The purpose of this website is to provide transparent, real-time information regarding the testing and data resulting from an ongoing multi-year water quality testing program. This program was developed through a cooperative effort of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Crook County and Knife River Corporation.
Our intent with this website is to provide fact-checked information to our community. Our operations are complex and are strictly regulated. We understand the concerns of our neighbors and the fears that can come from not knowing all the information available. Please contact us with any questions you may have. We welcome your feedback!
Knife River has monitored water quality at the property and neighboring properties since 2017, prior
to any mining activity, as is the company’s common practice for land stewardship and regulatory compliance. Knife
River has worked closely with the supervising agencies (DOGAMI and the DEQ) and enlisted independent local experts in hydrology, geology and toxicology.
Crook County has a unique volcanic legacy, with pockets of groundwater that contain naturally elevated levels of certain metals. These metals are not part of any Knife River process – they simply have been in the ground and the groundwater far predating our presence in the area. This has been well-documented from long before Knife River began operating there.
A third-party expert began sampling the water at Woodward before a single shovel of dirt was ever turned, and they have been testing ever since. From before we began operating there to today, the results of those samples have been consistent.
On top of that testing, we have drilled more sampling wells under DEQ’s guidance. DEQ has tested from those wells, and an independent expert has tested from those wells, with the results sent to separate labs for evaluation. The results have been consistent with each other, showing no impact from our operations on the groundwater.
Knife River is no longer mining at the Woodward site, having exhausted the mineable aggregate material under its operating permit. Woodward has still been in use in 2026 as a processing facility.
Knife River expects its application for expansion of mining activity at the neighboring Vanier property will be
approved in 2026, with the Woodward site continued to be used to process the material mined from the Vanier property. Knife River will continue its outreach with the public, elected officials and supervising agencies to broaden understanding of these issues.
In aggregate mining, naturally occurring rock, sand, and gravel are extracted and then processed through crushing, screening, and washing to produce construction materials, with no chemicals injected into the ground or used to separate the material during mining.
Working with local and state officials, the Knife River team developed a testing protocol to document and expand regional water-quality documentation. This team includes third-party experts and follows approved chain-of-custody protocols and lab testing.
Hear from those experts in this in-depth podcast about our Woodward operations, recorded in early 2026.
Understanding Knife River’s Woodward Operation in Prineville – PODCAST
2016
Baseline and pre-mining data collected. Began quarterly water quality sampling at Kriege well in deep aquifer and Mikulski well in shallow aquifer.
2021
Added water monitoring wells for water level and shallow aquifer characteristics.
2023
Drilled additional monitoring wells to comply with Crook County requirements and to collect data regarding water quantities.
2024
Added more monitoring wells in response to regional concerns regarding Manganese commonly found in trace amounts in area ground water wells.
2025
In cooperation with Oregon’s Dept of Env. Quality (DEQ), Knife River developed quarterly water sampling plan that included even more monitoring wells on and neighboring the property. This first testing began at the end of the 4th quarter of 2025.
2026
The first results of the new quarterly testing program approved by DEQ and made public in January, 2026.
We understand that our region’s geology is complex and that ground water quality and quantity is of great concern in Crook County. Our goal with our new water sampling program is to provide clear and verified data to show that our operation has no impact on either the quality or quantity of water for our neighbors.
The work we do truly maters to the communities we serve. We build things that last, from roads to relationships.
Since 2016, water quality data has been gathered and shared with neighbors, Crook County elected officials and staff, as well as the Oregon Depart of Environmental Quality.
To develop a comprehensive water testing program, Knife River contracted with nationally recognized geologists, hydrologists and water testing specialists. Mapping and monitoring has all been done under the supervision of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
Knife River utilizes licensed third-party experts who adhere to strict chain of custody protocols. DEQ also conducts tests from monitoring wells on-site and nearby. Samples are sent to separate labs for evaluation and confirmation of data.
Knife River is no longer mining at the Woodward site. The location is used at times to process aggregate materials mined elsewhere.
Last updated: Summer 2026
