2017 2018 Annual Report - Curry Watersheds reports/Swcdannual_17-18.pdf2017-2018 Annual Report. urry...
Transcript of 2017 2018 Annual Report - Curry Watersheds reports/Swcdannual_17-18.pdf2017-2018 Annual Report. urry...
2017-2018 Annual Report
Curry Soil & Water Conservation District
Fiscal Year 2017: Strategy and Partnerships
Our
Mission: To conserve,
protect, and
develop soil and
water-related
resources for
the economic
and
environmental
benefit of the
people of Curry
County.
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018
Curry SWCD continued working with
our long-time partners, the Lower
Rogue Watershed Council and the
South Coast Watershed Council, to
implement an OWEB-funded Focused
Investment Partnership capacity-
building project to help formalize each
entity’s role in The Curry Watersheds
Partnership. The Partnership also
assumed joint management of a 501c3,
newly renamed Curry Watersheds
Nonprofit.
In the past, our close working
relationship could be confusing to
outside funders and cooperators, and a
bit disorientating in-house, too. Our
newly finalized joint Operations
Manual and 2-year Strategic Plan for
the Partnership will streamline shared
efforts and provide transparency and
ever-improving service to the Natural
Resource community of Curry County.
The energy kept flowing as Curry
Watersheds Partnership launched the
Siskiyou Coast Estuaries Partnership
(SCEP) in cooperation with the Wild
Rivers Land Trust and Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife for the
purpose of developing a more focused
approach to providing conservation
assistance in and around estuaries. See
page 11 for more information about
this part of the project.
Year 65—Curry SWCD: 1953—2018 The Oregon State legislature
authorized conservation districts in
1939, charging the new districts to
direct program assistance toward the
local protection of renewable natural
resources. Curry County approved
the creation of Curry County Soil and
Water Conservation District 14 years
later in 1953.
Curry SWCD is led by 5 volunteer
landowners, each elected to 4-year
terms.
The Curry SWCD Board of Directors
meets regularly on the 4th Tuesday of
each month at 7 pm. Meetings are held
at the SWCD office conference room:
29692 Ellensburg Avenue
Gold Beach, Oregon No person shall, on the grounds of race, age, color,
religion, national origin, disability, marital status,
familial status, parental status, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individual’s income is
derived from any public assistance program be
excluded from participation in, or be denied
benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under
any activity of the Curry County Soil and Water
Conservation District.
Contents
District Expenses 2
Support Curry SWCD 3
Program Profiles
District 5
Cooperative 10
Partner Updates
Lower Rogue Watershed 16
South Coast Watershed 18
Board and Staff 20
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Curry Soil and Water Conservation District Fiscal year 2017: July 1, 2017—June 30, 2018
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2017-2018 Annual Report Supporting Curry SWCD—your donations at work
Your Tax Deductible* Donations
Private donations allow us to support our community in ways that
grant funds don’t always allow us to. The District does not collect a tax
so finding other funds beside grants is super helpful. We often use
private donations to participate in community education and
awareness events. Fun, learning, and helping out is the name of the
game!
Rogue River Cleanup The annual Rogue River Cleanup is a great event hosted by our
partner, the Lower Rogue Watershed Council. This was the 13th year of
the community coming together to clean up the Rogue River. The cleanup would not happen without
generous financial support from local businesses and amazing volunteers!! From volunteer boat drivers to
noxious weed pullers to BBQ helpers, community members of all walks came to together this year to pick up
trash, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rogue as a Wild & Scenic River, and share a meal following all of
our hard work.
Party in the Park
In July 2017 the Curry Watersheds Partnership
again participated in the Rotary sponsored Party in the Park. The
event takes place in Buffington Park, Gold Beach. Each year the
Partnership aims to bring a fun educational theme to the carnival atmosphere.
This year we wanted to build on the STEM club’s success with their ROV project.
The launch of the Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) based
program was made possible in part by private donations. The club’s remotely
operated vehicles (ROV) were highlighted, and visitors to the booth were asked
to construct an ocean creature. The kids then got to have their picture taken
with their creature in our underwater explorer
photo booth. We used instant picture
technology (similar to the old Polaroid)
to capture their efforts and wow the
kids with technology that they haven’t
seen before. The magic of an instant
photo is as intriguing as it was 40 years
ago—Science is cool!
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*IRS Code, Section 170(c)(1) defines contributions or gifts to a state or any of its political subdivisions (i.e.,
conservation districts) as "charitable" contributions for tax purposes, and therefore tax deductible.
