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Lost River Watershed Juniper Removal Project

County or Counties: Klamath   

Primary Resource Concern Addressed: 

  • Fire management - Wildfire hazard from biomass accumulation 
  • Air quality - Emissions of greenhouse gases
  • Pest pressure - Plant pest pressure
  • Degraded plant condition - Plant structure and composition

Project Description
Wildfire concern from excessive biomass accumulation of Western Juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), referred as “Juniper”, has created hazardous conditions in the Lost River Watershed due to decades of fire suppression, little to no management of encroaching Juniper, and persistent drought conditions. This leaves wildlife habitat (i.e., mule deer winter range), livestock grazing resources, and residential properties at risk. The goal of this Conservation Implementation Strategy is to mitigate wildfire hazard and increase water availability in soils for forage production. Since south facing slopes primarily contain “Old Growth” Juniper and have shallow soils with limited water holding capacity, priority will be placed in treatment areas with non-south facing slopes. This is expected to increase water flows to springs, reservoirs, and streams, as well as increased aquifer recharge to increase lower elevation water supply for agricultural use and in- stream beneficial uses.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Heavy Use Area Protection (561)
  • Conservation Cover (327)
  • Cover Crop (340)
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490)
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)
  • Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315)
  • Brush Management (314)
  • Critical Area Planting (342)
  • Forest Stand Improvement (666)
  • Woody Residue Treatment (384)
  • Fuel Break (383)
  • Firebreak (394)
  • Prescribed Burning (338)
  • Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)

Project Partners

  • Oregon Department of Forestry
  • Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • Klamath Watershed Partnership
  • NRCS Oregon
  • Private landowners

Application Questions
NRCS uses prioritization questions to evaluate applications for this initiative. See the list of workload prioritization questions on the Oregon EQIP page. Ranking questions below will also apply.

Ranking Questions

  1. Project area is located at Olene Gap and within “The Gap-Lost River” HUC 180102040707, “Nuss Lake-Lost River” HUC 180102040901, “Brookside Creek-Frontal Swan Lake” HUC 180102040803, “Middle Buck Creek” HUC 180102040702 watersheds where ODFW identified wildlife corridors are identified. 
  2. Project area is located South and East of Olene Gap and within “Poe Valley-Lost River” HUC 180102040706, “Cys Branch-Lost River” HUC 180102040603, “Woolen Canyon-Lost River” HUC 180102040601 watersheds where ODFW identified wildlife corridors are identified.
  3. Practices in the EQIP schedule of operations address more than one resource concern to include wildfire hazard from biomass accumulation, plant productivity and health, plant structure and composition, or plant pest pressure?
  4. Project area shows signs of beetle infestations as defined by Oregon Department of Forestry?
  5. Is the site partially or wholly within a Conservation Opportunity area, or contain Oregon Conservation Strategy habitats such as productive Aspen or Ponderosa Pine stands?
  6. The project area is dominated (<50%) by Phase 1 & Phase 2 juniper stands as described in the USGS Western Juniper Field Guide.
  7. Are wetlands onsite according to the National Wetland Inventory?
  8. Project area is located adjacent to land that has previously been treated to reduce forest fuels?