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Siuslaw Floodplain Reconnection

County or Counties: Douglas, Lane 

Primary Resource Concerns Addressed:

  • Aquatic habitat - Aquatic habitat for fish and other organisms
  • Field sediment, nutrient and pathogen loss - Sediment transported to surface water
  • Degraded plant condition - Plant structure and composition

Project Description
Loss of historic stream complexity, including connected floodplain and tidal wetland habitat, combined with other land use and climate factors and historic over-fishing has led to a long and steady decline in the Oregon Coast coho salmon population in the Siuslaw River and coastal lakes basins in western Lane and Douglas counties. This Conservation Implementation Strategy (CIS) will build off more than two decades of watershed restoration collaboration among partners in the Siuslaw Coho Partnership to improve aquatic habitat for fish through reconnection of floodplains and tidal wetlands and restoration of riparian buffers on private and tribal lands within high priority sub-basins in the Siuslaw River and coastal lakes watersheds.

Conservation Practices Offered

  • Wetland Restoration (657) 
  • Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (643) 
  • Obstruction Removal (500) 
  • Open Channel (582) 
  • Riparian Forest Buffer (391) 
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) 
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (490) 
  • Wildlife Habitat Planting (420) 
  • Conservation Cover (327) 
  • Brush Management (314)
  • Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315)
  • Fence (382) 
  • Prescribed Grazing (528) 
  • Watering Facility (614) 
  • Livestock Pipeline (516) 
  • Pumping Plant (533) 
  • Heavy Use Area Protection (561) 
  • Stream Crossing (578) 
  • Aquatic Organism Passage (396) 
  • Dike or Levee (356)
  • Clearing and Snagging (326)
  • Stream Habitat Improvement (395)

Project Partners

  • Siuslaw Watershed Council
  • Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon
  • Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians
  • Siuslaw SWCD
  • USFS
  • BLM
  • ODFW
  • 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. Application includes practices that will increase floodplain or tidal wetland connectivity to improve aquatic fish habitat.
  2. Application includes practices that will directly improve the quality and/or quantity of riparian buffer.
  3. Application includes practices that will directly reduce sediment transport to surface waters.
  4. The conservation plan has been developed or funded by more than one entity/partner, or it is part of a larger project that addresses floodplain connectivity, water quality, or access to critical habitat for ESA-listed species.
  5. Engineering designs for planned practices have already been completed or will be completed by a Technical Service Provider, private engineer, or project partner.
  6. The landowner has all necessary permits required to implement planned practices; or, is actively working with a partner entity to secure necessary permits.
  7. The applicant will address all noxious weed issues within the project area.
  8. Application includes planting at least 5 species of native flowering shrubs or wildflowers that will benefit pollinator habitat.