Reading response (Do a about 50 word overall summary and 50 word introduction of this response here) The bureau of planning and sustainability (2016) reading interest me the most. (50word summary of the reading). As I mentioned I want to work as a real estate developer, understanding the value and other potential value of one piece of land is important. In order to maximize the profit, you get from a deal, location is one of the most important criteria. Also, when you find a good location, you need understand what you can build, how tall you can build, how many units you can build, etc, we can get all this information from GIS data as the reading mentioned. Talk about floor area ration here (~50 word) Summary the “human community inventory and analysis” reading and response (~100 words) Compare the Buildable Lands Inventory and Growth Allocation GIS model reading with the human community inventory and analysis (~100 word) Summary the “executive summary” only (McKenzie watershed reading) 50 words And a response to the executive summary and the rest of the reading 150 words. Conclusion with some questions for future discussion(150 words). Reference list McKenzie River Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan for Aquatic and Riparian Conservation and Restoration, 2016-2026 MCKENZIE WATERSHED COUNCIL AND PARTNERS June 2016 Photos by Freshwaters Illustrated MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The McKenzie Watershed Council thanks the many individuals and organizations who helped prepare this action plan. Partner organizations that contributed include U.S. Forest Service, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, McKenzie River Trust, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, Lane Council of Governments and Weyerhaeuser Company. Plan Development Team Johan Hogervorst, Willamette National Forest, U.S. Forest Service Kate Meyer, McKenzie River Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service Karl Morgenstern, Eugene Water & Electric Board Larry Six, McKenzie Watershed Council Nancy Toth, Eugene Water & Electric Board Jared Weybright, McKenzie Watershed Council Technical Advisory Group Brett Blundon, Bureau of Land Management – Eugene District Dave Downing, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District Bonnie Hammons, McKenzie River Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service Chad Helms, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jodi Lemmer, McKenzie River Trust Joe Moll, McKenzie River Trust Maryanne Reiter, Weyerhaeuser Company Kelly Reis, Springfield Office, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife David Richey, Lane Council of Governments Kirk Shimeall, Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development Andy Talabere, Eugene Water & Electric Board Greg Taylor, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jeff Ziller, Springfield Office, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 6 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 About the McKenzie Watershed Council .......................................................................................... 11 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action Plan .................................................................................................... 11 1.3 Action Plan Overview ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.4 Plan Development Process ............................................................................................................... 15 1.5 Process for Updating the Plan........................................................................................................... 15 2 OUTCOMES ........................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1 Processes for Developing Goals, Objectives and Actions ................................................................. 16 3 VISION, GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND SCOPE ........................................................................................... 22 3.1 Vision................................................................................................................................................. 22 3.2 Guiding Principles ............................................................................................................................. 22 3.3 Area Covered by the Action Plan ...................................................................................................... 22 4 GOVERNANCE/PARTNERSHIPS ............................................................................................................. 25 5 CONTEXT: PROFILE OF THE AREA ........................................................................................................ 28 5.1 Physical Geography ........................................................................................................................... 28 5.2 Water Resources ............................................................................................................................... 29 5.3 Biotic Systems ................................................................................................................................... 31 5.4 Human Population, Local Communities and Land Use ..................................................................... 34 6 CONSERVATION NEED .......................................................................................................................... 36 6.1 Dam Construction and Operation .................................................................................................... 37 6.2 Rural and Urban Development ........................................................................................................ 39 6.3 Land Use ........................................................................................................................................... 41 6.4 Fire Suppression ............................................................................................................................... 43 6.5 Invasive Species................................................................................................................................ 43 6.6 Recreational Impacts........................................................................................................................ 44 6.7 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................ 44 7 Key Species ........................................................................................................................................... 45 7.1 Spring Chinook Salmon ..................................................................................................................... 47 7.2 Bull Trout........................................................................................................................................... 48 7.3 Oregon Chub ..................................................................................................................................... 48 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 7.4 Pacific Lamprey ................................................................................................................................. 49 7.5 Pacific brook lamprey........................................................................................................................ 49 7.6 Rainbow Trout................................................................................................................................... 50 7.7 Coastal Cutthroat Trout .................................................................................................................... 50 7.8 Western Pond Turtle ......................................................................................................................... 50 7.9 Northern Red-legged Frog ................................................................................................................ 50 8 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIONS ..................................................................................................... 52 8.1 Outcome 1......................................................................................................................................... 52 8.1.1 McKenzie River Watershed ...................................................................................................... 54 8.1.2 Mohawk River Watershed........................................................................................................ 59 8.1.3 Quartz Creek-McKenzie River Watershed................................................................................ 62 8.1.4 Blue River Watershed............................................................................................................... 65 8.1.5 South Fork McKenzie River Watershed.................................................................................... 65 8.1.6 Horse Creek Watershed ........................................................................................................... 69 8.1.7 Headwaters McKenzie River Watershed.................................................................................. 72 8.2 Outcome 2........................................................................................................................................ 76 8.3 Outcome 3......................................................................................................................................... 80 9 EVALUATING SUCCESS .......................................................................................................................... 85 9.1 Watershed Monitoring ..................................................................................................................... 85 9.2 Site Level Monitoring ........................................................................................................................ 87 10 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT .................................................................................................................... 89 11 SUSTAINABILITY .................................................................................................................................... 89 12 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................................ 90 List of Figures Figure 1. State of Oregon, Willamette River Basin and McKenzie River Sub-basin………….……………………..10 Figure 2. Lane County 5th- Field HUC Sub-basins ……………………………………………………………………………………11 Figure 3. The seven 5th-field watersheds within the McKenzie River Sub-basin………………………………….….13 Figure 4. Land ownership in the McKenzie River Sub-basin …………….…………………………………………………….23 Figure 5. Dominant geology of the McKenzie River Sub-basin …………………………….…………………………..……28 Figure 6. Location of six dams in the McKenzie River Sub-basin…………………………………………………………….31 Figure 7. Adult spring Chinook counts at Leaburg Dam………………………………………………………………………...33 Figure 8. Communities of the McKenzie River Sub-basin…………………………………………………….………………..34 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Figure 9. Distribution of Action Plan key species within the McKenzie River Sub-basin…………….………….45 Figure 10. Distribution of Action Plan key species within the McKenzie River Sub-basin…………….………..46 Figure 11. River mileage on the McKenzie River……………………………………………………………………………………54 Figure 12. Actions in the McKenzie River Watershed……………………………………………..…………………………….56 Figure 13. Draft McKenzie River Voluntary Incentives Program boundary……………………………………………58 Figure 14. Actions in the Mohawk River Watershed……………………………………………………………………….…...60 Figure 15. Actions in the Quartz Creek-McKenzie River Watershed……………………………………………………..63 Figure 16. Actions in the South Fork McKenzie River Watershed…………………………………………………..…….66 Figure 17. Actions in the Horse Creek Watershed………………………………………………………………………………..70 Figure 18. Actions in the Headwaters McKenzie River Watershed.....................................................…...73 List of Tables Table 1. List of previously completed watershed assessments, conservation strategies and other planning documents consulted…………………………………………………………….