Financial contributions from private donors allow Curry SWCD to leverage grant sources and to improve
program support and delivery. We accept donations through estate planning, in person, via mail, or
online at www.currywatersheds.org. Any amount helps!
Landowner Participation
Conversations with landowners help us to
understand our community’s concerns and to
prioritize future restoration and outreach
projects. Curry SWCD works with landowners
to find solutions to resource issues — water
quality protection, habitat enhancement, soil
health, noxious weed impacts, and other
concerns. Participation is always voluntary, and consulting with our District or Watershed Council staff
creates no obligation. If you would like to discuss natural resource conservation on your property, or if you
would like to know more about any of the programs described in this report, give us a call or stop by the
office at 29692 Ellensburg Avenue in Gold Beach.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteering is a great way to donate! Time is
valuable and we appreciate it if you are willing to
share yours. Do you have special skills, time, and love
for our rural environment and way of life? We have
many ways that you can contribute. Our education
team is always looking for community members to
help supervise field trips and share their science and
outdoor skills. The South Coast and Lower Rogue
Watershed Councils are both guided by all-volunteer
boards. They meet monthly to discuss the councils’
priorities, the status of on-going projects, and to lend a community voice to the work we do. The District is
the fiscal and administrative sponsor for the councils, and since many of our projects are in partnership with
the councils it allows us to do work driven by the needs of the community. Feel like you have something to
offer? Stop by our office, give us a call, or
send us a message.
Rogue River Cleanup Volunteer appreciation BBQ.
Photo: Kyla Fitz-Gerald
Curry SWCD Supporting Curry SWCD cont.
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Vegetation Management Program
District Programs
2017-2018 Annual Report
Early Detection, Rapid Response for
Curry’s Most WANTED weeds Our vegetation management team continued this year to
address 7 priority weeds in Curry County, selected due to
their limited distribution in Curry County and potential to
create significant damage. The Early Detection Rapid
Response (EDRR) approach prevents the spread of
priority non-native invaders before they are beyond the
reach of containment. We monitored and controlled
localized infestations of Cape Ivy, Delairea adorate;
Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum custpidatum;
Himalayan Knotweed, Polygonum polystachyum;
Spanish Heath, Erica lusitanica; Jubata Grass,
Cortaderia jubata; Biddy-Biddy, Acaena novae-
zelandiae; and Matgrass, Nardus stricta.
Monitoring and controlling Cape Ivy, Delairea
adorate, is a top program priority due to its
manageable footprint in Curry County and
the weed’s potential for livestock toxicity and
significant forest damage.
We have treated more than 100 gorse infestation
sites in the past fiscal year alone. Treatment of gorse
demands follow-up due to this pest’s long seedbed
life in the soil and its ability to wreak economic and
habitat damage over very short periods. The two-
pronged strategy of Gorse WARS consists of both
perimeter containment and outlier eradication.
Containing core gorse infestation perimeters: We
focus on containing large swathes of Ulex europaeus
that are beyond practical control by addressing
strategic perimeter and riparian corridor sites.
Eradicating outlier “hot spots” : Like small outbreaks
of fire beyond the margin of a major conflagration,
these areas will be monitored and treated until they
are entirely suppressed.
Gorse Wars: The ongoing battle
Gorse, Ulex europaeus. Persistent and
aggressive, gorse spreads quickly to form large,
extremely flammable monocultures. At least 10
large gorse fires have threatened or destroyed
city infrastructure and residences since its
intentional introduction to Bandon in the 1870s.
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Farm and Conservation Planning
Agricultural Water Quality Management: Spotlight
District Programs
Curry SWCD
In the summer of 2017 a livestock water system was installed on a ranch in the watershed of Willow
Creek, a tributary to Floras Creek. The water
system was designed to distribute water from a
spring to troughs located throughout the ranch for
livestock drinking water. The purpose of the water
system was to provide the landowner flexibility in
his grazing management, supply livestock with a
clean source of drinking water, and reduce the
impact of livestock on stream banks and surface
water in the stream from which livestock had been
drinking.
The water system was designed to be entirely
gravity-fed; water from a spring was piped to a
2,500-gallon storage tank located approximately 30
feet lower in elevation. The tank was plumbed with
2,500-gallon storage tank placed within a livestock
exclusion area to protect it from livestock.
