Wednesday, August 10, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
13
Creek restoration project launched
The Deschutes Land Trust
and Upper Deschutes Water-
shed Council have launched
a massive stream restoration
project at the Land Trust’s
Whychus Canyon Preserve.
Restoration will begin on
the northernmost mile of
Whychus Creek at the Pre-
serve and will improve habi-
tat in and around the creek for
fish and wildlife.
More than a mile of
Whychus Creek will be com-
pletely transformed as part of
the first phase of a six-mile
stream restoration project.
Large earth-moving equip-
ment will remove berms that
are holding the stream in its
current straight alignment and
then remove soil in places
to promote the free move-
ment of water across its his-
toric floodplain. Large woody
debris (like whole trees) will
be added to create complex
habitat for fish and wildlife.
Then, this fall, more than
60,000 native trees, shrubs,
wildflowers and grasses will
be planted and seeded to pro-
vide stream shade, bank and
floodplain stability, and habi-
tat for wildlife.
“It’s incredible to see a
project in which so many have
worked patiently for so many
years finally come to fruition.
The Land Trust has worked
toward this day for over 15
years, by first acquiring and
protecting the property, and
now by being able to real-
ize our long-term vision for
Whychus Canyon Preserve.
We couldn’t have done it
without our many partners,
funders and volunteers. We
look forward to seeing wild-
life return to the Preserve in
abundance,” said Deschutes
Land Trust Executive Direc-
tor Brad Chalfant.
“Our long-term goal is to
restore each of the 18 miles
of Whychus Creek that was
straightened in the 1960s so
we can support health fish
and wildlife in the area,”
explained Ryan Houston, the
Upper Deschutes Watershed
Council’s executive direc-
tor. “This outstanding project
brings us one important step
closer and illustrates how
much can be accomplished
when organizations, agencies,
landowners and funders all
put their energy into making
positive change.”
The restoration project was
designed by a team of hydrol-
ogists and biologists from the
Deschutes National Forest
working in close coordina-
tion with private consultants
and staff from the Watershed
Council and Deschutes Land
Trust. The implementation
work in 2016 is part of a
larger six-mile restoration
project on Whychus Creek.
Phase I, this initial work on
1.5 miles of Whychus Creek
at Whychus Canyon Preserve,
will occur this summer and
run through the fall. Then, the
project area will be left alone
to rest, recover, and naturally
evolve and grow. Phase II,
which includes the portion of
Whychus Creek upstream of
Phase I, is planned for 2017
or 2018.
Primary funders of the
project include: Oregon
Watershed Enhancement
Board, Pelton Round Butte
Fund (Portland General
Electric & the Confederated
Tribes of the Warm Springs),
Deschutes National Forest,
Oregon Department of Fish &
photo Courtesy dlt
grading begins on Whychus creek restoration.
Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wild-
life Service, National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation, Laird
Norton Family Foundation,
Bonneville Environmental
Foundation and East Cascade
Audubon Society.
The Deschutes Land Trust
conserves land for wildlife,
scenic views, and local com-
munities. As Central Oregon’s
only nationally accredited and
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locally based land trust, the
Deschutes Land Trust has
protected more than 8,750
acres since 1995.
For more information on
Deschutes Land Trust, call
541-330-0017 or visit www.
deschuteslandtrust.org. For
more information on the
Watershed Council, call
541-382-6103 or visit www.
restorethedeschutes.org.
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