………………………………..17 Table 2. Conservation threats, impacts and proposed actions…………………………………………………………..…36 Table 3. Outcome 1: Goals, objectives, actions…………………………………………………………………………………….53 Table 4. Outcome 2: Goals, objectives, actions…………………………………………………………………………………....76 Table 5. Outcome 3: Goals, objectives, actions……………………………………………………………………………….…...81 Table 6. Baseline and effectiveness monitoring with the SLICES framework related to four SMART goals for the McKenzie River Sub-basin………………………………………………….……………………………….88 List of Acronyms BLM BPA CPRCD CREP DEQ DSL DWSP EPA ESA EWEB FPA GIS HUC LCC LCOG Bureau of Land Management Bonneville Power Administration Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Oregon Department of State Lands Drinking Water Source Protection Environmental Protection Agency (federal) Endangered Species Act (federal) Eugene Water & Electric Board Oregon Forest Practices Act Geographic Information System Hydrologic Unit Code Lane Community College Lane Council of Governments MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 LIDAR LRAPA LWM MMT MRT MWSG MWC MWERS MWMC MWP NCAP NWFP NMFS NRCS NF ODF ODFW ODOT OHV OSU OWEB SLICES SMART SMU SPARC SPS SUB TFT UO UOELP USACE USDA USFS USFWS USGS UWSWCD VIP WELL WFFC WNF Remote sensing technology using light and radar Lane Regional Air Protection Agency Large woody material Meyer Memorial Trust McKenzie River Trust McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group McKenzie Watershed Council McKenzie Watershed Emergency Response System Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Mohawk Watershed Partnership Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides Northwest Forest Plan National Marine Fisheries Service Natural Resources Conservation Service National Forest Oregon Department of Forestry Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Department of Transportation Off-highway vehicle Oregon State University Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board Spatial framework for Willamette River and floodplain monitoring Goals and objectives which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented and Time-based Species Management Unit Stewardship Program in Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Springfield Public Schools Springfield Utility Board The Freshwater Trust University of Oregon University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District Voluntary Incentives Program Water and Energy Learning Lab (Springfield Public Schools) Willamette Farm and Food Coalition Willamette National Forest EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The McKenzie River Sub-basin is known for outstanding water quality and steady flows due to its unique hydrogeology. It is one of the last remaining strongholds for threatened Willamette River spring Chinook salmon and bull trout. McKenzie rainbow trout are a prized target for recreational fisheries and the businesses that depend on them. Many strong partnerships exist among local organizations, and the Sub-basin is a hub for innovative programs. Despite these excellent features, the Sub-basin is showing signs of degradation in water quality and habitat quality, loss of riparian forest, and disconnection from its floodplain. These downward trends are largely a result of a variety of anthropogenic impacts including dam and hydroelectric project construction, rural and urban development pressures, and landuse practices. Conservation and restoration in the McKenzie River Sub-basin is essential to providing the foundation from which ecological uplift in the entire Willamette River Basin can occur. The guiding vision for the Action Plan is that the McKenzie River Sub-basin supports exceptional water quality and fish and wildlife habitats in balance with human quality of life. The McKenzie River Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan was developed in cooperation with, and with contributions from, numerous partners including residents and landowners, U.S. Forest Service, Eugene Water & Electric Board, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, McKenzie River Trust, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, Lane Council of Governments, Weyerhaeuser Company, McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group and the McKenzie Collaborative. As such, the plan represents a unified vision for achieving the major outcomes. (See Section 4 for a description of partners and partnerships.) The primary purpose of the McKenzie River Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan is the identification and prioritization of specific goals, objectives and actions to achieve desired outcomes. There are three desired outcomes: Outcome 1: Improved habitat for key aquatic species throughout the McKenzie River Sub-basin. Key species include spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, Oregon chub, Pacific lamprey, Pacific brook lamprey, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, red-legged frog and western pond turtle. Outcome 2: Maintenance and improvement of high quality drinking water for the City of Eugene, City of Springfield and watershed residents. Outcome 3: Enhanced public awareness, understanding and support for watershed conservation and restoration. Recovery of spring Chinook salmon and bull trout are long-term goals that may take many decades to achieve. In the meantime, the action plan is geared toward making measurable progress in conserving and restoring critical habitat for these and other key species throughout the Sub-basin. The partner organizations will continue their coordinated efforts over the long term to protect drinking water quality and conserve and restore habitat. Actions to conserve and restore habitat for key species (Outcome 1) were developed using a process that included watershed assessment, action development and action prioritization. The actions address key limiting factors for each species as described in recovery or conservation plans. Four goals developed for Outcome 1 include: 1. Increase in-stream and floodplain habitat complexity, floodplain connectivity and productivity; 2. Improve fish passage; 3. Enhance riparian function; and 4. Maintain water quality for key species. 6 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 In total, the plan identifies 110 specific and measurable actions that achieve the habitat goals in six of the seven watersheds in the Sub-basin. Included are actions to conserve and restore riparian habitat as part of EWEB’s proposed Voluntary Incentives Program, which is scheduled to be implemented in late 2016. Also of note are proposed actions to restore fish habitat in the South Fork McKenzie Watershed, which are a priority for the U.S. Forest Service and its partners. These actions include augmentation of large woody material, removal of revetments to increase connections with the floodplain and side channels, augmentation of sediment and flow, addition of hatchery chinook carcasses to improve productivity, and actions to improve or decommission roads to protect water quality. (See table below.) Goals Increase instream habitat complexity, floodplain connectivity, and productivity Enhance riparian function Objectives Actions Increase marine-derived nutrients Hatchery Chinook salmon carcass placement  South Fork, Horse Creek, Deer Creek Augment in-stream large woody material (LWM) Implement LWM projects on the following  Private lands (Gate Creek, lower McKenzie River floodplain, upper Mohawk River, Mill Creek (Mohawk River)  Willamette National Forest (South Fork, below Cougar Dam, South Fork, above Cougar Dam, Horse Creek, Anderson Creek, Olallie Creek, Sweetwater Creek) Augment in-stream flow downstream of dams Augment in-stream sediment (gravel) regime Work with the USACE to periodically release channel forming flows below Cougar Dam Implement gravel augmentation in the South Fork Watershed below Cougar Dam Levee and revetment removal Implement VIP Program within McKenzie River Sub-basin boundary area Implement levee and revetment removal projects in the South Fork Watershed below Cougar Dam Conduct riparian health assessments and restoration/conservation planning on cooperating private lands Enhance riparian habitat at priority sites outside of VIP boundary Implement riparian enhancement at priority locations outside of current VIP boundary  Mohawk River  South Fork McKenzie River below Cougar Dam Implement passage projects on the following  Blowout Creek (Horse Creek watershed)  Pothole Creek (Horse Creek watershed) Update and prioritize fish passage barrier databases Implement conservation, restoration, and naturescaping activities on cooperating private lands Improve fish passage at priority passage barriers Remove passage barriers at priority road crossings Improve upstream and downstream fish passage at USACE dams Work with USACE on downstream passage at Cougar Dam Maintain or improve water quality for key species Reduce road-related fine sediment delivery to streams within South Fork, Horse Creek and Headwaters Watersheds Hydrologically stabilize and store roads Conduct storm damage risk reduction Decommission roads Upgrade stream crossings 7 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Actions to maintain and improve drinking water quality (Outcome 2) were developed based on 14 years of research and analysis of threats by EWEB and its partners and include the major components of EWEB’s drinking water source protection program. The plan identifies 35 actions (see table below) to achieve the following major goals: 1. Reduce the amount of chemicals used and/or stored in the watershed, and increase hazardous material spill preparedness; 2. Reduce bacteria and nutrient pollution loads into the McKenzie River and its tributaries to reverse increasing trends of E. coli and nitrates; and 3. Establish a watershed health monitoring framework that effectively assesses and tracks changes in: water quality and quantity; land cover and landforms; key aquatic species health; and instream habitat in order to assess climate change impacts and effectiveness of actions taken as part of this action plan. Goals Reduce chemical use and storage and increase hazardous spill preparedness Reduce bacteria and nutrient pollution Establish watershed health monitoring framework Objectives Reduce pesticide/nutrient use and storage Reduce toxic chemical usage and pharmaceutical storage Maintain hazardous spill response (MWERS) readiness Septic System Assistance Program Storm water treatment systems with City of Springfield Healthy Farms Clean Water Program Expand SLICES framework to McKenzie Sub-basin Sub-basin water quality monitoring Sub-basin water quality monitoring to assess snow pack, flow levels, precipitation, water use Conduct land cover and landform monitoring (LiDAR) Actions     Healthy Farms Clean Water Program Agricultural chemical collection events Naturescaping workshops Ecobiz Certification Program    Annual drills Develop response system Septic system assistance program               48th Street wetland design 69th and 72nd street treatment designs implementation Develop off-site watering and fencing projects Manure compost facilities projects Map at 1km and 100m intervals Populate with data at 100m scale Repeat on 10-year cycle Baseline monitoring at 16 sites on quarterly basis Fall and spring storm event monitoring Seasonal algal bloom monitoring at reservoirs Maintain 4 continuous monitoring stations Conduct bacteria source tracking analysis Summarize trends on VIP dashboard Assess patterns and trends in water recharge using existing data sources Establish continuous flow and temperature monitoring stations on select spring creeks Conduct 2016 flight Repeat flights on 5-year interval    Actions to enhance community understanding and support for watershed stewardship (Outcome 3) were developed largely based on the watershed council’s successful outreach program involving numerous partners, and on outreach needs for the Voluntary Incentives Program. The plan includes 30 actions (see table below) to meet the following goals: 8 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 1. Conduct outreach to increase