WATERSHED HEALTH FACTORS ASSESSMENT Rogue Basin Coordinating Council Rogue River Basin, Jackson, Josephine, and Curry Counties, Oregon. Rogue Basin Coordinating Council Mission: The Rogue Basin Coordinating Council helps promote the success of member councils in watershed protection and restoration, encouraging activities that transcend individual watershed boundaries. Rogue Basin Coordinating Council Vision: Citizens of the Rogue Basin will enjoy the quality of life they desire because their choices promote a healthy ecosystem for native forms of flora and fauna and promote the productive capacity of the watershed to ensure sustainable economies. March 31, 2006 Document prepared for the Rogue Basin Coordinating Council in conjunction with OWEB grant #204-939 Watershed Health Factors Assessment 2 Watershed Health Factors Assessment Dedication This document is dedicated to Pamela Jean Galey. Pamela’s love of her watershed was reflected in her personal life, her business and in her work as coordinator of the Upper Rogue Watershed Council. Whispering Pine Old Pine Tree whispered, “Brother Wind, I fear what I see coming. Your breath is full Of toxic waste, And I, deformed, am dying. What curse have we Brought to ourselves? I hear the babies crying.” Old Pine Wind blew “Fear not the truth, I see our time here ending. Our souls move on By Universal Law, Each end a new beginning.” by Pamela Jean Galey March 22, 1959 – December 24, 2005 Whispering Pine printed with the permission of The Estate of Pamela Jean Galey (see: Galey, 2006). 1 Watershed Health Factors Assessment Acknowledgements In November 2004 watershed councils of the Rogue Basin were tasked with developing limiting factor priorities for watershed council areas in Southwestern Oregon. Several key individuals were invaluable in the facilitation and completion of this final document. Special thanks are given to John Ward for his leadership of Rogue Basin Coordinating Council through this process. And to Mark Grenbemer and Ken Bierly from OWEB for their valuable feedback to the process, ensuring OWEB requirements were being met. Lastly, included among these is Rose Marie Davis for her volunteer service as project manager and contract officer, as well as her all around efforts to smooth the process, which included nourishing us with goodies. A heartfelt thank you to the watershed councils of the Rogue Basin and watershed council representatives to the watershed health factors assessment process including Daniel Newberry and Zach Stevenson of the Applegate River Watershed Council; Dana Hicks and Peter Aspinwall of the Lower Rogue Watershed Council; Lu Anthony of the Little Butte Watershed Council; Rose Marie Davis, Jeannine Rossa, Kara King, John Ward, Jim Hill and Beth Franklin of the Bear Creek Watershed Council; Gail Perrotti, Dave Graham and John Nally from Seven Basins Watershed Council, and Pam Galey, Paula Trudeau and Don and Ruth Nelson from the Upper Rogue Watershed Council. Among this distinctive group, an exceptional thank you is given to Brad Carlson of the Middle Rogue Watershed Council and Kevin O'Brien of the Illinois Valley Watershed Council for believing in the project enough to co-chair it from start to finish. Instrumental to the completion of this process were Jay Doino of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Randy Frick from the US Forest Service (USFS) and Dale Johnson of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). They provided valuable oversight, input and direction for the process, of which this final document is a result. Roy Quackenbush, also of the Bureau of Land Management, provided an invaluable service in keeping the restoretherogue.org website updated as the prioritization process proceeded. Leilani Sullivan and Maribeth Mattson at the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) worked tirelessly to prepare the draft for printing. Local stakeholder, Pat Whitney, provided priceless computer assistance in times of great need. Finally, Jacob Gavin, network administrator extraordinaire, completed work and resolved problems at all hours. Particular thanks goes to each of them. A very BIG thank you to the contract team consisting of team leader, Tatiana Bredikin, retired ODF&W fisheries biologist, Jerry MacLeod, and retired USFS forest ecologist, Tom Atzet. Time and time again the contract team went above and beyond their call of duty to patiently work with councils and stakeholders to produce a document of watershed health factors both relevant and consistent with the needs and concerns of all interested parties. Finally, a genuine thank you to every volunteer from all over the Rogue Basin who helped in the creation of this document. Whether providing feedback on a draft, attending one of the council or public review meetings, or lending general oversight, your help is truly appreciated. Through countless meetings, miles in the car, hours on the telephone, cups of coffee, trips to the copy center, and pages of notes, the Rogue Basin Coordinating Council presents this Watershed Health Factor Assessment of the Rogue Basin and extends a sincere thank you to all those who made it possible. 2 Watershed Health Factors Assessment Table of Contents Dedication....................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Contents............................................................................................................................ 3 Table of Tables and Figures............................................................................................................ 4 Abbreviations.............................................................................................................................. 5 Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ 6 Purpose of the project ................................................................................................................. 6 Background................................................................................................................................. 6 Character of the Rogue Basin ..................................................................................................... 7 Methods....................................................................................................................................... 7 Rogue Basin Results ................................................................................................................... 8 Watershed Council Area Priorities Summary........................................................................... 10 Watershed Council Areas Summaries .......................................................................................... 13 Applegate River Watershed Council Area................................................................................ 14 Bear Creek Watershed Council Area........................................................................................ 18 Illinois Valley Watershed Council Area................................................................................... 22 Little Butte Creek Watershed Council Area ............................................................................. 26 Lower Rogue Watershed Council Area .................................................................................... 30 Middle Rogue Watershed Council Area................................................................................... 34 Seven Basins Watershed Council Area..................................................................................... 38 Upper Rogue Watershed Council Area..................................................................................... 42 Conclusion: Watershed Council Areas Summaries .................................................................. 46 Ecosystem Concepts ..................................................................................................................... 47 Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix A: Methodology and prioritization system .............................................................. 52 Appendix B: Roles and Responsibilities of Key Players.......................................................... 55 Appendix C: Evaluation Standards........................................................................................... 56 Appendix D: Master Watershed Health Factors Matrix ........................................................... 62 Appendix E: Master Limiting Factors Priorities Table............................................................. 68 Appendix F: Crosswalk Table .................................................................................................. 72 Appendix G: Resources ............................................................................................................ 74 Appendix H: Watershed Health Factors Matrix Conclusion Resources................................... 79 Appendix I: Interagency Vegetation Mapping Project ............................................................. 84 Appendix J: List of Meetings Held..........................................................................................