Habitat: Conservation Summaries for Strategy Habitats Strategy Habitat: Wetlands Ecoregions: and flooded marshes) are created as rivers change course. Wetlands are a Strategy Habitat throughout Oregon (all eight ecore- In these areas, water moves slowly, providing quiet aquatic gions). habitats. ■ Playas, found in the Northern Basin and Range ecoregion, are Characteristics: sparsely vegetated (generally <10 percent plant cover) with Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Per- grasses and are surrounded by a ring of shrubs. They are sea- manently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and sonally flooded and have highly saline soil. Plant species com- marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal position depends on soil salinity and moisture. Characteristic pools, and wet prairies. Wetland habitats are highly diverse and include species include iodine bush, black greasewood, spiny hopsage, the following different types: saltbush, alkali grass, wildrye and saltgrass. ■ Alkaline wetlands occur in depressions in more arid areas and ■ Seasonal ponds and vernal pools hold water during the are intermittently flooded. An impermeable soil layer prevents winter and spring but typically dry up during the dry summer water from percolating through the soil and concentrates salts months. Vernal pools occur in complexes of networked depres- in some areas. Soil salinity varies greatly by soil moisture and sions that are seasonally-filled with rainwater. They host a type and determines plant species. Plant species are tolerant variety of species with unique adaptations. of saline conditions due to the concentration of salts by water ■ Wet meadows (including montane wet meadows) occur evaporation. Vegetation includes salt-tolerant grasses, rushes, on gentle slopes near stream headwaters, in mountain valleys, sedges and shrubs such as black greasewood. Examples are bordering lakes and streams, near seeps, in large river valley found in the Klamath and Goose Lakes of the East Cascades bottoms, and in open wet depressions among montane forests. ecoregion, and in the Northern Basin and Range ecoregion. They are dominated by tufted hairgrass, sedges, reedgrass, ■ Deciduous swamps and shrublands are located in depres- spikesedge, rushes, and wildflowers. Montane wet mead- sions, around lakes or ponds or on river terraces. They generally ows may have shallow surface water for part of the year, are flood seasonally with nutrient-rich waters and are dominated by associated with snowmelt, and are not typically subjected to woody vegetation including willows, hardhack, alder, red-osier disturbance events such as flooding dogwood, Pacific crab apple, and ash. ■ Wet prairies occur in lowlands, especially in floodplains where- ■ Marshes (including emergent marshes) occur in depressions as wet meadows occur in depressions surrounded by forests (ponds), fringes around lakes and along slow-flowing streams and are associated with snowmelt. Wet prairies are dominated especially in valley bottoms. Marshes are seasonally or continu- by grasses, sedges and wildflowers. ally flooded and have water-adapted plants such as sedges, bulrush, spikesedges, rushes, cattails, and floating vegetation. Conservation Overview: Marshes can have mucky soils resulting in water with high Wetlands provide important habitat for migrating and breeding wa- mineral content and dominated by herbaceous species, often terfowl, shorebirds, waterbirds, songbirds, mammals, amphibians and including wildflowers. reptiles. In addition to being critical for birds and many kinds of wildlife, ■ Off-channel habitat (oxbow lakes, stable backwater sloughs, floodplain wetlands and backwater sloughs and swamps are impor- 298 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Conservation Strategy, February 2006 tant rearing habitats for juvenile salmon. Wetlands have direct value species (see www.ohjv.org/projects/columbia.html#wanaket). for people because they improve water quality by trapping sediments Similarly, ponds on the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge use and toxins, recharge aquifers, store water, and reduce the severity of runoff from the fish hatchery to seasonally water shallow pools floods. Restoration and careful management of wet meadow systems for migrating shorebirds and to provide breeding habitat for and other wetlands can increase sustainable production of forage for Woodhouse’s toads. Irrigation wetlands can be critical habitat, livestock and increase late-season stream flows. but can also be impacted by runoff containing fertilizers or other chemicals. In general, most wetland habitat loss has occurred at lower elevations ■ Coast Range wetlands are vulnerable to development as more and valley bottoms. Many of these wetlands have