the participation of McKenzie River landowners in voluntary protection and restoration actions; 2. Increase outreach programs which enhance middle and high school students’ knowledge and understanding of watershed conservation and restoration; 3. Maintain opportunities for volunteers and community members to participate in restoration and stewardship projects; 4. Increase collaboration with other watershed councils, agencies and organizations within Lane County who are providing youth programs focusing on watershed health, water quality and fish and wildlife habitat; and 5. Promote and enhance public knowledge of the historic and cultural significance, biological needs, and new research concerning spring Chinook salmon in the McKenzie River Sub-basin, and promote the recovery of Upper Willamette Spring Chinook salmon. Goals Objectives Conduct outreach to VIP outreach within current increase private boundary landowner participation in voluntary restoration and conservation Conduct outreach to landowners outside current VIP boundary Increase outreach Salmon Watch Program programs to youth Actions     Development of website and dashboard and other materials development Focus on landowners previously identified in UO Survey Focus on 900 landowners with prior participation in partner programs Focus on landowners within high priority areas of Mohawk River and McKenzie River watersheds outside of current VIP boundary Salmon Stewards Committee coordination Volunteer recruitment and training Field trips to McKenzie and Siuslaw WELL Project with Springfield School District SPARC Program with McKenzie School District Marcola School District Eugene School District 4J UO ELP High School Program Middle School Program UO Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) Partnership         Increase public participation in watershed stewardship Develop volunteer opportunities for public   Collaboration with area watershed education providers Meet with local organizations and partnerships   Collaboration with area watershed councils and other organizations Participate in USFS Children’s Forest Initiative planning Upper Willamette River spring Chinook recovery Promote a greater understanding of McKenzie spring Chinook   Public forum Distribute materials on a sub-basin scale  McKenzie River Clean-up MRT Volunteer Partnerships at BWCA and other conservation properties South Fork McKenzie River volunteer events A key feature of the action plan is evaluating success through monitoring frameworks and programs. Based on results of monitoring, the Council and its partners will periodically assess effectiveness of the actions in meeting the goals and objectives prescribed in the plan and make adjustments as necessary to habitat restoration treatments, drinking water quality actions, and outreach activities. As actions are completed, new priority actions may be developed and implemented to achieve goals and objectives. Goals and objectives may be modified as time goes on. In this way, the plan is a living document that will be updated regularly. 9 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 1 INTRODUCTION The McKenzie River supports exceptional water quality and high quality habitat for native fish and wildlife. In many ways the McKenzie River Sub-basin is the backbone of the Willamette River Basin (Figure 1). The river accounts for a disproportionate amount of flow in the lower Willamette main stem during the dry season due to the large spring-fed system in the upper watershed; is one of the last remaining strongholds for Endangered Species Act (ESA) threatened spring Chinook salmon and bull trout; has some of the best Roaring Spring, McKenzie River headwaters water quality in Oregon which provides dilution for (photo: D. Donahue, EWEB) downstream impacts; and is a hub for innovation and collaboration that can be used as a model to transfer to other watersheds. Over the last century, human activities have resulted in loss of riparian forests, loss of floodplain connectivity and diversity, and altered instream habitats for native fish and wildlife species. These impacts are reflective of construction of flood control dams and hydroelectric projects; urban and rural development; and past land use practices including agriculture and forestry (see Section 6 for more detail on impacts). Over the last 15 years, collaborative monitoring efforts show further signs of degradation in water quality and downward trends in wild spring Chinook salmon returns. This Action Plan proposes voluntary restoration and conservation measures to address impacts within the McKenzie River Sub-basin, which can provide the foundation from which ecological uplift in the Willamette River Basin can occur. Figure 1. State of Oregon, Willamette River Basin and McKenzie River Sub-basin. 10 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 1.1 About the McKenzie Watershed Council The McKenzie Watershed Council (MWC) is a group of volunteer partners representing the diverse stakeholders and interests in the watershed. Currently, there are 28 partners representing residents, commercial and recreational interests, schools, utilities, conservation organizations, and local, state and federal government entities. Commercial interests include agriculture, forestry and the sand-and-gravel industry. The MWC employs a small staff based in Springfield which is responsible for implementing projects and facilitating partnerships. The MWC is one of five watershed councils officially authorized by action of the Lane County Board of Commissioners (Figure 2). Our mission is to foster better stewardship of McKenzie River watershed resources, deal with issues in advance of resource degradation, and ensure sustainable watershed health, function and use. The MWC is not a regulatory body. We work with public and private landowners on a voluntary basis to conserve and restore riparian and aquatic habitat, cooperate with partners to monitor and maintain water quality, implement watershed education programs, focus outreach to residents and provide a monthly forum for addressing important issues. The MWC is funded by a combination of local partner contributions; state, federal and private foundation grants; and private donations. Figure 2. Lane County 5th- Field HUC Sub-basins. 1.2 Purpose and Need for Action Plan The McKenzie River Sub-basin Strategic Action Plan for Aquatic and Riparian Conservation and Restoration (Action Plan) was developed to identify and prioritize the goals, objectives and actions relating to water quality and fish and wildlife habitat which the MWC and its partners seek to achieve over the next five to ten years. Actions capture both existing and conceptual programs and projects. All 11 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 identified actions are voluntary, subject to local, state and federal laws, plans and regulations, and intended to be done collaboratively with a variety of partners. To the extent possible, the Action Plan identifies these partnerships. The Action Plan also identifies methods for monitoring and accounting for investments. The need for the Action Plan arose from the realization that existing planning and guidance documents do not account for the current level of collaboration, investment, innovation and engagement with landowners taking place within the McKenzie River Sub-basin. The McKenzie Goals of the 2002 Conservation Strategy River Watershed Conservation Strategy  Protect and restore key fish and wildlife habitats. (MWC, 2002) has served as the primary  Protect and restore water quality and quantity. guiding document for the MWC for  Facilitate partnerships to advance stewardship. fourteen years. The Strategy established  Promote community understanding through major goals (see inset), prescribed general outreach and education. strategies to achieve those goals and  Account for investments in the watershed. prioritized geographical areas that should be the focus of restoration. This plan served its purpose in providing a roadmap for the MWC and its partners to understand limiting factors to watershed health and areas ripe for collaboration and investment. The McKenzie River Sub-basin Assessment (MWC, 2000) formed the basis for the goals and strategies in the Strategy. The Assessment concluded that, despite significant losses of important fish and wildlife habitat, the McKenzie River Sub-basin has some of the best remaining habitat in the Willamette River Basin. However, the current condition of the Sub-basin, combined with existing management and regulations, does not ensure conservation or restoration of high quality habitat in the long term. Although the overarching goals of the Strategy and findings of the Assessment are still largely relevant, they do not account for a number of new partnerships and collaborations in the McKenzie Subbasin, such as the McKenzie Collaborative, the McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group, the Voluntary Incentives Program, the McKenzie Watershed Council/Forest Service partnership, and the Lower McKenzie Fish Habitat Enhancement Program (see partnerships described in section 4). All of these efforts will benefit from a specific comprehensive action plan to guide them. The Action Plan will provide a common vision and path forward that establishes priorities for specific actions, leverages and coordinates resources, and increases efficiencies in implementing projects and activities over the next five to ten years. For these reasons, the Council and its partners recognized the need for developing a new Action Plan and have invested time and resources in working together to complete this comprehensive plan that will guide outreach, protection, and restoration actions across the Sub-basin and establish monitoring approaches that assess the effectiveness of these actions over time. 1.3 Action Plan Overview The Action Plan includes specific voluntary actions to work with willing private and public landowners throughout the McKenzie River Sub-basin in the restoration of key fish and wildlife habitat, the protection of water quality, and implementation of outreach activities linked to habitat and resource stewardship. Restoration actions focus on aquatic, riparian, and floodplain habitat for what we define as “key species”: spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, Oregon chub, Pacific lamprey, Pacific brook lamprey, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, red-legged frog and western pond turtle. Water quality protection actions focus on monitoring and a series of drinking water source protection (DWSP) programs designed to address identified threats to maintenance of the McKenzie River’s exceptional water quality. Outreach activities seek to increase awareness of and support for watershed conservation and restoration through multiple programs involving youth, private landowners and the general public. 12 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 The Action Plan utilizes a geographic term, Hydrological Unit Code (HUC), established by the U.S. Geological Survey for classifying and identifying hydrologic features such as rivers and drainage basins. The Action Plan defines geographic terms as follows:  Basin: Willamette River Basin, classified as a 3rd field HUC (Figure 1).  Sub-basin: major tributaries of the Willamette River, such as the McKenzie River, classified as a 4th field HUC (Figure 1).  Watershed: major tributaries or sections of the McKenzie River, classified as 5th- field HUCs (Figure 3). The McKenzie River Sub-basin includes a total of seven watersheds; McKenzie River, Mohawk River, Quartz Creek-McKenzie River, Blue River, South Fork McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwaters McKenzie River (Figure 3). It should be noted that within the Action Plan the term McKenzie River Watershed refers to the 5th field HUC, i.e. the section of river (and all tributaries) from the confluence of the McKenzie River and Willamette River upstream to the confluence of the McKenzie River and Ennis Creek at river mile 51. The Action Plan covers the entire McKenzie River Sub-basin with planning organized on the 5th -field HUC scale. Figure 3. The seven 5th-field watersheds within the McKenzie River Sub-basin. The following is a summary of the contents of the Strategic Action Plan.  