin River Watershed Council (TRWC) is a non-profit watershed council founded in 1993 by residents of the Tualatin River basin and headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon. It is governed by 23 stakeholder representatives and operates across most of Washington County and extensions into Clackamas, Multnomah, Tillamook, and Yamhill counties. The council's mission is to improve watershed health for fish, wildlife, and people through restoration, scientific monitoring, and community engagement.

TRWC's core program areas include river restoration projects (dam removals, large wood debris installations, instream habitat work), basin-wide scientific monitoring (a 2022 rapid bio-assessment covering 122 miles of snorkeling survey and a 121-mile habitat inventory), and conservation initiatives such as the Tualatin Basin Beaver Strategy and a Wildland Fire Risk Assessment. Its technical stack centers on Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, rapid bio-assessment methodology, and NetMap tools for steelhead intrinsic potential and anchor habitat analysis. The organization distributes its products through the Watershed Navigator web platform, a Science Library of reports and data, educational resources, and partner networks including Clean Water Services, Metro, Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, Joint Water Commission, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.

The revenue model is non-commercial: TRWC is funded primarily through tax-deductible donations and grants from regional agency partners (Metro, Joint Water Commission, Clean Water Services). It does not sell products or services. Customers in the conventional sense are community members, watershed landowners, regional agency partners, and local tribal nations, served through community engagement, volunteer programs, restoration projects, and educational resources.

Name

Tualatin River Watershed Council

Legal name

Tualatin River Watershed Council

Website

https://trwc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Tualatin River Watershed Council is a 1993-founded non-profit in Hillsboro, Oregon that restores and monitors the Tualatin River basin through scientific programs, volunteer projects, and partnerships with regional agencies, landowners, and tribal nations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Watershed restoration services
• Salmonid habitat conservation
• Riparian reforestation programs
• Ecological stream monitoring
• Community watershed stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillsboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization relies on donor support and community contributions to fund restoration and stewardship activities. Contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
2. Grants and Collaborative Funding: Funding from partners including Metro, Joint Water Commission, and other regional organizations to support watershed restoration projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Tualatin River Watershed Council delivers watershed conservation and restoration services across the Tualatin River basin spanning most of Washington County and four additional Oregon counties. Its core offerings include community-driven habitat restoration projects (dam removal, instream large wood installation, fish passage improvements), scientific stream monitoring (rapid bio-assessments, eDNA research coordination, harmful algal bloom studies), and public education resources such as the Watershed Navigator online tool and Tree for All reforestation program. The Council is governed by 23 stakeholder representatives and operates through donations, grants, and partnerships with regional agencies and tribal nations.

Product overview

The Tualatin River Watershed Council operates a community-focused informational and educational platform, not a commercial software product. Their portfolio centers on watershed conservation through multiple integrated programs: the Watershed Navigator serves as the primary online resource connecting residents with practical watershed information and experts; the Tree for All collaborative program drives forest restoration; and Living With Beavers provides coexistence guidance. Their Science Library and Community Resources serve as educational repositories. The organization also manages numerous river restoration projects (dam removal, instream habitat improvement, large wood installation) aimed at fish passage, salmonid habitat, and ecosystem health, alongside monitoring initiatives including rapid bio-assessments, eDNA research coordination, and wildfire risk assessment. The website functions as the primary interface for community engagement, education, and project information dissemination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Watershed Navigator

Quantifiable outcome

• Restored fish passage through dam removal (Balm Grove Dam)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tree For AllcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative program working to restore trees and natural areas throughout the Tualatin River watershed, connecting partners and communities in conservation efforts. Key partner in tree planting and riparian restoration projects.
• Clean Water ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional utility partner collaborating on multiple restoration projects including the Balm Grove Dam Removal, water quality monitoring, and Gales/Clear Creek Confluence Project. Co-producer of scientific studies and watershed analyses.
• MetrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner providing funding and support for conservation and restoration initiatives throughout the Tualatin River watershed.
• Northwest SteelheadersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation organization partner focused on salmon and steelhead habitat restoration, collaborating on dam removal and fish passage projects.
• The Intertwine AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation alliance partner working on watershed-scale conservation efforts and coordination.
• Joint Water CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on the Harmful Algal Blooms and Impoundments Project, focused on reducing HABs within the Drinking Water Source Area and promoting best management practices for landowners.
• Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey conservation partner collaborating on NetMap Pilot Project, Tualatin Basin Beaver Strategy, and Wildfire Risk Assessment. Joint efforts on private lands stewardship and habitat protection.
• The Wetlands ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Tualatin Basin Beaver Strategy, contributing to basin-wide coordinated beaver coexistence solutions.
• Bio-Surveys LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted to conduct 2022 Tualatin Basin Wide Rapid Bio-Assessment, performing snorkel surveys to determine distribution and abundance of juvenile salmonids.
• Confederated Tribes of Grand RondecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner with deep cultural ties to the Tualatin Basin. Pacific Lamprey holds significant cultural value for the tribe, and the council acknowledges tribal presence and works to protect culturally significant resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater conservation nonprofit with strong Pacific Northwest presence focused on trout and salmon habitat. Comparable in fish-focused restoration, volunteer engagement, and watershed-based organizing, but operates across many states rather than a single basin.
• The Nature Conservancy (Oregon): Large international conservation nonprofit with significant Oregon operations. Operates at much greater scale and across broader geographies, but pursues overlapping goals (freshwater habitat, salmon recovery, restoration) using comparable scientific and partnership-based methods.

Direct peers

• Deschutes River Conservancy: Oregon-based nonprofit focused on river restoration, instream flow restoration, and water quality in the Deschutes basin. Closely comparable programmatic scope (dam removal, habitat restoration, working with utilities and agencies) to TRWC.
• Willamette Riverkeeper: Pacific Northwest nonprofit focused on protecting and restoring the Willamette River through advocacy, community engagement, and on-the-water programs. Operates in the same broader Willamette River system that TRWC's watershed drains into.
• Clackamas River Basin Council: Oregon nonprofit watershed council organized under the same Oregon Watershed Health Program framework as TRWC, focused on restoration, monitoring, and community engagement in the Clackamas basin. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and operating model.
• The Wetlands Conservancy: Oregon nonprofit focused on wetland and riparian conservation; partner to TRWC on the Tualatin Basin Beaver Strategy. Comparable in mission scope (habitat protection, beaver coexistence, restoration) and geography (Pacific Northwest).
• Northwest Steelheaders: Pacific Northwest conservation organization focused on salmon and steelhead habitat; partner to TRWC on dam removal and fish passage projects. Directly comparable in target species, restoration methods, and volunteer-driven model.
• Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District: A core TRWC partner and direct comparable: a government subdivision operating within the same Tualatin basin with overlapping responsibilities for private lands stewardship, watershed restoration, and landowner technical assistance.
• Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership: Pacific Northwest nonprofit working on habitat restoration, salmon recovery, and water quality in the lower Columbia River. Comparable in mission, funding model (mix of federal, state, and philanthropic grants), and community-led programmatic approach.

Emerging players

• Salmon-Safe: Pacific Northwest nonprofit that certifies working lands for salmon habitat protection. Mission-adjacent to TRWC (salmonid habitat) but focused on certification of farms and vineyards rather than direct watershed restoration, making it a partially-overlapping niche peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TualatinRiverWatershedCouncil
• Instagraminstagram.com/tualatinriverwc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tualatin-river-watershed-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tualatin River Watershed Council