Salt Creek at River Mile 2.3

When: 2021-2022
Where: Salt Creek, a tributary of Little Butte Creek

Objective: Provide the necessary ecological components to improve water quality, stream process, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats that build a resilient ecosystem and robust fish, plant, and animal populations.

RESTORATION ACTIONS:  Improve access to 5 miles of fish habitat through the removal of two seasonal, gravel push-up dams used for irrigation diversion, which are fish passage barriers  Install an irrigation intake at each point of diversion to replace the need for gravel push-up dam construction each irrigation season (April – October), and pipe portions … Read more »

Salt Creek at River Mile 0.5

When: 2021 - Present
Where: Salt Creek, a tributary of Little Butte Creek

Objective: Provide the necessary ecological components to improve water quality, stream process, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats that build a resilient ecosystem and robust fish, plant, and animal populations.

Restoration Actions: 1. Improve access to 5 miles of fish habitat through the removal of two seasonal, gravel push-up dams used for irrigation diversion, which are fish passage barriers. 2. Install an irrigation intake at each point of diversion to replace the need for gravel push-up dam construction each irrigation season (April – October), and … Read more »

Salt Creek at River Mile 3.0

When: In stewardship (until the end of 2026)
Where: Salt Creek, a tributary of Little Butte Creek

Objective: Objective 1: 15.1 acres of riparian (stream-side) rehabilitation protected by 2.5 miles of riparian fence that is wildlife-friendly and stewardship efforts for at least five years. Objective 2: 30 strategic large wood placement locations on one mile of creek using over 190 logs

GOALS: Restoration actions will provide the necessary ecological components to improve water quality, stream process, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats that build a resilient ecosystem and robust fish, plant, and animal populations. CONTRACTORS: Strauss Ecological Services, Four Elements Forestry, Black Dog Archaeology   PROJECT MAPS SUMMARY Salt Creek is a small stream that meets Little Butte … Read more »

Bear Creek at River Mile 19.0

When: In progress (2023)
Where: Bear Creek at Lynn Newbry Park, Talent

Objective: Restore nature stream processes by improving floodplain and side channel connectivity.

RESTORATION ACTIONS 1.) 10 acres of fire-damaged floodplain and riparian (stream-side) rehabilitation and stewardship 2.) 34 strategic large wood placement locations in the primary and secondary channels 3.) 0.22 miles of secondary channel enhancement by improving inundation periods and access for juvenile fish The project site is along Bear Creek at Lynn Newbry Park in … Read more »

Almeda Private Lands Fire Response

When: In progress (2021)
Where: Bear Creek (a major tributary of the Rogue River) and several of its key tributaries

Objective: A streamside post-fire recovery project to improve water quality and re-establish native vegetation

In September 2020, the Almeda Fire burned through the Bear Creek watershed devastating the communities of Phoenix and Talent, as well as the streamside forests of Bear Creek and many of its tributaries. This resulted in severe water quality concerns, including threats to the supply for downstream drinking water providers and for the riparian and … Read more »

Salt Creek at River Mile 3.5

When: Completed 2020
Where: Salt Creek, a tributary of Little Butte Creek

Objective: A dam removal and large-wood placement project to improve fish passage, open up additional spawning habitat, improve juvenile fish survival, and improve the control of irrigation water diversion

Salt Creek is a small stream that meets Little Butte Creek near the community of Lake Creek. Despite its size, it maintains a steady flow of cool water throughout the summer, making it a very good place for cold-water fish like trout and salmon to rear. Unfortunately, eight diversion dams interrupt fish movement along roughly … Read more »

Evans Creek Fish Passage

When: Completed 2015
Where: Evans Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River

Objective: A dam removal project to improve fish passage, open up additional spawning habitat, and improve juvenile fish survival

During July, August, and early September of 2015, Rogue River Watershed Council managed the removal of two dams on Evans creek for Geos Institute.  The Fielder and Wimer Dams were severe impediments to fall Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, summer and winter steelhead, and Pacific Lamprey since their construction over 80 years ago. Both of these dams … Read more »

Jones Creek Fish Passage

When: Completed 2016
Where: Jones Creek, a tributary of the Rogue River

Objective: A dam-removal and culvert improvement project to improve fish passage

Stream Restoration Alliance of the Middle Rogue – one of our precursor watershed councils – removed three fish passage barriers in the Jones Creek system during its tenure. Two additional barriers were scheduled to be removed during the time of Rogue River Watershed Council’s formation. One barrier was an unused eight-foot-high concrete dam on the … Read more »

Gilbert Creek Riparian Restoration

When: Completed 2017
Where: Gilbert Creek Park, Grants Pass

Objective: A stream-side forest restoration project to improve water quality, increase native plant diversity, and increase community awareness of the importance of urban riparian areas

Over ten years ago, the Middle Rogue Watershed Council (one of our precursor organizations) cleared out blackberries and planted dozens of incense cedar and ponderosa pine trees along the west bank of a stretch of Gilbert Creek lying between Gilbert Creek Park and two schools in northwest Grants Pass. However, with very little maintenance done … Read more »

Sugarpine Creek Riparian and Habitat Complexity Restoration

When: Completed 2017
Where: Sugarpine and Hawk Creeks in the Elk Creek watershed

Objective: An in-stream and stream-side restoration project to improve water quality, enhance fish habitat, and increase native plant diversity

Sugarpine Creek is a tributary to Elk Creek and provides spawning and rearing habitat for Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Rainbow Trout/steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout. Stream habitat is not complex on this stream, largely because large downed logs are not present in the stream channel. Dense stands of blackberry along Sugarpine Creek on several properties inhibit … Read more »