Section 2 describes the major outcomes expected from implementation of the plan. These outcomes include conservation and restoration of habitat for key species, monitoring and 13 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 protection of drinking water quality, outreach and education to promote stewardship of watershed resources, and monitoring and research necessary to improve the plan and its effectiveness.  Section 3 includes the scope, vision, and guiding principles of the plan, and describes the focus area, which is the entire McKenzie River Sub-basin.  Section 4 lists ongoing partnerships in the Sub-basin and the roles of key partners.  Section 5 is a brief profile of the geography, water resources, biotic systems, local communities, and local economy of the McKenzie River Sub-basin.  Section 6 describes the conservation needs of the area and documents threats to key species’ habitats.  Section 7 lists the primary factors limiting the recovery of the key species that include spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, Oregon chub, Pacific lamprey, Pacific brook lamprey, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, red-legged frog and western pond turtle.  Section 8, the core of the plan, describes the goals, objectives, and actions. The goals and objectives are S.M.A.R.T. - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, and Time-based. Actions are specific with regard to sites and activities, and form the basis of project grant applications. Together, the goals, objectives, and actions are formulated to achieve the major outcomes described in Section 2. Actions which address habitat for key species are developed for six of the seven watersheds (USGS 5th-Field HUCs; Figure 3) in the Sub-basin (USGS 4th -Field HUC). Actions for drinking water quality and outreach apply throughout the Sub-basin.  Section 9 describes baseline and effectiveness monitoring needed to evaluate success of the plan.  Sections 10 and 11 address adaptive management and sustainability of the ecological outcomes over time, including long-term funding required.  Section 12 lists literature cited within the body of the plan.  Appendix A documents the process used to develop and prioritize restoration actions for the South Fork McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwaters McKenzie River Watersheds.  Appendix B documents the process used in the McKenzie, Mohawk and Quartz Creek-McKenzie River Watersheds to develop and prioritize restoration actions.  Appendix C includes details of Eugene Water & Electric Board’s (EWEB) Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP) Program. 14 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 1.4 Plan Development Process Plan development began in January 2015 Outcome 1: Improved habitat for key aquatic species as a collaborative effort among a group of partners. A drafting team worked with a Outcome 2: Maintenance and improvement of high technical advisory group including the quality drinking water Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB), Lane Council of Governments (LCOG), Outcome 3: Enhanced public awareness, understanding, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and support for watershed conservation and restoration (ODFW), US Forest Service (USFS), McKenzie Watershed Council (MWC), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), McKenzie River Trust (MRT), Upper Willamette Soil and Water Conservation District (UWSWCD), Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development (CPRCD), and Weyerhaeuser Company. The plan development team also consulted with the two local cooperative partnerships, the McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group (MWSG) and the McKenzie Collaborative (see section 4 for a description of partnerships), in the development of priority actions. This collaborative effort lead to agreement on a unified vision, guiding principles, and primary outcomes for the McKenzie River Sub-basin (see inset; also described in Sections 2 and 3.) MWC staff reported monthly to the Council on the status of plan development and to receive direction. At its February 2016 meeting, the Council adopted the plan for public review. Public comment was solicited from residents of watershed communities, the Cities of Eugene and Springfield and stakeholder organizations during the public comment period. Notices of availability of the draft plan were published in local newspapers and posted on the MWC and partner websites. Copies of the plan were distributed to those requesting it. The Council revised the plan in response to public, partner and staff recommendations and adopted the final plan at its May 2016 meeting. 1.5 Process for Updating the Plan The Action Plan is designed to be realistic, adaptable, and open to opportunities that are not foreseen. It will be updated periodically to account for new information from monitoring programs and research. Council staff and partners will report to the Council each biennium, starting in 2018, at its October planning session on the progress of completing actions and achieving outcomes and will make appropriate recommendations for revising the plan. The Council will adopt any necessary revisions. 15 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 2 OUTCOMES There are three primary desired outcomes of the Action Plan which address both ecological and social issues.    Outcome 1: Improved habitat for key aquatic species – spring Chinook salmon, bull trout, Oregon chub, Pacific lamprey, Pacific brook lamprey, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, red-legged frog and western pond turtle – throughout the McKenzie River Sub-basin. Outcome 2: Maintenance and improvement of high quality drinking water for the City of Eugene, City of Springfield, and watershed residents. Outcome 3: Enhanced public awareness, understanding, and support for watershed conservation and restoration. 2.1 Processes for Developing Goals, Objectives and Actions Key Species of the Action Plan Outcome 1: Outcome 1 focuses on identifying actions to improve  Spring Chinook salmon habitat for key aquatic species (fish) or aquatic-dependent species  Bull trout (frogs, turtles) within the McKenzie River Sub-basin. “Key" species  Oregon chub were defined as species which meet at least one of the following criteria: species has a final or draft federal recovery or conservation  Pacific lamprey plans (USFWS and/or NMFS); species is cited as a key species within  Rainbow trout Conservation Opportunity Areas by the Oregon Conservation Strategy  Cutthroat trout (ODFW, 2006); or species is generally recognized to have significant  Pacific brook lamprey biological, cultural or economic significance within the McKenzie River  Red-legged frog Sub-basin. For two of the identified key species, spring Chinook  Western pond turtle salmon and bull trout, conserving and restoring habitat within the McKenzie is of regional importance because the Sub-basin is a stronghold for both species and critical for long-term recovery within the Willamette River Basin. The nine species recognized (see inset) by the Action Plan are discussed further in Section 7. Goals, objectives, and actions to improve habitat for key aquatic species in watersheds dominated by federal ownership were developed utilizing a three-step process largely informed by Stream and Watershed Restoration: A Guide to Restoring Riverine Processes and Habitats: Watershed Assessment, Action Development, and Action Prioritization (Roni and Beechie, 2013). The purpose of watershed assessment is to identify causes of impairment to physical and biological processes and show how that has affected key aquatic species and their habitats. The team conducted rapid watershed assessments for three (the South Fork McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwaters McKenzie River) of the seven watersheds in the Sub-basin (Figure 3). In these watersheds, natural watershed processes were first described, followed by identification of current and historic land use and development. Using the information gathered, a table of watershed processes, the causes of impairment, and restoration actions needed to address impaired processes was created. This list of restoration actions was then translated into more site-specific goals, objectives and actions (Section 8). Actions were then prioritized using a set of criteria and scoring system developed by the team and the advisory group. The process utilized within the South Fork McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwaters McKenzie River watersheds is detailed in Appendix A. In watersheds either dominated by private lands (McKenzie River) or with mixed ownership (Mohawk River) the prioritization process relied upon previously completed assessments, conservation strategies, action plans (Table 1), professional knowledge and current partnerships/opportunities with private 16 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 landowners. To the extent possible given data gaps, existing documents were used to identify impacted watershed processes, causes of impairment, and restoration actions needed to address impaired processes. Similar to the process described above, this list of potential restoration actions was then used to help identify and prioritize more site-specific goals, objectives and actions (Section 8). Because of the predominance of private land within these three watersheds, this process was heavily influenced by opportunity and existing partnerships. An outline of the process utilized within the McKenzie River and Mohawk River watersheds is further detailed in Appendix B. In the Quartz Creek-McKenzie River, watershed prioritization was based primarily on professional knowledge from partnering organizations such as the MRT and USFS. Limited opportunities with large-scale private landowners within the watershed made a more comprehensive and rigorous assessment and prioritization process challenging. Table 1. Watershed Assessments, Conservation/Restoration Strategies, Action Plans and other planning documentation consulted for the development of the Action Plan. Plan, Source and Year Focus area within McKenzie River Sub-basin Mohawk River Watershed Assessment (Weyerhaeuser 1994) Lower McKenzie South Side Watershed Analysis (Weyerhaeuser 1994) BLM Mohawk/McGowan Watershed Analysis (BLM 1995) Lower McKenzie North Side Watershed Analysis (Weyerhaeuser 1995) Upper McKenzie Watershed Analysis (USFS 1995) Technical Report for Water Quality and Fish and Wildlife Habitat (LCOG 1996) Action Plan for Water Quality and Fish and Wildlife Habitat (LCOG 1996) Vida McKenzie Watershed Analysis (BLM 1996) Horse Creek Analysis (USFS 1997) Bear/Marten Watershed, McKenzie Resource Area (BLM 1998) Quartz Creek (USFS 1998) NRCS Mohawk Watershed Profile (1999) MWP Supplemental Assessment of the Mohawk Watershed (MWP 2000) McKenzie River Sub-basin Assessment (MWC 2000) Biological Evaluation of the Willamette River and McKenzie River Confluence Area (MWC 2000) McKenzie River Conservation Strategy (MWC 2002) NRCS McKenzie Profile (NRCS 2005) The Oregon Conservation Strategy (ODFW 2006) South Fork McKenzie River Watershed Analysis – Update (USFS 2010) Cougar Creek Watershed Restoration Action Plan (USFS 2012) Western Oregon Aquatic Restoration Strategy (BLM 2015) NF Mohawk, SF Mohawk, Upper Mohawk, and Mill Creek sub-watersheds McKenzie River Watershed Main stem Mohawk River, tributaries McKenzie River Watershed Headwaters McKenzie River Watershed Entire McKenzie River Sub-basin Entire McKenzie River Sub-basin McKenzie River Watershed Horse Creek Watershed McKenzie River Watershed Quartz Creek Watershed Mohawk River Watershed - lower elevations Mohawk River Watershed McKenzie River Watershed McKenzie River-Willamette River Confluence area McKenzie River and Mohawk River Watersheds Entire McKenzie River Sub-basin State-wide South Fork McKenzie River Watershed Cougar Creek sub-watershed (South Fork Watershed) Western Oregon BLM lands including the Mohawk and McKenzie Watersheds No assessment or prioritization process was completed for the Blue River