Installation of a lateral line and upright to supply water to a trough (left). Troughs are installed on hardened pads to
prevent excessively muddy conditions that can result from heavy use (right). Fence posts and 2”x6” lumber are used to
protect the troughs from livestock damage.
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District Programs, continued
Agricultural Water Quality Program: Offstream watering cont.
Offstream water systems provide better access to clean
drinking water for livestock.
Offstream water systems improve grazing distribution for
more productive pastures, facilitate the exclusion of
livestock from streams, and protect surface water.
a float and lever valve to stop the flow of water to the tank when it is full. From the storage tank,
water flows downhill through a combination of PVC and polyethylene pipe to six troughs located
throughout the hillside pastures. Float valves attached to the troughs stop flow when the troughs are
full and prevent overflow. The trough locations were strategically chosen by the landowner to support
his management of livestock and pastures. Construction of the water system was implemented by the
landowner and Curry SWCD staff.
The availability of water throughout the pastures reduces the tendency of livestock to congregate near
their drinking water source. It also facilitates a rotational grazing strategy, in which the livestock are
moved regularly. Such a strategy can result in improved forage utilization by livestock and increased
forage productivity as plants are allowed time to recover after grazing.
The livestock water system also has benefits for streams and surface water on the property. Prior to
construction of the water system, livestock would access a nearby stream for drinking water where
their activities had the potential to contribute to bank instability and degraded water quality. Because
the livestock now have access to drinking water in the troughs, the landowner placed livestock
exclusion fencing along the stream. This fencing keeps livestock from accessing the stream and allows
the stream and riparian vegetation to function more naturally.
2017-2018 Annual Report
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Curry SWCD
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Technical Assistance
District Programs
FY 2018 our CREP Tech completed work funded by the last
biennium’s Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board grant. The
cumulative progress last biennium included 15 assessments, 21
new applications, and 17 approved contracts including re-
enrollments.
In summer of 2018 we began evaluating 17 CREP contracts in
Coos and Curry Counties to prepare for their September 2018
expiration. Advance screening combined off-site aerial photo
assessment with on-site evaluation to confirm that the 10 to 15
year-old contract boundaries were correctly located and that
projects were eligible for re-enrollment. All were updated and
recommended to FSA for continue dprotection of sensitive
riparian areas. Ten of the 17 eligible contracts were submitted by
their owners for re-enrollment and received all of the inventory
and evaluation required for the NRCS planning process.
The projects whose owners elected not to re-enroll are an
interesting reflection of the challenges faced by conservation practitioners in our region:
3 of the 7 owners are retiring from active land management, and the future of their operations is
undetermined. Operator succession is a major factor in our region for preserving our agricultural economy
and its associated habitat/resource benefits.
One owner found that his 0.6-acre project did not seem worth
extra paperwork, but he will keep his buffer in shape and
appreciates the help planning, fencing, and planting. The
operator is receiving Coos SWCD planning assistance for more
ranch improvements.
One Curry County landowner elected not to re-enroll to make
room for new instream projects by one of our watershed
partners. CREP is a great way to restore and set aside riparian
areas, but is not compatible with the earth-moving operations
required to reconnect floodplains and increase linear salmonid
habitat.
This pasture is well buffered by the thriving
grasses, shrubs, and trees established in a 2012
CREP project. The landowners elected to re-
enroll for a further 10 year obligation to exclude
riparian grazing and control noxious weeds (in
this case, mostly Himalayan blackberry brush) to
minimize sediment runoff to Middle Creek, a
tributary to the NF Coquille River.
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Welcome Monitoring Program Coordinator
Robbie Lascheck
District Programs, continued
Watershed Technical Assistance
2017-2018 Annual Report
Curry SWCD technical staff work closely with partner agencies to provide assistance in watershed
protection and restoration planning. Assistance includes cooperative projects among Watershed
Councils, SWCDs, and NRCS, as well as assisting other agencies and contracting out District services to
entities including Curry Watersheds Nonprofit.
Summer 2018 saw the addition of a new staff member: Curry Watersheds Partnership Monitoring Program Coordinator Robbie Lascheck.
Robbie says sometimes he doesn’t know what he wants. He’s equally happy wading around in a stream or wetland as he is wading through copious amounts of datasets and reports. As you can imagine, this meant that his path to get here wasn’t the most direct route. After a failed attempt at art school (don’t try to make your hobby your career unless you’re 100% certain that’s what you want), Robbie realized that his true passion was for the environment. He attributes this to growing up in the foothills of the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho, where he spent a majority of his formative years taking full advantage of the majestic beauty of the mountain lakes and crystal clear rivers that carve their way into this rough and rugged landscape.
