About The Center For Lakes and Reservoirs 

The Center for Lakes and Reservoirs (CLR) at Portland State University (PSU) was established by the Oregon State legislature to address lake management and invasive aquatic species issues in Oregon.  CLR is in the Environmental Sciences and Management Department at PSU, which has a major focus on watershed and aquatic ecosystem management. Faculty from other PSU departments and other universities and adjunct faculty from federal agencies (US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, Smithsonian Institution) collaborate with CLR on research projects and serve on graduate student committees.

Lake and aquatic nuisance species management are the major focus of CLR. We develop management plans and conduct research on limnological and invasive species biology in freshwater systems. The Aquatic Bioinvasion Research and Policy Institute (ABRPI) is joint effort with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), which has facilities on the Chesapeake Bay and San Francisco Bay. The ABRPI strengthens our capabilities in research and broadens the geographic scope and habitat types where we work.

In 2001, the Governor's office charged the CLR with developing the Oregon Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan. The Plan is the cornerstone of our work on aquatic invasive species. It is a comprehensive approach to management of aquatic invasive species in the State and includes prevention, outreach and education, detection, research, and management planning components. The CLR is responsible for implementing the Plan in cooperation with state agencies with management responsibilities (Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State Marine Board).