Watershed during this process. No priority actions are foreseen over the next ten years in this watershed. This is primarily due 17 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 to the fact that Blue River Dam does not provide anadromous fish passage and is not a priority for fish passage of any kind within the Willamette Dams Biological Opinion (NMFS, 2008). Outcome 2: Outcome 2 of the Action Plan focuses on maintenance and improvement of high quality drinking water within the McKenzie River Sub-basin. Similar to its role in recovering and maintaining spring Chinook salmon and bull trout populations within the Willamette River basin, the McKenzie River is critical to maintaining both local and regional high-quality drinking water. The McKenzie River is the sole source of drinking water for over 200,000 residents in Eugene, and groundwater near the river is one of two sources utilized by the Springfield Utility Board (SUB) to supply water to over 56,000 residents in Springfield. Because of its unique geology and resulting high water quality and consistent quantity, the McKenzie River Sub-basin plays a significant role in diluting downstream impacts and maintaining water quality within the main stem Willamette River (see Section 5.2 Water Resources). Goals, objectives, and actions to maintain high-quality drinking water identified within the Action Plan were developed based on 14 years of research and analysis of threats to water quality in the Sub-basin by EWEB, the United States Geologic Survey (USGS), University of Oregon (UO), Oregon State University (OSU), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), USFS, City of Springfield, SUB and the MWC as part of EWEB’s DWSP Program. Programs developed and maintained by the City of Springfield and SUB complement and enhance EWEB’s DWSP. The following is an overview of the process used to assess various threats to water quality in the McKenzie Sub-basin and develop mitigation strategies and incentives to improve and maintain excellent drinking water quality for future generations. Eugene’s drinking water is sourced directly from the McKenzie River at EWEB’s Hayden Bridge Filtration Plant at river mile 15 and is susceptible to impacts from upstream land use. In 2000, EWEB completed a risk assessment of the threats to Eugene’s drinking water and developed a source water protection plan, incorporating feedback and ideas from major stakeholders in the McKenzie Watershed (see http://www.eweb.org/public/documents/water/WaterProtectionPlan.pdf). The major threats identified upstream of EWEB’s drinking water intake included:  urban runoff from the City of Springfield’s storm water system;  hazardous material spills from transport along State Highway 126;  impacts from increased development (conversion of farm and forest land to urbanized development);  commercial and industrial facilities;  roadside vegetation management; and  agriculture. In 2001, EWEB hired a DWSP Coordinator to create and implement the source water protection plan. The Coordinator developed an implementation plan that provided EWEB’s management team and Board of Commissioners with a 5-year vision for how the program could be rolled out, strategies for leveraging partner and stakeholder resources and expertise, and a budget to ramp-up EWEB funding over this period of time (see http://eweb.org/public/documents/water/SourceProtectionProgramProposal.pdf ). The implementation plan articulated EWEB’s DWSP vision as creating the ability “to measure the balance between watershed health and human use over time and to implement actions that maintain a healthy balance for production of exceptional water quality.” EWEB strives to achieve this vision through mitigation of activities that have known or potential harmful impacts on source water quality and by promoting public awareness and stewardship of a healthy watershed in partnership with others. 18 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Central to achieving this vision is EWEB’s comprehensive water quality monitoring program. EWEB has developed this program to assess the health of the McKenzie River and identify potential threats to drinking water. This program consists of baseline monitoring, storm event monitoring, passive sampling, split sampling with high school students, harmful algal bloom monitoring and other special projects. The program monitors a number of different parameters including the presence of metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, zinc), nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous), dissolved oxygen, turbidity, bacteria and temperature. All water quality data is stored in a database and made available online at: http://reach.northjacksonco.com/EWEB/ . Several projects have been done in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In 2012, EWEB and the USGS published a study based on 10 years of storm event monitoring using automated samplers that found over 40 different pesticides detected in the McKenzie River Sub-basin. The study indicated that the largest number of pesticide detections was associated with storm water runoff from Springfield, and the greatest potential threat to drinking water quality is associated with urbanization, increased development, and agricultural pesticide applications (http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2012/5091/). EWEB uses monitoring data to conduct trending analysis where possible, as well as prioritize areas of the watershed on which to focus resources and programs. In 2016, EWEB is expected to complete the next water quality baseline report that will highlight trends over the period that data has been collected (1993-present). The previous report was completed in 2011 and indicated increasing trends in E. coli bacteria and nitrates in the lower McKenzie River (below Hendricks Bridge) (http://www.eweb.org/public/documents/water/baselineReportJan2011.pdf ). Because EWEB does not have jurisdictional control over activities that occur in the Sub-basin, it is essential to work with landowners and other stakeholders on a voluntary and collaborative basis to protect water quality. EWEB has worked with multiple partners within the Sub-basin to develop a number of diverse and innovative water quality protection programs, which include:  McKenzie Watershed Emergency Response System  Healthy Farms Clean Water Program  Septic System Assistance Program  Naturescaping Workshops  Voluntary Incentives Program  Ecosystem Valuation and the Economic Benefits of Source Protection EWEB DWSP programs are described in detail in Appendix C. City of Springfield drinking water is supplied largely by a system of wells that tap into groundwater beneath the city and surrounding areas. Several of these well fields are located near the McKenzie River. SUB also pumps surface water from the Middle Fork Willamette River, and has a water right to tap the McKenzie River when existing sources are insufficient to meet needs. The Springfield Drinking Water Protection Plan (LCOG and SUB, 1999) contains goals and measures to protect sources of drinking water for citizens of Springfield. Management authorities for the plan include SUB, the City of Springfield and the Rainbow Water District. The plan was certified by the DEQ in 1999. Since then, the City of Springfield, SUB and other partners have been actively implementing the management strategies in the plan. The Springfield Drinking Water Protection Plan Recertification Request (SUB, 2013) submitted to DEQ updates measures taken by the management authorities to implement the plan. The plan’s primary protection measures are preventative: a public education program and adoption of a Drinking Water Protection Zoning Overlay District. 19 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Strategies for protection of drink water quality identified within the plan include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. implement a public education program; adopt a drinking water protection overlay zone; develop and implement groundwater and surface water monitoring programs; enhance the existing hazardous waste collection program; develop and implement a septic system upgrade and maintenance program; use and enhance existing spill response plan; form public-private partnerships; implement a water conservation program; and use property purchase/donation to provide protection areas. The City of Springfield’s Stormwater Management Plan (City of Springfield, 2010) guides the City’s efforts to improve water quality in local waterways. City storm water flows into numerous swales, waterways, and through outfalls that discharge to both the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers. In much of the Springfield's northern section, storm water discharges to the McKenzie, particularly in the Thurston neighborhood and areas north of Highway 126/105. Approximately 25% of the Cedar Creek watershed is within Springfield city limits, and several urban drainage ways flow into Cedar Creek. The Stormwater Management Plan includes goals, policies and implementation actions, consistent with local goals and state and federal requirements. Goals include: 1. protect citizens and property from flooding; 2. ensure compliance with state and federal requirements to reduce risk of third-party lawsuits or enforcement actions; 3. improve surface and subsurface waters for aquatic life and other beneficial uses; 4. preserve and maintain surface waters, wetlands and riparian areas as functional and attractive for people, fish and wildlife; 5. citizens, businesses and industries understand the need to protect water quality; 6. provide regulatory certainty for the development community while ensuring that growth is not constrained by lack of planning or facilities; and 7. urban drainage ways become community amenities. Outcome 3: Outreach and education are central to the voluntary approach to watershed stewardship in the McKenzie River Sub-basin. Goals, objectives, and actions within the Action Plan to enhance public awareness, understanding, and support for watershed conservation and restoration in the Sub-basin were developed based on a combination of the efforts of multiple local partners. The MWC has worked with a variety of partners to integrate outreach and education within active watershed enhancement and monitoring projects for over ten years. The McKenzie Watershed Outreach and Education program accomplishes this through a variety of projects involving middle and high school students from six school districts within Lane County, the University of Oregon, Lane Community College, public agencies, private landowners, and the general public. The MWC and partners seek to engage landowners and the public through public meetings, volunteer events, project tours, website, an annual newsletter, and tabling events. EWEB has conducted extensive outreach over the last five years through its DWSP, including landowner surveys and use of a landowner advisory committee by the UO, feedback and interaction with 15 VIP pilot project landowners, public meetings, MWC meetings, farmer advisory groups, EWEB rate payer surveys, and engagement with over 700 landowners as part of various watershed programs. SUB has been a major contributor to education programs in the McKenzie watershed. In 1998, a grant from SUB 20 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 launched Springfield School District’s award-winning Water and Energy Learning Lab (WELL) Project, which provides students and teachers with resources, instructional support, and training in topics related to water and energy science. The Salmon Stewards of Lane County are a collaborative group made up of representatives from ODFW, EWEB, BLM, and local school districts dedicated to providing outdoor education through the local Salmon Watch Program and associated public outreach events. 