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Building on the law school's rich heritage in both ocean and coastal law and water law, the Ocean, Coasts, and Watersheds Project explores cutting-edge issues in both marine and freshwater environments.
Recent Publications
- Sarah J. Adams, Federal Flood Policy & Maladaptation: A Story of Collective Forgetting, 34 Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal 1 (2025).
- Michelle Smith and ENR Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project Fellows Andrew Archer, Natalie Gillard, Kyle Knoll, Elizabeth Mayans, and Caleb Todd , "Legal and Policy Interventions to Restore and Protect Lake Abert," Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center (October 1, 2024).
- Michelle Smith, Adell Amos, and ENR Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project Fellows Samantha Blount, Mariah Ellis, Natalie Gillard, and Kellie Warren, "Removing Obstacles to Dam Removal in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Regulation of Hydropower Projects" (September 5, 2024).
- Michelle Smith, Adell Amos, and ENR Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project Fellows Andrew Archer, Kyle Knoll, Caleb Todd, and Elissa Karim, "Western State Strategies to Improve Efficiency in Water Allocation Decision Making," Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center (May 14, 2024)
- Adell Amos and Adam S. Ward, "The Supreme Court is Bypassing Science -- We Can't Ignore It," EoS (September 6, 2023)
- Adell Amos, "Reclaiming Our Public Waters After the Supreme Court's Devastating Decision," Washington Monthly (June 9, 2023)
- Adell Amos and Michelle Smith, "Drought, Groundwater, and River Restoration: Connecting Water Law and Policy to Human Health Impacts of Drought " (abstract for Pacific Northwest Drought and Public Health Workshop, October 2022)
- Adell Amos,"Water Law in a Nutshell (Sixth Edition)," coauthored with Sandra B. Zellmer, West Academic Publishing (2021)
- Adell Amos, "Redrawing Our Urban Waters: Merging Design, Law, and Policy in Advancing Distributed Water Systems," in The Routledge Handbook on Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim, coauthored with Brook Muller, Josh Cerra, Chingwen Chen, David Feldmen, Tatum Lau, Noelwah Netusil, and Eric Porse (2021)
- BUILDING TRUST: Public Trust Principles in State Water Law that Encourage Sustainable Management of Water Resources and Promote Principles of Intergenerational Equity
- Scope and limitations of drought management within complex human–natural systems
- Mechanisms for Protecting Groundwater Dependant Ecosystems
- Finding water scarcity amid abundance using human–natural system models
Recent Presentations
- Adell Amos, "Advancing and Expanding an American 30 by 30," 2023 J.B. & Maurice C. Shapiro Environmental Law Symposium, George Washington University Law School Environmental and Energy Law Program (April 6, 2023)
- Brenden Catt, 3L Fellow, "How a Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Could Influence Forestry Practices that Threaten Oregon's Coastal Water Resources," Oregon State of the Coast, October 29, 2021.
Faculty
OCWP Fellows 2025-2026
Abby Dompier, 2L (Freshwater)
Jay Everett, 2L (Freshwater)
Jay is from Boise, Idaho, where he grew up camping and hiking in the mountains and forests. These formative experiences gave him a deep reverence for the natural world and inspired him to study biology at Boise State University, where he learned more about the complexity of biological life and natural systems. He switched majors during the pandemic and ultimately graduated with a degree in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication. He chose to attend Oregon Law because of its environmental law program and because of Oregon's stunning natural beauty.
During his 1L summer, Jay externed at the District Court for the District of Oregon with Judge Michael McShane. He learned more about how the judiciary works and had the opportunity to evaluate parties' submissions to the Court, draft judicial opinions, and witness various court proceedings. Now a 2L, he looks forward to organizing the 2026 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) as a Conference Co-Director, continuing his work at the federal courthouse, and contributing to the ENR Center's freshwater research. He hopes to help find pathways to modernize western water laws to address climate change and increasing water scarcity.
In his free time, Jay loves to be outdoors. He enjoys camping and backpacking with his partner, running and biking on the path by the Willamette River, skiing, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.
Charles Gearing, 3L (Freshwater)
Max McCool, 2L (Freshwater)
Max is an Oregonian who grew up fly fishing the diversity of rivers the state has to offer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he also completed graduate-level research focused on the sustainability of fertilization practices in California citrus orchards. Prior to attending law school, Max worked in ESG consulting as an analyst and founded a nonprofit focused on the preservation of Oregon's native trout populations. Max's academic interests are primarily concentrated on Water Law and the future sustainability of fisheries and agriculture in the western U.S.
Blakely Durham, 2L (Oceans & Coasts)
Blakely was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, though she has always felt most at home on North Carolina's coast. Growing up, she visited the beach every summer with her family, leading her to develop a strong interest in coastal issues and the environment. She continued to develop these interests at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing a capstone research project on the vegetative dynamics and community perceptions of a maritime forest in North Caroliina. She graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and minors in Women and Gender Studies and Environmental Justice.
Blakely's interest in the environment led her to Oregon Law, where she hopes to learn how the law can be used to address coastal issues. During her 1L summer, she interned for the National Sea Grant Law Center, researching federal and state responses to contaminants of emerging concern. Now entering her 2L year, Blakely looks forward to expanding her knowledge of environmental law and applying the skills she has developed to new challenges.
James Meschia, 3L (Oceans & Coasts)
James was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. His passion for conservation stems from his lifelong love for fishing. By becoming an angler in Jacksonville, where freshwater, inshore, surf, and offshore fishing opportunities are abundant, he developed a strong relationship with these major aquatic ecosystems, which has since bloomed into a commitment to conservation--both terrestrial and aquatic. As an undergraduate, James attended the University of Alabama (UA), where he studied Political Science and English while completing coursework in marine science. He also had the opportunity to study at the Dauphin Sea Lab, where he helped researchers gather data for various marine science projects. After completing his first year at Oregon Law, James worked as a legal intern with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and as a legal research assistant with the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.