Beaver Creek Watershed Restoration

This watershed-scale project lies within the Trout Creek Watershed. Project activities in instream and riparian areas included culvert replacement, channel reconfiguration, LWD placement, riparian planting, riparian exclusion fencing, and invasive plant removal. Upland activities included planting for erosion control, invasive plant removal, livestock exclusion fencing, and livestock water development.
Because this projects scheduled end date is after the PCSRF FFY 2019 award closes, no funds allocated for this project are reported as match to PCSRF funds.

Removing encroaching conifer stands from sagebrush and grassland ecosystems can increase late season water retention in western rangelands by holding snow longer in the spring. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service analyzed snow and streamflow data from a snow-dominated sagebrush steppe ecosystem in southwest Idaho to evaluate the impact that juniper-dominated landscapes might have on water availability in the system. They found that areas with more juniper had earlier snow melt and less streamflow relative to sagebrush-dominated landscapes. The water retention in sagebrush systems comes from the increased water storage within snow drifts and delayed release of the melting snow back into the soils. Water delivery is delayed by an average of nine days in sagebrush systems compared to juniper-dominated systems. The implications of this research suggest that conifer removal efforts provide the ecosystem service of improved water availability in these semi-arid systems (Sage Grouse Initiative 2016).

In Central Oregon’s High Desert, a study was performed analyzing the effects of juniper control in 2 similar, adjacent watersheds, commonly referred to as the Paired Watershed Study. In 1994, the Camp Creek Watershed study area was established to monitor the effects of juniper removal on hydrologic processes. In 2005, following 12 years of pre-treatment monitoring in the 2 watersheds (Mays and Jensen) all post-European aged juniper (juniper < 140 years of age) were cut from the treatment watershed (Mays). Analysis indicated that juniper reduction significantly increased late season spring flow by 225 percent (alpha > .05), increased days of recorded ground water by an average of 41 days (alpha > .05) and increased the relative availability of late season soil moisture at soil depths of .76 m (27 inches) (alpha > 0.1). Ephemeral channel flow did not show a predictable trend following 2 years of post-treatment measurements. The Camp Creek project illustrated that for this system, managing vegetation for water yield may be obtainable at a much lower precipitation threshold than what was previously understood. (Deboodt et. al. 2008)

The Conant Basin Project, located near Post, Oregon in the Crooked River watershed, was funded by NRCS. This project is very similar to the proposed project, treating an entire watershed with multiple landowners, implementing upland and riparian practices to enhance the landscape and improve the hydrologic function of the watershed while enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. Starting in 2008, Conant Basin treated 3282.4 acres of Juniper Removal, 558.2 ac of Prescribed Fire, 203.2 ac of Forest Stand Improvement, 105.6 ac of Range Seeding, 32.9 ac of CREP Buffer (5,800 feet of stream), and 5 Spring Developments. The resulting project has resulted in perennial streamflow the past 3 years, a phenomenon that hasn’t occurred in some of the landowner’s lifetime.

Trout Creek is the major spawning tributary to the Deschutes River for migrating summer steelhead. Many reaches of Trout Creek and its tributaries are intermittent at best during the late summer months. If there is a slight chance that this project will increase the duration of flow or even lengthen the reach containing perennial flow, improving juvenile rearing habitat quality and quantity, it would be a huge benefit to the ESA listed Mid-Columbia summer steelhead. Significantly improving the instream and floodplain habitat on the lower reach of Beaver Creek, as well as providing access to an estimated 2.8 miles upstream of the culvert will also have positive impact on these fish.