21 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 3 VISION, GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND SCOPE 3.1 Vision The guiding vision for the Action Plan is that the McKenzie River Sub-basin supports exceptional water quality and fish and wildlife habitats in balance with human quality of life. In the short term, by 2026, we envision the following:       a Sub-basin where exceptional water quality is maintained through a wide range of voluntary programs; the rate of voluntary habitat conservation and restoration is accelerated through a diverse and cooperative programmatic approach; aquatic habitat for spring Chinook salmon, bull trout and Pacific lamprey within high priority locations has been measurably improved; the monitoring framework to track and report water quality and habitat trends and progress is established; high functioning partnerships remain in place and continue to innovate and address on-theground issues; and outreach programs continue to involve youth and residents in active watershed stewardship and engage private landowners in voluntary conservation and restoration. 3.2 Guiding Principles 1. The Action Plan will be a collaborative and comprehensive effort to adopt and implement actions on a sub-basin scale. 2. Programs outlined within the Action Plan will strive to provide incentives for private landowners to participate in voluntary conservation and restoration activities. 3. Actions will reflect the need to conserve existing high quality habitat while restoring degraded habitat to the extent possible. 4. Actions will be based on process-based (physical and biological) restoration principles. 5. Protection of existing high quality water is less expensive than treatment of degraded water. 6. Protection of healthy riparian and floodplain forests is less expensive than restoration of degraded riparian areas and allows restoration efforts to potentially exceed the rate of degradation from anthropogenic activities over time. 7. Outreach to communities to increase awareness of watershed values is a cornerstone of effective watershed conservation and restoration. 8. Ecological uplift and protection of drinking water quality provide significant social and economic benefits to local communities. 3.3 Area Covered by the Action Plan The plan covers the entire McKenzie River Sub-basin (USGS 4th-Field HUC), from the headwaters to the confluence with the Willamette River. Strategic actions to conserve and improve habitat for key aquatic species are organized by USGS 5th-Field watersheds. Priority conservation and enhancement actions are described for six of the seven watersheds. Monitoring, assessment, and outreach activities will occur throughout the Sub-basin. Drinking water protection efforts occur primarily upstream of the EWEB intake at Hayden Bridge at river mile 15, which encompasses most of the focus area. The McKenzie River Sub-basin totals 857,364 acres. Private lands constitute 31% of the total area but 91% of the Sub-basin’s floodplain (MWC, 2000). Private land and population dominate in the lower 22 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 portions of the Sub-basin, while public ownership dominates in the upper Sub-basin, largely comprised of the McKenzie River Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest (Figure 4). The Forest Service manages 62% of the Sub-basin and the BLM manages 6%. State lands and USACE lands each amount to less than 1%. Figure 4. Land ownership in the McKenzie River Sub-basin. The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) is responsible for managing submerged and submersible lands of the state's extensive navigable waterway system. Within the McKenzie River Sub-basin, river miles 0-37.5 have been determined to meet the federal test of navigability for purposes of State ownership of the underlying submerged and submersible land. DSL owns and is responsible for managing these and other lands adjacent to the river and within the McKenzie River floodplain. The Action Plan will seek to include DSL-owned riparian property when working in cooperation with adjacent landowners as appropriate. The plan addresses both public and private sectors. All proposed actions are voluntary and are subject to approval by landowners and governed by applicable plans, laws and regulations. On federal lands all actions are subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the ESA, the Northwest Forest Plan and applicable agency plans. The U.S. Forest Service’s Watershed Condition Framework (USFS, 2011), BLM’s Environmental Assessment and Record of Decision for Aquatic and Riparian Restoration Activities (BLM, 2010) and Western Oregon Aquatic Restoration Strategy (BLM, 2015) will help guide actions on public lands. EWEB’s multiple programs to protect drinking water quality involve extensive work with private landowners. The MWC, MRT and UWSWCD work with private landowners in their efforts to 23 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 conserve and restore habitat and protect water quality. The Weyerhaeuser Company owns and manages a large share of private timberland in the lower and middle portions of the Sub-basin, often intermingled with BLM land, and opportunities exist to cooperate with these two landowners to improve aquatic and riparian habitat on their lands. The MWC’s McKenzie Watershed Outreach and Education Program involves multiple partners, and will work with students from throughout Lane County to provide fieldbased learning directly tied to restoration and conservation work taking place on private and public land. Outreach efforts involve all of the communities in the Sub-basin. Together, the partners will use their complementary strengths to address outcomes in a comprehensive and collaborative fashion. 24 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 4 GOVERNANCE/PARTNERSHIPS There are a number of high-performing partnerships in the McKenzie River Sub-basin addressing the outcomes of the Action Plan. These include:  McKenzie Collaborative: This group was formed in 2012 to develop new programs that protect water quality and protect and restore habitat. The Voluntary Incentives Program (VIP) and the McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group are products of the Collaborative. Member organizations are CPRCD, Earth Economics, Ecotrust, EWEB, LCOG, MRT, MWC, MWMC, OSU, The Freshwater Trust (TFT), UO, USFS, and UWSWCD. The group is led by EWEB and meets monthly on the second Friday.  McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group: This new group signed an operating agreement in 2014 and serves to advise the McKenzie River Ranger District on restoration projects funded by stewardship contracting revenues and other sources of restoration dollars. Members are USFS, EWEB, MRT, MWC, BLM, UWSWCD, Oregon Wild, a private forester, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), and CPRCD. The group is convened by EWEB and meets monthly on the second Monday. Interested landowners or members of the public may attend these meetings.  Shade Credit Partnership: The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) for the Cities of Eugene and Springfield and Lane County is funding an initial shade credit project involving TFT and MWC targeting Cedar Creek in the McKenzie Sub-basin. EWEB and MWMC are in the process of entering into an agreement to align additional investments with VIP landowner opportunities.  Lower McKenzie Fish Habitat Enhancement: This is a partnership involving EWEB, ODFW, MRT, and MWC to conserve and restore floodplain and riparian habitat in the lower watershed. This partnership started in 2005 and is expected to continue for 20 years. Annual funding is provided by EWEB and is used to match grants for acquisitions, easements and restoration projects.  Berggren Watershed Conservation Area: MRT, EWEB, MWC and a private farm enterprise collaborate to restore floodplain forest and operate a sustainable farm on 92 acres in the lower Sub-basin.  McKenzie Watershed Emergency Response System: EWEB, USACE, Region 2 HazMat, McKenzie Fire, Eugene Springfield Fire, Springfield Public Works, Lane County Sheriff and Public Works, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), USFS, Weyerhaeuser, and Springfield Utility Board (SUB) collaborate to maintain a GIS system, spill response trailers, and conduct annual drills to test pre-determined response strategies.  Healthy Farms Clean Water Program: EWEB, Oregon State University (OSU), OSU Extension, UWSWCD, CPRCD, Willamette Farm and Food Coalition (WFFC), Lane Community College (LCC), Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP), Oregon Tilth, Oregon Hazelnut Commission, hazelnut growers, blueberry growers, and other farmers collaborate to reduce chemical use on farms, establish local food markets, obtain organic certification, assist with nutrient management, and remove old agricultural chemicals from farms.  South Fork McKenzie River Floodplain Enhancement: The USFS and MWC are facilitating a partnership to restore about 400 acres of historically high value fish and wildlife habitat along 4.5 miles of the South Fork McKenzie River below Cougar Dam. The design for this project, funded by OWEB and USFS, is currently being done by a USFS enterprise team that specializes in 25 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 large-scale restoration and USFS staff. Additional interested partners include ODFW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), EWEB, Trout Unlimited, University of Oregon (UO), OSU, and USACE.  Water Quality Monitoring: Water quality monitoring is occurring throughout the Sub-basin by EWEB, SUB, USFS, BLM, MWC, Springfield Public Schools (SPS), and McKenzie and Marcola Schools. This includes baseline monitoring, storm event monitoring, harmful algal bloom monitoring and other special projects.  Lane County Pollution Prevention Coalition (lanep2c.org): This partnership consists of EWEB, SUB, DEQ, Lane County Waste Management, City of Springfield, City of Eugene, MWMC, and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) to implement education and business programs that reduce use of toxics. This has led to the EcoBiz certification program for auto repair which recognizes businesses who take steps to minimize air, water, and solid waste pollution.  Field-based Education: The fundamental focus of the MWC Outreach and Education Program is the direct involvement of students in hands-on, inquiry- and field-based education centered in watershed assessment, monitoring and enhancement projects. The MWC partners with private landowners and the following agencies, utilities and organizations: USFS, BLM, ODFW, EWEB, SUB, and MRT. Partnering school districts include SPS, McKenzie, Marcola, Eugene-4J, Bethel, and South Lane School Districts, as well as LCC and UO.  Mohawk Watershed Partnership: The Mohawk River is the major tributary in the lower McKenzie. The Partnership was created in 1999, and its members are landowners and citizens in the Mohawk Watershed interested in habitat restoration and community outreach.  Cedar Creek Partnership: This partnership was created in 2010 to maintain flows, water quality and habitat in Cedar Creek, a lower river tributary. Members include MWC, SUB, City of Springfield, Lane County, SPS, Willamalane Parks, Cedar Creek Irrigation Association, EWEB, Oregon Water Resources Department, and private landowners.  HJ Andrews Experimental Forest: The Experimental Forest, created in 1948, is a 16,000-acre ecological research site located in the Blue River Watershed of the McKenzie Sub-basin. Research is administered cooperatively by the USFS’s Pacific Northwest Research Station, Willamette National Forest, and OSU.  McKenzie Interpretive Center: A partnership has formed to plan, finance and build a McKenzie Interpretive Center that is expected to rival the High Desert Museum near Bend, OR. The Center will showcase the fish, the fishermen, and the origin of the McKenzie drift boat and the unique hydrogeology of the watershed.  