drift creek
Drift Creek, a tributary to the Siletz basin, provides important spawning and rearing habitat for native salmonids and contains populations of chinook and coho salmon, winter steelhead and cutthroat trout. Populations of these and other species have been significantly reduced over the past 60 years, as a result of timber harvest, road construction and other activities.
In 2009, SDCWC participated in an extensive large wood placement project in Drift Creek and one of its tributaries, Sampson Creek. SDCWC has also been involved in multiple riparian planting projects in the Drift Creek basin. Additionally, we have collected water quality data on Drift Creek, providing Oregon DEQ and other partners valuable information for assessing the health of the system.
In 2009, SDCWC participated in an extensive large wood placement project in Drift Creek and one of its tributaries, Sampson Creek. SDCWC has also been involved in multiple riparian planting projects in the Drift Creek basin. Additionally, we have collected water quality data on Drift Creek, providing Oregon DEQ and other partners valuable information for assessing the health of the system.
Current Project
Lower Drift Creek Restoration and Flood Reduction PlanNing Process
Currently, the Salmon Drift Creek Watershed Council is assisting and partnering with the MidCoast Watershed Council, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolf Water Resources, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in the Lower Drift Creek Restoration and Flood Reduction Planning Process. This is an effort to connect and work with private landowners and other stakeholders to identify and complete habitat projects within the lower Drift Creek area of the Siletz estuary. The efforts are focused on restoration on three tracts of land within the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge (See map inset: Kangas, Shaffer, and Watson tracts).
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge with inset of Drift Creek tracts currently being considered for restoration to reduce flooding impacts and to increase habitat for native species including the threatened Oregon Coastal Coho Salmon.
Existing COnditions
● Land ownership on lower Drift Creek is a mix of private residences, cattle operations, industrial timber, public infrastructure, and federal conservation lands.
● Localized seasonal flooding adversely affects public infrastructure (culverts, roads and utilities) and private lands.
● Historic management activities reduced the quantity and quality of riparian habitat along lower Drift Creek. Forest clearing, levee construction, ditching, and development reduced the water quality (high temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, and excessive nutrient loading) of the Creek and degraded estuarine habitat conditions for federally threatened coho salmon and other anadromous fish.
● Former land practices are impacting floodplain connectivity, resulting in barriers to fish rearing habitat as well as hydrologic constrictions which impact flooding. Specifically, it increases the velocity of flood waters and reduction of flood storage in the natural floodplain which results in higher water surface elevation.
● Engineers are conducting an inventory and assessment of public infrastructure (roads and culverts, ROW and utilities) and baseline hydraulic “flooding” conditions.
● Localized seasonal flooding adversely affects public infrastructure (culverts, roads and utilities) and private lands.
● Historic management activities reduced the quantity and quality of riparian habitat along lower Drift Creek. Forest clearing, levee construction, ditching, and development reduced the water quality (high temperatures, low dissolved oxygen, and excessive nutrient loading) of the Creek and degraded estuarine habitat conditions for federally threatened coho salmon and other anadromous fish.
● Former land practices are impacting floodplain connectivity, resulting in barriers to fish rearing habitat as well as hydrologic constrictions which impact flooding. Specifically, it increases the velocity of flood waters and reduction of flood storage in the natural floodplain which results in higher water surface elevation.
● Engineers are conducting an inventory and assessment of public infrastructure (roads and culverts, ROW and utilities) and baseline hydraulic “flooding” conditions.
Aerial Images from recent "King Tide" ~ December 14, 2020
A "King Tide" is an extra high tide which can provide insight into how our shorelines and waterways may inundate with additional sea level rise. These tidal events are scientifically known as perigean spring tides and occur when the Earth and the Moon are at their closest and when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are in alignment (e.g. full moons or new moons). High tides in combination with large rainfall events increase the risk of flooding. In the images above water can be seen inundating the refuge and adjacent properties.
Goals of the Lower Drift Creek Restoration and Flood Reduction Planning Process
● Through the gathering of public input, biological data collection, and engineering analysis to evaluate alternatives for improving 80 acres of estuarine habitat on Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Benefits sought include:
- Improved habitat for anadromous fish, including threatened Oregon Coast Coho salmon and migratory birds
- Reduced impacts of flooding on adjacent public infrastructure and private residences
Learn more and Get Involved
We will be leading a series of events beginning in March 2021. Each will be an opportunity for the public to provide feedback and to gain additional information on the planning process and any prospective projects that may come out of it. For the most part due to COVID-19, these will be held virtually over ZOOM, although a field trip is also tentatively planned. The first event will be a virtual Scoping Meeting which the USFWS, Mid Coast Watershed Council, and Wolf Water Resources will share existing conditions and explore restoration concepts. At this time we will also be seeking the public's input in order to map out problem areas and gain feedback. Following that we hope to host an in-person site visit for those interested. A virtual subsequent meeting will be an opportunity to see and gain feedback on conceptual designs which the engineers will have developed based on initial feedback and data collected and modeled from the site. A third virtual meeting may also be planned to relay preferred alternatives and gain additional feedback. Watch this page for updates on dates and times.
- SCOPING MEETING - Virtual* ~ March 6, 2021 from 11-12:30pm
- SITE VISIT - In Person*, COVID allowing ~ TBD
- CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS - Virtual* ~ TBD
- PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES - Virtual* ~ TBD
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Lower Drift Creek and South Slough in 1939, prior to levee construction.
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