This passion for the environment led him on a meandering path, starting in Fort Collins, Colorado where he was first exposed to the exciting, expansive, and somewhat daunting world of environmental sciences at Colorado State University. From there he traveled to Oregon, where he immediately fell in love with the myriad of amazing people and places here (many of which he’s still discovering). Over the past 10 years in Oregon he’s lived in Bend, Eugene, and Portland, received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Oregon, and Master of Environmental Management from Portland State University, and worked directly with state, regional, and local agencies and groups on a variety of natural resource monitoring projects. These experiences have given him an extensive toolset of skills and experiences related to natural resource monitoring, data analysis and management, GIS, and others that he’s able to apply to his position as watershed monitoring program coordinator.
In addition to administering the regular business of the district, Curry SWCD acts as fiscal sponsor,
employer, and contracting agent for the South Coast Coordinating Watershed Council and the Lower
Rogue Watershed Council. SWCD also provides coordination, leadership, and support for cooperative
projects spanning multiple concerns.
Administration
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Curry SWCD Cooperative Programs
Sediment Abatement Road sediment abatement education, inventories, and projects address the delivery of sediment into
surface waters from poor road surface conditions and crossings, substantial sources of water quality
impairment that are often difficult for landowners to remediate on their own. Sediment abatement is
incorporated into many projects with multiple benefits.
Watershed (habitat) Restoration Our shared Watershed restoration program identifies habitat restoration opportunities and implements
restoration projects with multiple benefits, especially where agricultural uses and habitat values can be
made more compatible. In FY 2018 our partnership continued to restore instream and riparian habitat on
working lands by remediating gully formation on hillside pastures, by upgrading road crossings to provide
fish passage, by restoring streamside vegetation, and by implementing instream habitat projects that
included large wood placement and other channel modifications.
Data Management and GIS Program Proper collection, storage, and management of data generated through our programs is critical for the
purpose of refining focus areas, reporting on progress, identifying potential target areas, evaluating
project performance, and designing future projects. The database is maintained by SWCD staff with
occasional assistance from specialists, and is funded through cooperative projects with our local
Watershed Councils.
OWEB Small Grant Program Curry SWCD provides coordination for the local OWEB Small Grant Team, which awards funds for projects
to improve fish habitat. Small Grants are a great tool to provide shorter turn-around for locally prioritized
riparian fencing and restoration, fish habitat and passage improvements, off-stream watering facilities,
and sediment abatement projects.
Curry SWCD cooperates with the Lower Rogue Watershed Council, the South Coast Watershed Council, and
the Curry Watersheds Nonprofit in the Curry Watersheds Partnership. Curry SWCD acts as the employer of
record and fiscal sponsor for all four entities. We share staff, outreach opportunities, and office space in
Gold Beach as well as a vision for sustainable economic and ecological progress in Curry County.
Monitoring data and analysis is the basis for prioritizing restoration projects and allows us to ensure that
project work is being properly maintained. Monitoring means we can account for the money spent on the
ground and track changes and improvements as work is accomplished. Water quality and project
effectiveness monitoring inform and support all of our partnership’s ongoing restoration efforts.
Monitoring Programs (Water Quality, Project Effectiveness)
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2017-2018 Annual Report
Our Focused Investment Partnership initiative:
The Siskiyou Coast Estuaries Partnership
Cooperative Programs, cont.
Over the years we have become increasingly aware of the importance of estuaries to the health of
numerous wildlife species in general and to salmonid populations in particular. So we were highly
interested when the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) launched its new Focused
Investment Partnerships (FIP) program in 2015 and identified estuaries as one of the program’s
ecological priorities. The FIP program allows successful applicants up to $12 million in funding over a 6-
year period of time. We know full well the challenges of gathering sufficient grant funds together for
complicated projects, so the ability for our partnership to access this kind of dedicated funding can’t be
overstated enough. However, to apply for the implementation funding we needed to submit a strategic
action plan (SAP) – something we lacked. In early 2016 we received funding from OWEB and the Wild
Rivers Coast Alliance (WRCA) to help us create our SAP, cultivate relationships with other conservation
organizations that would be critical when implementing the SAP, and strengthen the Curry Watershed
Partnership’s capacity to better serve as the lead organization for the initiative.