Salmon Stewards of Lane County: This partnership was formed to guide the planning and implementation of Salmon Watch. Member organizations include BLM, Bethel School District, Eugene School District 4J, EWEB and MWC. Roles of the principal partner organizations involved in action plan implementation are as follows: BLM: planning and implementation of riparian and aquatic habitat improvement and fish passage projects; roads management; participant in McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group; outreach and education; major landowner; technical support; and funding. City of Springfield: implementation of storm water management plan; drinking water protection code; septic tank outreach and education program, EcoBiz, Auto Shops Program, Clean Water Garden 26 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Program, program for chemical storage and use, annual Lane County hazardous waste roundup, garden center and nursery outreach, drug take back box at Justice Center and annual roundup, MWERS drills and training, and local match funding. EWEB: implementation of DWSP; implementation of Lower McKenzie River Fish Habitat Enhancement Program; outreach and education; convener of the McKenzie Collaborative and McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group; implementation of VIP Program; funding; technical support; and monitoring. EWEB will provide significant matching funds, dedicate staff time, provide monitoring and survey equipment, maintain databases and websites, fund and manage contracts of partners associated with LiDAR/GIS/data management/website maintenance (LCOG), water quality monitoring/data analysis (USGS), ecosystem service accounting/valuing return on watershed investments (Earth Economics and Ecotrust), fiscal management of watershed investments (CPRCD), and watershed research (UO and OSU), and provide funding for conservation easements and land acquisition (MRT). Lane County: planning and collaboration of riparian and other stewardship projects on County lands within the Sub-basin; outreach and education. MRT: conservation acquisitions and easements; landowner; planning and implementation of riparian and aquatic habitat enhancement projects on MRT land in cooperation with MWC and other partners; participant in McKenzie Collaborative, McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group, and Lower McKenzie Fish Habitat Enhancement Program; outreach and education; grant applications and grant management; technical support; and monitoring. MWC: planning and implementation of riparian and aquatic habitat enhancement projects and outreach activities; coordination of Lower McKenzie River Fish Habitat Enhancement Program; grant applications and grant management; fiscal management; participant in McKenzie Collaborative and McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group, MWC/USFS partnership; MWMC Shade Credit Program; and participant in VIP program. ODFW: participant in Lower McKenzie River Fish Habitat Enhancement Program; outreach and education; monitoring; and technical support. School Districts: Springfield, McKenzie and Marcola School Districts partner with MWC and others to implement field-based education programs. SUB: implementation of drinking water protection program; outreach program; local match funding; and funding of watershed education programs in Springfield. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: planning to increase peak flows in the South Fork McKenzie River and resolve fish passage problems at Cougar Dam. USFS: planning and implementation of riparian and aquatic habitat improvement and fish passage projects; roads management; participant in McKenzie Collaborative, McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group and MWC/USFS partnership; major landowner; technical support; outreach and education; monitoring; and funding. UWSWCD: planning and implementation of riparian habitat improvement projects, cattle exclusion systems and manure management devices, especially on agricultural land; participant in McKenzie Collaborative, McKenzie Watershed Stewardship Group and VIP Program. Weyerhaeuser Company: major landowner; roads management; culvert replacements; cooperator in implementing fish habitat improvement projects; technical support; and funding. 27 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 5 CONTEXT: PROFILE OF THE AREA 5.1 Physical Geography The McKenzie River Sub-basin extends from the central Cascade Mountain Range to the Willamette Valley, joining the Willamette River just north of the City of Eugene, Oregon. The Sub-basin covers 1,300 square miles, with elevation ranging from 10,358 feet at the summit of South Sister to 375 feet at the confluence with the Willamette River. The McKenzie River originates from Clear Lake, flowing south for 15 miles to Belknap Springs and then west 75 miles, where it enters the Willamette River as a major tributary, approximately doubling the discharge of the Willamette River (Minear, 1994). The McKenzie River Sub-basin is largely contained within two geologic provinces, the High Cascades and Western Cascades (Figure 5). The High Cascade province is found in the high elevation headwaters of the Sub-basin and is Roaring River, headwater stream in the McKenzie River Sub-basin. (Photo: USFS) characterized by volcanic rocks with extensive lava flows and glacial deposits. Large areas of the High Cascades lack developed stream networks. Within these areas rain runoff and snow melt infiltrates through the relatively young permeable volcanic material feeding large underground aquifers. This notable feature has profound impacts on the water quality and quantity of the McKenzie River. Figure 5. Dominant geology of the McKenzie River Sub-basin. 28 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 From the High Cascades the river then follows a fault-defined valley south to Belknap Springs, where it turns west through the older, less permeable volcanic material of the West Cascades province. The landscape is significantly more dissected within the Western Cascades, and stream flows are more heavily influenced by rain runoff rather than springs. Glacial influences diminish within this region with the most recent glacial advances marked by the Lost Creek moraine downriver from Belknap Springs. Earlier glacial advances extended farther downriver to Blue River, below which bedrock outcrops are more prevalent in the channel. Channel slope reflects the transition from volcanic to glaciated landforms as it decreases from 1.2% upriver of Belknap Springs to less than 0.4% in the area of Blue River. The river bottoms within the lower McKenzie are more characteristics of the Willamette Valley province. Landform is characterized by a broad floodplain with alluvial deposits and underlying basalt sedimentary rock (Sherrod and Smith, 2000). The physical characteristics of the river channel change considerably moving downstream. The river channel within the upper Sub-basin is largely confined to a single channel, with limited floodplain and constrained by hillslopes. Downstream of Leaburg Dam the valley begins to widen but is still constrained by hillslopes on its southern bank. To the east of Springfield the valley opens up, and the river begins to meander widely. Floodplains and terraces are generally lower in elevation and regularly flooded. Aerial photos from 1910 reveal a complex river system, with side channels, alcoves, islands, and ponds which provided diverse habitat. Today the channel is constricted in many places by development and a series of revetments. The lower river still retains some of these diverse habitat features, and active efforts are underway to conserve the best habitat. The McKenzie River currently enters the Willamette River about three miles upstream from where it did in 1965. The old McKenzie River channel along this three-mile section contains diverse floodplain habitat, is only fully watered during high flows (MWC, 2000), and is nearly all contained on landed owned by the MRT. 5.2 Water Resources The geology of the High Cascades fundamentally influences the water resources of the McKenzie River. The porous and fractured rock of the High Cascades allows snow melt and rain runoff to filter down underneath the ground and avoid picking up sediment. Underground flows and aquifers hold runoff for long periods of time and tend to release water at a relatively constant rate. The McKenzie River’s headwater springs provide a source of clear, cold water at a consistent rate throughout the year. This has significant water quality and quantity implications for both the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers. A total of 42% of the McKenzie River Sub-basin lies within the High Cascade geologic province (Figure 5), the most of any Willamette River tributary (Sherrod and Smith, 2000; Jefferson and Grant, 2010). This contributes to both the river’s exceptional water quality and its significant influence on downstream water quality and quantity. One study looking at spring discharge influence on summer flows within the McKenzie River calculated that over 80% of the river flow measured at the Vida gauging station came from the Sub-basin’s spring-fed streams (Jefferson and Grant, 2006). The McKenzie River Sub-basin covers less than 12% of the total area of the Willamette River Basin but accounts for nearly 25% of the Willamette River’s flow during low flow periods (PNWERC, 2002). Historically, the McKenzie River accounted for over 40% of the Willamette River’s flow in Portland Harbor prior to construction of dams (Tague and Grant, 2004). The spring-fed nature of the McKenzie River is the basis of the river’s exceptional water quality. The McKenzie River is the sole source of drinking water for nearly 200,000 people in the Eugene metropolitan area, including the community of Veneta to the west of Eugene. Wells fed by the river are one of two sources providing drinking water to over 56,000 City of Springfield residents. Municipal water withdrawal points are located in the lower watershed meaning that upstream land uses directly 29 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 influence drinking water quality. Residents outside of the Springfield-Eugene metropolitan area rely upon the McKenzie River as a drinking water source either through wells or a number of smaller scale water providers. In addition to being both a municipal and non-municipal drinking water source, the McKenzie River is the source for numerous out-of-stream and in-stream water rights. Out-of-stream water rights supply various industrial and agricultural interests, primarily within the lower portion of the Sub-basin. Instream water rights include fish protection and recreation. Portions of the McKenzie River are one of the few areas within the Willamette Basin where surface water rights have not been fully allocated (PNERC, 2002). There are total of six dams within the Sub-basin (Figure 6), which provide hydroelectric power, flood control, irrigation and recreation. In the lower river, EWEB operates the Leaburg-Walterville Hydroelectric Project, consisting of two power canals with associated power stations and Leaburg Dam. Water is diverted from the McKenzie River into the two canals, used to make power, and then returned to the main stem river. The Walterville Canal was constructed in 1911, and the Leaburg Canal and Leaburg Dam were constructed in 1930. The partial dewatering of the McKenzie River associated with Leaburg and Walterville Canals impacts 5.9 miles and 7.3 miles, respectively. In the early 1960s, EWEB constructed the Carmen-Smith Project near the headwaters of the McKenzie. McKenzie River water is withdrawn below Koosah Falls and diverted to the Smith River via an 11,381-foot diversion tunnel dissecting the ridge between the two drainages. The Smith River then feeds Smith Reservoir which acts as the storage center for the Carmen Power Plant. Water is released from the Carmen Power Plant downstream to Trail Bridge Reservoir which acts as a re-regulating reservoir. Two projects constructed by the USACE, Cougar Dam on the South Fork (1964) and Blue River Dam (1968), function primarily as storage projects and serve to modify the flood flows of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers. Cougar Dam is equipped with hydroelectric capacity, while Blue River Dam is not. Cougar Dam has been retrofitted with a temperature control tower and upstream passage facility for returning adult salmon and other native fish. The USACE is planning to build a permanent downstream passage facility at Cougar. (See Section 6 for information on impacts of dams.) 30 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Figure 6. Location of six dams in the McKenzie River Sub-basin. The federal Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to compile a list of state waters that do not meet applicable water quality standards. Section 303(d) of the CWA identifies water quality standards to protect drinking water, aquatic habitat, recreation and other uses. In Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is responsible for identifying water bodies that do not meet CWA 303(d) standards. The Willamette Basin TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) Water Quality Management Plan (DEQ, 2006) is a pollution analysis to determine why certain waterbodies in the basin do not meet water quality standards and a strategy to return those waterbodies to a healthy status. The Oregon 303(d) lists state water bodies that do not meet CWA 303(d) standards and where a TMDL is required to be developed. Within the McKenzie River Sub-basin over 170 miles of stream are identified on the state 303(d) list for temperature or dissolved oxygen (DEQ, 2006). The river has been further impacted by the placement of large rock in levees and riprap to redirect the flow of the river and protect stream banks, homes, farm lands, roads and mining operations. The majority of the levees and riprapped banks found on the McKenzie River are concentrated downstream of Hendricks Bridge (MWC, 2000). Within the lower 5 miles of the river from its confluence upstream to the Interstate 5 Highway Bridge, approximately 18% of the McKenzie River banks, roughly 1.5 miles, are constrained by riprap (MWC, 2000). 