been drained and people relocate to be near the coast. Although wetland drain- converted to agriculture. Some ecoregion-specific conservation issues age is now discouraged, continuing development is a threat to include: some remaining wetlands. In addition, the ecological processes ■ Blue Mountains: In the Grand Ronde and Baker valleys, that create coastal wetlands - such as landslides, beavers, or many of the lower elevation wetlands have been drained and logjams blocking streams – often are not compatible with cur- converted to agriculture. Wetlands have been lost in other low rent land uses, especially in more developed areas. elevation areas as well. Most remaining wetlands in this ecore- ■ East Cascades: The upper Klamath Basin once had an exten- gion are found at higher elevations, although some important sive shallow lake and marsh system, but much has been lost valley bottom wetlands occur on private land. due to drainage and conversion to agriculture and urban uses, ■ Columbia Plateau: Historic wetlands along the Columbia River contributing to the complex issues surrounding water use and have been inundated by reservoirs, while floodplain wetlands species conservation in the basin. The remaining wetlands in along the Umatilla and Walla Walla rivers and other tributary the Klamath Basin support one of the largest concentrations streams have mostly been developed for agriculture. The of waterfowl in North America, with over three million ducks ecoregion once had extensive springs and vernal pools, many of and a half-million geese passing through annually. The area which have been lost as water tables lowered. Currently, many is a critical migratory staging area for 80 percent of all Pacific wetlands in this ecoregion are man-made, such as marshes Flyway waterfowl. In the winter, the Klamath Basin hosts the established along the edges of reservoirs and wetlands created largest wintering population of bald eagles in the continental as a result of crop irrigation practices. The Wanaket Wildlife United States. Klamath Basin provides Oregon’s only permanent Area, managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, is a nesting areas for red-necked grebes and yellow rails. network of wetlands created through irrigation of pastureland ■ Klamath Mountains: Most low-elevation seasonal wetlands and provides important habitat for many wetland – dependent have been lost to habitat conversion to agricultural, urban, Conservation Agreement for the Oregon Spotted Frog, Mink Lake Basin Population In healthcare, there is a saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a Three Sisters Wilderness Area of the Willamette National Forest, con- pound of cure.” The same is true for nature conservation. Focusing tained 2 known spotted frog populations. With over 100 ponds, lakes efforts to benefit declining species before they become threatened and wetlands and fewer impacts from habitat loss and degradation, the is more successful and cost-effective than when populations become Mink Lake Basin offered a valuable conservation opportunity for this critically low. Conservation Agreements, which are voluntary partner- species. The agency partners identified limiting factors and evaluated ships between agencies or between agencies and private landowners, risk to the two frog populations, then created a Conservation Agree- can provide a dose of conservation prevention. In 2000, the USFWS, ment to address those factors. The Agreement addressed needs and USFS and ODFW created a Conservation Agreement for the Mink Lake responsibilities for site protection planning, population surveying and Basin population of the Oregon spotted frog. Surveys conducted in monitoring, data management, and developing education materials the 1990’s indicated that the Oregon spotted frog had disappeared for wilderness recreationalists. The Conservation Agreement is a first from up to 90% of its former range in Oregon, Washington and British step to ensure the long-term survival of these populations. By working Columbia. As of 1999, only 31 populations were known to remain, together, people can find new ways to prevent species from becoming making each population important. The Mink Lake Basin, part of the Threatened and Endangered. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 299 Habitat: Conservation Summaries for Strategy Habitats and rural residential uses. Upland activities or altered hydrol- can be impacted by uncontrolled livestock grazing, camping, or ogy impact many remaining wetland habitats. Rare vernal pool off highway vehicles use. wetlands in Agate Desert near Medford support several rare ■ Willamette Valley: Almost all remaining wetlands in this plant and animal species. ecoregion have been degraded to some degree by altered water ■ Northern