As noted on page one of this Annual Report, the early part of the project was spent building internal
capacity for the CWP. We then teamed up with the Wild Rivers Land Trust and ODFW to form the
Siskiyou Coast Estuaries Partnership (SCEP) and began working on developing the SAP. We identified
rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids as the ecological objective, and our Technical Team prioritized the
nine Siskiyou Coast estuaries to determine the first geography of focus. New River, Sixes River, and Elk
River rose to the top. After a preliminary evaluation of potential projects based on rearing habitat
conditions within and adjacent to those estuaries, we decided to focus first on the Sixes and then on the
Elk. We are now hard at work refining the suite of potential projects, developing a scoring mechanism to
help us determine a project’s “ripeness” for moving forward, and codifying everything into the SAP
document. More to come in FY 18-19!
Wait, did you say “strategic action plan???”
As mentioned above, we are working on an estuaries-focused strategic action plan (SAP). "Strategic plan" is a term that can make people nervous, so here's what ours is and isn't:
What our SAP IS: A document that demonstrates to potential funders that we understand
the ecological objective we’re addressing and the types of projects that we are capable of
putting on the ground to benefit that objective.
What our SAP ISN’T: A regulatory document or agenda to be forced on landowners. We will
continue our practice of working with willing landowners to conduct voluntary restoration
efforts customized around the landowner’s management goals.
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Curry SWCD
Outreach and Education Program Highlights 2017-2018
Curry Watersheds Education Program provides field-based experiences for youth through in-school
and afterschool programs. Students experience the richness of a riparian zone and wade in streams
while learning about its processes. There is no other program offered in Curry County that suits
children up in rubber boots and sends them wading into a creek with nets and clipboards, or puts
tools in their hands and teaches them how to improve natural habitats. In order to preserve and
protect something, one must first learn, experience, and appreciate its existence. Thank you to
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for the many years of programmatic support!!
Salmon Ecology! Each fall, all 3rd
or 4th grade students in all of Curry
county’s school districts receive
classroom visits to gain background
knowledge on watersheds, riparian
zones and salmon habitat. The lessons
lead up to a full day field trip where
students explore salmon habitat and
witness the salmon migration in local
streams.
Little Bear Patch Pollinator Garden!
This was an exciting year for the pollinators in
Brookings, Oregon. An abandoned garden at
Kalmiopsis Elementary School was designated
to be redesigned as a garden for the
“pollinators”. With volunteer support from
the Brookings Oregon Monarch Advocate
group, and a supporting U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Schoolyard Habitat grant, Curry Watersheds Education Program
offered leadership to transform a weedy, neglected garden space into
an invertebrate meadow, full of native nectar and host plants for
coastal butterfly species of concern. The school received designation
as a “Monarch School USA”for their dedication to growing milkweed.
The high school agriculture program and BOMA offers maintenance
to keep the area growing!
Cooperative Programs, continued
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2017-2018 Annual Report
Education and Outreach, continued
The 4H Forest Explorers STEM Clubs were a “ROVing” success!
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills were the focus of three 4H
Clubs in Curry County for the past 2 years. 34 students in 3 communities partic-
ipated in weekly club meetings where they practiced STEM skills in preparation
for the building of a Remote Operated Vehicle. ROVs are underwater vehicles
driven by propellers and a long tether which connects to the controls. 34 2nd-
8th grade students contributed to the creation of an underwater power system
and designed 3 different frames, which 13 club members took to a Regional ROV SeaMate competi-
tion in Lincoln City to compete! The ‘helping hands’ tool (above) was used often as club members
soldered the circuit board and power wires of their ROV.
The Forest Explorers 4H STEM also partnered with a
variety of agency partners as they took monthly field
trips around Curry county such as to Brookings
drinking water intake site, a Chetco Bar burn site,
and the Lower Rogue trail. They also visited Potato
Patch Prairie (left) in the Rogue-Siskiyou National
Forest and assisted the U.S. Forest Service in
removing small conifers to preserve meadow habitat.
Many thanks to the USFS RAC, 4H Trust, OSU
Extension, STEM Beyond School and local Rotarians
for support! Statia Ryder and Maya Holiman led this
ambitious group on many adventures.
