Gilliam County Hay Creek/Scott Canyon Watershed Assessment • i Hay Creek / Scott Canyon Watershed Assessment Prepared by the Gilliam County Natural Resources Department for the Hay Creek/Scott Canyon Working Group Principal Author: Sue Greer, Contract Watershed Assessment Staff with assistance from: Susie Anderson, Watershed Coordinator, Gilliam-East John Day Watershed Council George Meyers, SWCD Watershed Technical Specialist June, 2003 Gilliam County Hay Creek/Scott Canyon Watershed Assessment • ii Hay Creek & Scott Canyon Watershed Gilliam County, Oregon Scott Canyon Highway 19 N Highway 206 Hay Creek Watershed Scott Canyon Watershed Stream Flow County Roads State Highways Condon Gilliam County Hay Creek/Scott Canyon Watershed Assessment • iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION Goals and Objectives of Hay Creek / Scott Canyon Working Group. 1 Agencies & Jurisdictions. 2 Legislation and Management Plans . 4 CHAPTER 2 – WATERSHED OVERVIEW Watershed Description. 5 Ecoregions . 6 Land Ownership . 7 Land Use . 7 Noxious & Invasive Weeds . 8 Fish & Wildlife . 9 Population . 9 Climate & Precipitation . 9 Vegetation Zones . 11 Soils . 12 CHAPTER 3 – HISTORICAL CONDITIONS Historical Timeline. 16 Introduction . 17 Geology. 17 Climate . 18 Vegetation. 18 Native American Use. 19 Presence of Fish & Wildlife. 20 Natural Disturbance Patterns . 20 Settlement . 21 Livestock & Farming . 22 Roads & Rails. 23 City Water Supply. 23 CHAPTER 4 – CHANNEL HABITAT TYPES & CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY Introduction . 25 Methods . 25 Potential of Restoration basis CHTs. 26 CHT Description & Analysis . 27 Fish Barriers. 29 CHAPTER 5 – HYDROLOGY & WATER USE Introduction . 31 History . 31 Peak Stream Flows . 32 Water Rights . 32 Ground Water. 33 Road Density . 34 Gilliam County Hay Creek/Scott Canyon Watershed Assessment • iv CHAPTER 6 – SEDIMENT SOURCES Introduction . 35 Farming . 35 Grazing . 36 CRP & CREP. 38 Road & Culvert Condition. 38 CHAPTER 7 – WATER QUALITY Introduction . 41 Status of 303(d) Listing. 41 Temperature . 41 Dissolved Oxygen. 41 Turbidity . 41 CHAPTER 8 – RIPARIAN Introduction . 43 Method . 43 Overview. 43 CHAPTER 9 – FISH & FISH HABITAT Introduction . 45 Species . 45 Summer Steelhead. 45 Life Cycle Factors for Summer Steelhead . 47 CHAPTER 10 – WATERSHED CONDITION SUMMARY Conclusions. 48 RESOURCES . 51 GLOSSARY. 53 APPENDICES MAP • Sub-watersheds . App II MAP • Ecoregions . .App V MAP • Ownership . .App VII MAP • Land Use . .App IX MAP • Invasive Weeds . App XI MAP • Precipitation . .App XIII MAP • Vegetation . .App XV MAP • Soils . App XVII MAP • Channel Habitat Types . App XIX MAP • Erosion (T) . App XXI MAP • Cropland, Rangeland & Canyonlands. App XXIII MAP • Roads & Culverts. App XXV MAP • Steelhead Habitat . App XXVII MAP • Stream Gradients . ..