5.3 Biotic Systems Biotic components of the McKenzie River Sub-basin can be generally characterized in terms of its vegetative communities, fisheries and terrestrial wildlife. Native fish and wildlife species found within 31 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 the Sub-basin are well adapted to the various ecosystems. As anthropogenic forces have altered these ecosystems, biotic communities have also changed. The McKenzie River Sub-basin is contained within two Environmental Protection Agency Level III Ecoregions (ftp://ftp.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/or/or_eco_pg.pdf). The Willamette Valley Ecoregion covers the broad floodplain of the lower reaches of the McKenzie River and the lower reaches of larger tributaries such as the Mohawk River and Camp Creek. Historically this area was characterized by open prairie and oak savannahs, wetlands and wide bottomland riparian forest concentrated along the main stem McKenzie River. The West Cascade Ecoregion covers the remainder of the Sub-basin and is generally characterized by older, lower elevation mountains with numerous steep stream valleys. Natural vegetation in this area is characteristic of the western hemlock zone, the most extensive vegetation zone in western Washington and Oregon. Western hemlock, western red cedar and Douglas fir dominate the over story up to about 3,500 feet. Pacific silver fir and noble fir are the transition tree species with mountain hemlock, subalpine fir and lodgepole pine dominating above 4,500 feet. The McKenzie River is home to 23 native fish species and supports an economically important fishery composed of native rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, spring Chinook salmon, nonnative brook trout and hatchery-origin steelhead. Historically, South Fork McKenzie River bull trout (Photo: K. Meyer) the McKenzie River has been an important spawning area for ESA-threatened spring Chinook salmon and is considered the most important remaining area for natural production in the Willamette Basin. Prior to construction of dams, the McKenzie River produced an estimated 40% of the spring Chinook run above Willamette Falls. Anadromous fish now can access 57 miles of habitat on the McKenzie; an additional 70 miles of previously available habitat has been blocked by dams. The McKenzie River population of spring Chinook has a low risk of extinction and is considered a genetic legacy population for the Upper Willamette Evolutionarily Significant Unit, but current run sizes are a fraction of historical levels. McKenzie spring Chinook historical abundance is estimated at 110,000 (ODFW and NMFS, 2011). Recent counts observed at the Leaburg Dam fish ladder document returns below 2,000 wild-origin spring Chinook salmon to the McKenzie River (ODFW, personal communication, 2015) (Figure 7). 32 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Figure 7. Adult spring Chinook counts at Leaburg Dam. (Note: Counts prior to 2005 do not differentiate between hatchery (clipped) and wild (unclipped) fish. The data from 2005-2014 are wild fish only.) Source: ODFW The McKenzie River is also a stronghold for ESA-threatened bull trout in the Willamette River Basin. Bull trout historically occurred in eleven Oregon sub-basins within the Columbia Basin, plus the Klamath Basin. They once occurred in much of the Willamette Basin, but now reside only in the McKenzie River and more recently the Clackamas and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers following reintroduction efforts with fish of McKenzie River origin. Bull trout are highly dependent upon cold water and are primarily found in the main stem McKenzie River upstream of Leaburg Dam, Horse Creek and in the South Fork McKenzie River above and below Cougar Dam. A small population of bull trout also exists in the main stem McKenzie River upstream of Trail Bridge Dam. The Oregon chub is found only in the Willamette Valley and depends upon floodplain habitats such as sloughs, beaver ponds and marshes. There are multiple known populations of Oregon chub in the McKenzie and Mohawk Watersheds. The small minnow was listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1993, and the Oregon Chub Recovery Plan was adopted in 1998 (USFWS, 1998). Since that time, basin-wide efforts, including those in the McKenzie Sub-basin, have contributed to Oregon chub becoming in 2015 the first fish ever to be removed from the list of endangered and threatened species. Hatchery rainbow trout, summer steelhead and spring Chinook are released in the McKenzie River. The ODFW-operated Leaburg Hatchery produces rainbow trout which are used to stock the main stem McKenzie River between Hendricks Bridge and Blue River. ODFW’s McKenzie Hatchery produces spring Chinook salmon which are released directly into the McKenzie River at the hatchery downstream of Leaburg Dam. The McKenzie River Sub-basin provides habitat for a number of big game species including black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, black bear and mountain lion. Grasslands occurring as natural openings and meadows within the forested zones of the Western Cascades Ecoregion are important habitat for big game species and upland bird species such as blue and ruffed grouse, mountain quail, hawks and owls. Oak savannas within the lower Sub-basin and Mohawk watershed provide a measure of habitat diversity. Agricultural lands, particularly in the lower Sub-basin and Mohawk watershed, are important habitat for wildlife and waterfowl. Floodplain habitats, particularly within the lower Sub-basin provide 33 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 connectivity between riverine and upland habitats and are important areas for wildlife and amphibians such as western pond turtle and red-legged frog (LCOG, 1996). 5.4 Human Population, Local Communities and Land Use Native Americans have lived along the McKenzie River for about 8,000 years (Williams, 2015 in Oregon Encyclopedia). The Kalapuya and Molalla tribes lived in the area seasonally until the 1850’s when native people were moved to federal reservations. Subsequently, European settlers began populating the area. Current communities in the Sub-basin include parts of Eugene, Springfield, Thurston, Marcola, Cedar Flat, Walterville, Leaburg, Vida, Nimrod, Blue River, Rainbow, and McKenzie Bridge (Figure 8). With the exception of Eugene and Springfield, all communities are unincorporated areas within Lane County. Lane County has a present population of over 350,000, (US Census Bureau, 2010). A County-wide population of just over 435,600 is anticipated to be seen by 2035, an increase of over 89,700 (Portland State University, 2009). Figure 8. Communities of the McKenzie River Sub-basin. Land use within the McKenzie River Sub-basin is dominated by forestry. Federal forest lands, managed by the BLM and USFS, account for over 500,000 acres or 64% of the land cover within the Sub-basin (NRCS, 2005). Federal forest lands managed by the USFS are primarily located in the Blue River, South Fork McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwaters McKenzie River Watersheds. Federal forest lands managed by the BLM are predominately located in the Mohawk River Watershed, with small holdings near Vida in the McKenzie River Watershed. Private forestry lands total over 200,000 acres, approximately 25% of the Sub-basin, and are primarily concentrated in the McKenzie River, Mohawk River, and Quartz Creek-McKenzie River Watersheds (NRCS, 2005). 34 MCKENZIE RIVER SUB-BASIN STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN June 2016 Agricultural lands are found primarily in the floodplain of the lower Sub-basin and Mohawk River Watershed. Seventy-five percent of the farms are less than 50 acres in size (NRCS, 2005). Private pasture and hay fields account for over 33,000 acres or 4% of the Sub-basin (NRCS, 2005). There are roughly 1,000 acres of hazelnut orchards found along the McKenzie River (EWEB, 2000). Other crops such as blueberries, Christmas trees and row crops are also grown commercially but account for less than 1% of the land cover (NRCS, 2005). Rural development is largely concentrated within the lower Sub-basin, the Mohawk River Watershed and smaller portions along the McKenzie River and major tributaries in the Quartz Creek-McKenzie River, Horse Creek and Headwater Watersheds. Urban development is concentrated within the Urban Growth Boundaries of the Eugene and Springfield and occupies approximately 17,000 acres, less than 1% of the Sub-basin (NRCS, 2005). Development in the Sub-basin could increase by 730 to 980 new homes over the next 30 years (LCOG, 2010). Nearly 60% of this development will occur in the lower McKenzie. The majority of future development will occur on tax lots within 300 feet of the river or other water bodies. More than 200 structures currently exist within the floodway, and over 1,100 structures are within the 100-year floodplain, with many requiring revetments for protection. Sand and gravel mining is an important local industry. Due to the abundance of natural sand and gravel deposits, mining is a major land use activity in the confluence area of the McKenzie and Willamette Rivers, with major operations on both the north and south banks of the McKenzie River. Public road systems within the Sub-basin include Interstate 5 in the lower Sub-basin, Oregon State Highways 126 and 242, Lane County roads and City of Springfield roadways. An extensive public road system within the Willamette National Forest provides access for management, recreation and resource extraction. The BLM also manages an extensive road system, primarily within the Mohawk River Watershed. Many of the forest roads are managed in cooperation with private timber companies. Private road systems on private timber lands provide access for forestry operations throughout the Subbasin. Public access is typically seasonal or controlled on these private road systems. Numerous public agencies, private individuals and companies, and non-governmental organizations have invested heavily in addressing fish passage barriers at road crossings in the Sub-basin. In the upper Sub-basin, all known fish passage barriers for Chinook salmon at road crossings have been addressed. Recreation is an important economic industry in the McKenzie River Sub-basin, particularly hiking, cycling, rafting, kayaking and fishing. The McKenzie River National Recreation Trail follows the river for over 20 miles in the upper Sub-basin and is recognized as a nationally-renowned mountain bike, trail running and hiking destination. The Mt. Washington and Three Sisters wilderness a...
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