Middle Reach Restoration and Conservation
In spring 2008, the Council completed the OWEB-funded Calapooia River Middle Reach Project Implementation Plan. The Middle Reach of the Calapooia, spanning from Sodom Dam (RM 28) to the former Brownsville Dam site (RM 36), has been identified as “dynamic river corridor for protection and restoration” (Calapooia Watershed Assessment, 2004).
The Dynamic, Meandering Middle Calapooia River, Spring 2007
The Project Implementation Plan identifies over 50 potential restoration projects in this eight-mile reach and prioritizes them according to parameters such as fish habitat, water quality benefits, risk of failure, cost, and landowner participation. This project prioritization is necessary for the Council’s precision application restoration approach as opposed to an opportunistic method of restoration. The Middle Reach was divided into four sub-reaches for detailed analysis. Implementation of identified projects is expected to benefit cutthroat trout, lamprey, and rearing juvenile ESA listed spring Chinook salmon and winter steelhead, as well as migratory birds, western pond turtles, and various amphibian species.
Recent Progress:
- Recruited all landowners in 1.63 mile long sub-reach 3 to pursue OWEB-funded restoration designs by River Design Group, Inc. for their floodplain habitat
- Recruited 2 landowners in sub-reach 3 to enroll in conservation easement programs (CREP) in critical floodplain habitat areas
- Recruited 4 landowners in sub-reach 2, including the City of Brownsville, to pursue funding for floodplain restoration designs and/or conservation
Middle Calapooia River Assessment and Project Implementation Plan, 2008
Middle Reach Reccomendation Maps and Designs for Download, created by River Design Group, Inc.:
Reach 1 Projects Recommendation Map
Reach 2 Projects Recommendation Map
Reach 3 Projects Recommendation Map
Reach 4 Projects Recommendation Map
Click here for Reach 3 Project Updates, Designs, and Photos
Restoration and conservation efforts along the Middle Reach of the Calapooia River are part of a larger regional initiative to improve watershed health. Learn more about the Calapooia-Santiam Collaboration here.