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 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