“Outdoor School” provides 3-6 consecutive days for 5th or 6th grade students to participate in
outdoor learning experiences; often at an overnight facility. Curry county schools have not
participated in this Oregon tradition (established in 1957) for more than a decade. Barriers to
participation included funding, travel to facilities, and teacher disenchantment. Thanks to the recent
passing of Measure 99, funds are now available for all Oregon 5th or 6th graders to attend Outdoor
School. With support from the Gray Family Foundation, Curry SWCD received a planning grant to
help Curry County’s 3 school districts in a collaborative effort led by Curry Watersheds Education
Coordinator Statia Ryder to consider what their Outdoor School experience could be. After learning
of the many potential benefits of Outdoor School and visiting potential learning sites, 2 of the 3
school districts are scheduled to attend Outdoor School in the 2018-19 school year!
Outdoor School returns!
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Curry SWCD Cooperative Programs, continued
FoodCorps: For almost 3 years Curry Watersheds Partnership has hosted an
AmeriCorps Service Member to provide full-time service in the Port Orford and
Gold Beach School Districts, focusing on hands-on lessons, healthy school
meals, and a school-wide culture of health. Activities include local food
education, school gardens, farm field trips, taste testing, and more. FoodCorps
is a National Program with 10 sites in Oregon including Curry County.
Foodshed Lessons: We deliver a 12-class curriculum to 5th graders to explore
how food production impacts the health of our watersheds and our bodies. Topics include the story of
Oregon agriculture and soil and water conservation. We emphasize supporting local growers and our
community’s economy, and making healthy food choices.
School Garden Education: School Gardens provide educational opportunities for multiple subjects outside
the classroom. Together with OSU Master Gardeners and Garden
Coordinators we apply educational concepts to garden tasks like planting,
harvesting, composting, and then we serve up the student-grown produce in
the school cafeteria. We have proven
that kids are more likely to eat fresh
produce that they have grown
themselves!
General Food and Garden Education: Additional opportunities are
offered to K-8 students in Port Orford and Gold Beach districts to
explore vermicomposting, seed dispersal, nitrogen cycle, hydroponic lettuce, garden art, and garden-
related math skills.
Farm Field Trips: Giving students an opportunity to visit a farm or ranch,
meet our local producers and ask them
questions about how they care for their
crops, animals, and the land is an
important part of our education. Students
learn how much work and planning goes
into our food production. The best part is the opportunity to taste food
right from the field.
Foodsheds Education: Our Farms; Our Food; Our Families
Outreach and Education Program
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2017-2018 Annual Report Cooperative Programs, continued
Foodsheds Education, Continued
Cooking Classes: In 2018 we piloted cooking classes highlighting local foods for
middle school students, and our success has us looking into ways to expand the
program, including partnering with local chefs and the Southwestern Oregon
Community College Culinary Institute.
Farm to School Community Outreach
Dinner: Students shared their knowledge
with family and the community as middle school students sourced,
cooked, and served a locally-made dinner in their school cafeteria. A
big thank-you to cafeteria manager Theresa Nelson and to Dianne
Hosford and Eli, Crazy Norwegian’s owner/chef and young manager
who made this dinner a memorable experience for more than 80
community members.
Food Trail Projects: The Wild Rivers Coast Food Trail expanded this year to include 40 businesses from
Reedsport to Brookings! Six project categories for supporting local food on the south coast of Oregon
include Farms, Farm to Table, Seafood, Markets, Craft Brews & Spirits, and Artisan Products. Other regions
of Oregon have used our original Farm Trail model for similar Food Trails in the state. This has garnered
support for us from Travel Oregon to help us design new brochures for a look we will see across Oregon.
Two events to support Food Trail Participants are planned - a Thanksgiving networking event and a Workshop to connect with business expansion support. Next year we plan to roll out a Passport Program with prizes for those who collect various experiences from the Wild Rivers Coast Food Trail.
Outreach and Education Program
Thank you to our funders! Foodshed and Farm to School Education is provided by funding from the Ford Family Foundation and the Oregon Department of Education.
Curry Local Foods Tourism projects are funded by the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance, Travel Oregon, and the Oregon Coast Visitors Association.
Additional support provided by a local funder, Plumb Level & Square.
These wonderful programs would not exist without grants and donations from funders who recognize the crucial role of education and outreach in the long-term sustainability of our interconnected social, economic, and natural resources.
