LOST CREEK CONFLUENCE RESTORATION PROJECT

Status:

Phases 2 & 3

Location:

confluence of Lost Creek and Middle Fork Willamette River at Elijah Bristow State Park

Partnerships:

Oregon State Parks, US Fish & Wildlife Service, MFWWC

Funding agencies:

OWEB, Bonneville Power Administration, Oregon State Parks

Project Overview

One of the highest priority areas for restoration in the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed lies at the confluence of Lost Creek and the Middle Fork Willamette River in Elijah Bristow State Park. This 30-acre deforested area is part of a historical floodplain forest. In December of 2007, the MFWWC began the final phase of a multi-phased project to restore the area. The project involved extensive weed removal, planting of 4,500 native trees, the installation of an innovative solar-powered irrigation system, and western pond turtle and red-legged frog monitoring. The project also has served as a publicly accessible demonstration project: since January of 2004, over 300 volunteers and community members have visited the site and learned about on-the-ground watershed restoration. Our Watershed Education Program works with all elementary schools in the watershed to teach science and environmental concepts while providing opportunities for students, teachers and parents to get involved in community service projects. The Confluence project serves as a field station for three local schools, reaching over 125 students. These students have salvaged native plants from the site, planted trees and conducted water quality monitoring on site.

Objectives:

• increase native species habitat
• improve riparian habitat and floodplain conditions

Activities:

• Phase 1 – complete in 2005
• Phase 2 – complete in 2009
• Phase 3 – in progress

Reports, Articles, and Informational Links:

• Phase 1 Restoration Plan
• Lost Creek Confluence Plan
• Phase 1 Implementation Report
• Phase 1 One-Year Monitoring Report
• ELP Monitoring Report
• Article in July 2009 newsletter
• Public Outreach Phase I - coming soon