| Oregon Plan Stories |
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| South Coast Basin |
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Coos County Forest Road Sediment Reduction
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Installation of a ditch relief culvert in the Coos County Forest (photo by Coos Watershed Association). |
The Coos Watershed Association (CoosWA), through systematic surveys, identified several roads that were directing sediment into nearby waterways through undersized culverts and excessive ditch lengths. The addition of fine sediment into salmon streams reduces the productivity of the streams by reducing egg survival. This road sediment reduction project involved repairing damaged culverts, properly spacing cross-drains and ditches, and controlling the length of ditches discharging into streams or feeding into cross-drains. Overall, the program provided significant reductions in road-related sediment yields into streams in the Coos Watershed.
One of the road sediment reduction projects occurred on the Weyerhaeuser 6110 road system in the summer of 2004. The road begins and ends at Fall Creek, a high-value stream for Coho salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. The flood of 1996 had overwhelmed the road drainage system, and the bottoms of many stream crossing culverts had rusted through. The infrequent spacing of ditch relief culverts also contributed to accelerated, chronic road erosion, as well as creating the potential for catastrophic landslides. The purpose of the project was to minimize fine sediment delivery to Fall Creek. Procedures included installing new ditch relief culverts, replacing rusted or undersized ditch relief culverts, and replacing stream crossing pipes. As a result, conditions improved significantly, now marked by good road surface drainage.
Along the Daniels Creek road system in the Coos County Forest, excessive ditch lengths were causing road sediment to be delivered to streams. Unfortunately, the road system is located in the headwaters of Daniels Creek, which is inhabited by Coho salmon and cutthroat trout. The CoosWA identified 51 sites for installation of new ditch relief culverts along 6.7 miles of forest roads, with the goal of reducing sediment inputs into the creek. After implementation of the project in summer of 2004, contributing ditch lengths at stream crossings were reduced by 48 percent.
These projects are part of a larger effort to systematically evaluate road conditions, identify major problems, and address the most significant sources of sediment damage to salmon streams.
Curry Lowlands Restoration
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Students from Driftwood Elementary School plant wetland plants.
(photos by South Coast Watershed Council)
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South Coast lowland streams have been degraded through time, reducing salmon production. Projects were implemented in 2004 to address a variety of lowland stream conditions along the South Coast. These projects focused on water quality improvement, off-stream watering, and invasive species management.
One of the off-stream watering projects was conducted on the Wahl Ranch, located on the lower Elk River. The project created two small wetlands in an area that had been pastured over the last several decades, but still remained wet during much of the year. The project also created off-stream watering for a portion of an 800-acre sheep ranch, and fenced the wetlands to keep livestock out of these areas. Ultimately, the goal was for the wetland to provide habitat for wildfowl, including migratory birds, and other wildlife. Deeper areas were created to accommodate amphibians and turtles, and wood uncovered during excavation was stuck into the ground to provide perches for birds.
Forty-five students from Driftwood Elementary School went to the site in the fall of 2004 to plant starter wetland vegetation, particularly bulrushes because they contain protein for the benefit of wildfowl feeding. The students, age 9 to 12, helped plant over 250 wetlands plants. The landowner also built several hundred bird houses that were then placed on fence posts around the wetlands to attract birds. The result has been an increase in the quantity of both water and wildlife in the wetland. By early 2005, the landowner had already seen hundreds of birds, including migratory species, using the wetlands.
Two projects dealt with water quality. In Port Orford, sediment and turbidity sources in the municipal water supply, derived chiefly from the North Fork of Hubbard Creek, were beleaguering treatment plant managers. Road construction and a large landslide associated with a logging operation were the chief suspects; various road treatments in the summer of 2004 provided the solution. In the long term, culvert and drainage treatments will reduce sediment sources from failing roads, while the temperate climate will facilitate rapid vegetative recovery.
On North Fork Floras Creek, a ranch road was endangering water quality, a culvert on the road was prohibiting fish passage, and a reach of road ran through the riparian area. Removal of the culvert in 2004 was expected to enable cutthroat trout to use the habitat upstream for spawning. Decommissioning the road reach will both reduce the delivery of sediment to the creek and allow riparian vegetation to re-colonize the area.