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Curry SWCD
Our Watershed Council Partners: Lower Rogue Rogue River Estuary
By Kelly Timchak (Lower Rogue Watershed Council Coordinator)
The Rogue River Estuary is the vital interface between ocean and fresh water that is critical to the health
and survival of numerous threatened and listed anadromous species such as coho and Chinook salmon,
steelhead trout, and Pacific lamprey. The estuary provides a nursery and transition area for juvenile
salmonids. According to the Oregon Department
of Fish & Wildlife, the estuary was determined to
be a limiting factor to salmonid health based on
the extensive physical and hydrologic
modifications that have occurred in the past and
the subsequent impacts to available aquatic
habitat and water quality.
Historically, the Rogue River estuary has been
limited in both size and variety of coastal
wetlands available due to geology, the steep gradient of the Rogue River, and anthropogenic impacts.
Restoration of the natural processes that formed our spatially limited wetlands would enhance estuary
function and build resiliency in our coastal wetlands far into the future. The 2015 Rogue River Estuary
Strategic Plan identified the need to restore coastal wetlands to the lower Rogue.
The Rogue River has experienced a loss of vegetated wetland habitat over time due to industry,
agriculture, and invasive weed introduction. These wetlands provide a combination of shallow water, high
levels of nutrients and primary productivity that is
ideal for the development of organisms that form
the base of the food web and feed many species of
fish, amphibians, shellfish and insects. Many of the
U.S. breeding bird populations and migratory
waterfowl use coastal and inland wetlands as well
for resting, feeding, breeding or nesting grounds for
at least part of the year. Vegetated wetlands also
play an essential role in ecology by providing
habitat for wildlife and reducing erosion, and
whenever this vegetation is removed it can drastically and sometimes irreversibly alter wetland function
into the future.
According to the Southern Oregon Northern California Coho Recovery Plan (SONCC), current limiting
factors for the Lower Rogue River are lack of floodplain and channel structure, impaired water quality
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2017-2018 Annual Report
(mainly temperature), and impaired estuarine function. The leading limiting factor for salmonids in the
Lower Rogue River is the lack of suitable habitat for the juvenile rearing phase, and the SONCC notes that
recovery is extremely unlikely without the addition of summer and winter habitat.
The absence of winter refuge habitat throughout the lower Rogue, and
especially within the estuary, has been shown to be a bottleneck for coho
populations (photo to right) in the Rogue River. Additionally, the lack of
summer pool habitat means that the fish that survive the winter have very
little chance to make it through the low flow period as they acclimate to
saltwater before heading to sea or as resident populations over-summer
as well.
ODFW Biologists have identified these refuge areas as having high potential for coho salmon production.
Due the high potential of the area for anadromous fish production and the need to improve stream
complexity, the Rogue River Estuary Strategic Plan has also identified the slough as high priority for
instream restoration (see map). Salmonid growth rates have also been shown to increase with time spent
in estuaries rearing, and larger smolts have a greater chance of survival as returning adults.
Our proposed project will take place in
God Wants You Slough, which is fed by
three freshwater creeks – Krambeal, Flood,
and Lynch Creeks. The slough is connected
at the downstream end to the Rogue River
Estuary and provides critical over-
wintering habitat for coho salmon, and
rearing habitat for steelhead, cutthroat,
Pacific lamprey, and Chinook salmon. This
open water habitat is also widely used by
migratory waterfowl, elk, deer, red-legged
frogs, and beaver. The goal of the project
is to increase high quality off-channel
refugia (winter habitat) and access to cold
water refugia (summer habitat) for juvenile salmonids, while also supporting floodplain processes that will
benefit other native aquatic species.
These valuable estuarine habitats are already extremely limited in the Rogue River Estuary, and provide
important rearing areas not only for salmonids, but also for species like eulachon, Pacific lamprey, and
green and white sturgeon. The Lower Rogue Watershed Council will continue to focus on estuarine health
by trying to increase the important ecosystem connections and processes that form the foundation of so
many species’ life histories.
18
Curry SWCD
Our Watershed Council Partners: South Coast In FY 2017-2018, the South Coast Watershed Council continued to update and develop their internal
structure and organization and prepare for the hiring of a full-time, permanent Council Coordinator. As
part of these efforts the Council developed long-term strategic priorities and policies specific to their
organization and acquired funding for a full-time Council Coordinator. In addition to these efforts
towards internal development, the Council partnered with other key organizations to accomplish
common priorities and continued to lead and contribute to a number of watershed restoration and
enhancement projects across the southern Oregon coast. The following are highlights of the Council’s
accomplishments in Fiscal Year 17-18:
Internal Development
Undertook a prioritization of the Council’s initiatives, constituencies, and actions. The outcomes of this
prioritization contributed to a 5-year strategic plan and new Council bylaws, which were adopted in
April 2018.