This integrated approach to address legacy conditions has helped rebuild the productive capacity of the streams in the South Coast drainages.
Elliott State Forest Projects
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has been involved in projects addressing fish passage and stream complexity on the Elliott State Forest. (Photos provided by ODF.)
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Culvert replacement on Elk Creek.
Photo on left shows fish passage barrier.
Photo above shows the new culvert providing access.
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Fish Passage - Elk Creek Tributary Culvert Replacement.
This project involved the removal of a culvert on a tributary to Elk Creek in the Coos Watershed in September 2005. The culvert, which was a complete barrier to fish, was replaced with a larger, fish friendly culvert. Coho had been seen directly below the culvert in the past. The new, larger culvert was lowered several feet and embedded with a natural stream bottom; it will now provide access to another 1/2 mile of stream habitat for adult and juvenile Coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. During the winter of 2005-2006, adult Coho salmon were observed above the culvert for the first time since the road was constructed many, many years ago. Contributions to the project include ODF ($8,573) and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board ($16,615).
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| Elk Creek before |
Elk Creek after |
Stream Complexity - Elk Creek LWD Phase I.
This project involved adding large wood to Elk Creek on the Elliott State Forest in the form of whole conifer trees with rootwads and logs 22 to 36 inches in diameter. Sixteen structures involving 53 key pieces were placed over 1.5 stream miles in September of 2005 to retain spawning gravels, create deep pools, and provide overwinter habitat for Coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Contributions to the project include ODF ($64,998 in-kind), OWEB ($52,027), and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife ($3,650 in-kind).
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West Fork Millicoma River before
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West Fork Millicoma River after |
Stream Complexity – West Fork Millicoma River Substrate Retention Phase III.
This project involved adding large wood to the West Fork Millicoma River on the Elliott State Forest in the form of whole conifer trees with rootwads 24 to 31 inches in diameter. Eight structures involving 19 key pieces were placed over one stream mile in August to September of 2005; this work complemented the two miles treated during phases I and II. The structures will retain spawning gravels, create deep pools, and provide over-winter habitat for Coho, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Contributions to the project include ODF ($41,298 in-kind), OWEB ($6,530), ODFW ($5,525 in-kind), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Jobs-in-the-woods ($28,714).
National Coastal Wetlands Projects
In the works since 1999, the Coos-Coquille Basin Estuarine Wetland Protection and Restoration project was an innovative partnership among the Coos and Coquille watershed associations, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The overall project—which helped fund habitat restoration activities, land purchases, and conservation easements along sloughs around Coos Bay and the lower Coquille River—was designed to restore wetlands in the Coos and Coquille Valleys and create permanent protected status for them. These wetlands provide exceptional rearing habitat for several salmonid species including Coho salmon. Coastal wetlands represent an essential component of healthy coastal ecosystems. Historically, development and agriculture activities have separated these areas from tidal inundation and reduced their value to aquatic resources. The project restored 448 acres of coastal wetlands.
At 210 acres, the Sinko Wetland Reserve Program Easement and Restoration project covered the largest area of any individual project funded by this grant. The project chiefly involved removing fish passage barriers and reestablishing native vegetation to shade waterways and reduce water temperatures, thereby improving salmonid habitat. This wetland offered excellent fall, winter, and spring rearing for Coho and Chinook salmon, migratory birds, and other wetland wildlife. After project completion in summer of 2004, the result was an improvement in wildlife habitat, while the landowner continued to operate an organic dairy farm on the property.
Another project, implemented in the summer and fall of 2004, was the Snyder Wetland Restoration. The property, 55 acres of pastureland, provided juvenile salmonid winter rearing habitat, but a natural levee surrounded the site and a tide gate prevented tidal connectivity with the Coquille River. The levee was breached and a new inlet was created to allow access for anadromous fish. Two low-tide channels were constructed to tie existing wetlands to the new inlet channel. These procedures, along with the addition of native riparian vegetation and large woody debris for channel complexity, have resulted in open channel flow and a hospitable deep-water habitat for juvenile salmon.
The 2005-2007 Biennial Report provides more information about accomplishments in each watershed basin.
Return to watershed basin map
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