Changed the Council’s structure from an umbrella organization representing individual Councils to a
stand-alone Council representing all watersheds in its service area.
Brought on two new Council members including Sunny Capper who represents the Chetco River
Watershed, and Jeff Jackson who represents the BLM.
Partnership Development
Continued to partner with the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance (WRCA) on important initiatives across the
service area, including a Focused Investment Plan (FIP) for the Sixes River watershed and a Strategic
Action Plan (SAP) for the recovery of Coho salmon in the Elk River watershed. WRCA was also
instrumental in providing capacity funding for a full-time Council Coordinator.
Remained an active member of the Gorse Action Group (GAG) and signed onto a Declaration of
Cooperation with other members of the GAG to demonstrate a commitment to the management and
control of gorse in the South Coast region. Specifically, the Council contributed to important efforts to
manage gorse in and around Brookings.
Continued in its role as a core member of the Siskiyou Coast Estuaries Partnership, whose main focus in
FY 17-18 was developing a Strategic Action Plan for the Sixes River watershed.
Partnered with the Langlois Water District and BLM to acquire funding for watershed improvements in
the Langlois drinking water source area.
Participated in an advisory council convened by the Governor to assess the effects of the Chetco Bar
fire on private lands. Specifically, the advisory council focused on a sub-portion of private land around
the Chetco River, and the Council acquired OWEB funding to assess sediment sources and the potential
for restoration on private lands.
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2017-2018 Annual Report South Coast Watershed highlights, cont.
Project Development and Implementation
Implemented riparian restoration and sediment
abatement projects on Floras Creek, which were
focused on protecting drinking water for the town of
Langlois.
Installed log structures on private ranches along highly
erosive banks on New River (~100 logs, 12 structures,
¼ mile of bank) and Floras Creek (~120 logs, 25
structures, ¾ mile of bank).
Partnered with the Forest Service to
restore wetlands and block OHV access at the
confluence of the Chetco River and the south
fork of the Chetco River.
Continued to maintain and manage
riparian restoration at the 2015-16 Sullivan
Gulch Bottomland restoration project on Cape
Blanco State Park.
Worked with the SWCD to acquire money
through the Wild Salmon Center and WRCA
to begin projects under the Elk River Coho
Business Plan SAP, which will be a large
source of project development and
implementation in FY 18-19.
Built two bridges on a private ranch that will
open up 0.87 miles of habitat for cutthroat
trout and provide crossings for livestock and
vehicles across the north fork of Crystal Creek,
which is a tributary to the Sixes River.
Streambank stabilization along Floras Creek
Riparian vegetation maintenance along Floras Creek
One of two bridges constructed over Crystal Creek
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2017-2018Annual Report
Curry County Soil & Water Conservation District
29692 Ellensburg Avenue, PO Box 666
Gold Beach, OR 97444 Phone: 541-247-2755
Curry SWCD FY 2018 Board of Directors
Chair Steve Kalina (at large 2) Board Service: 15 years
Vice Chair Neil Walker (zone 2) Board Service: 13 years
Treasurer/
Secretary Jeremy Knapp (at large 1) Board Service: 7 years
Director Keith Smith (zone 3) Board Service: 24 years
Director Nick Puhl (zone 1) Board Service: 5 years
Assoc. Director John Wilson
Assoc. Director Scott McKenzie
Assoc. Director Jim Kamph
2017-18 Partnership Staff
District Manager Liesl Coleman
Administrative Assistant Mary Spini
CREP/Riparian Technical Assistance Barbara Grant
Vegetation Management Program
Riparian Management Coordinator Drew Harper
Project Implementation Manager Dustin Williams
Field Technician Matt Hubbard
Watershed Education
Program Coordinator Statia Ryder
STEM Club Assistant Maya Holiman
Foodshed Program Coordinator Cathy Boden
Technical Coordinator Erin Minster
Monitoring Program Coordinator Robbie Lascheck
Sediment Abatement,
Watershed Restoration Programs Matt Swanson, Swanson Ecological Services LLC
South Coast Watershed Council Coordinator (acting) Matt Swanson, Swanson Ecological Services
Lower Rogue Watershed Council Coordinator Kelly Timchak
www.currywatersheds.org