Project Partners:

 Start Date: June 1998

Completion Date: January 2000

Estimated Costs

Final Costs

Project Highlights

• Project restored 500 ft eroded stream bank by using bioengineering techniques.
• Native vegetation was planted in riparian zone.
• The project will improve riparian habitat and provide shade for salmonid fish.
• This project will be a Best Management Practice (BMP) demonstration project.

Results of Work:

Volunteers and Clatsop Soil and Water staff shaped the bank by trimming blackberry and other low shrubbery. Bank was covered with three foot of conifer slash, slash was secured with conifer poles, blanket and netting of coconut fiber was placed along erosion area and netting was secured with rock. Native trees were planted to restore and enhance riparian areas.

Landowner: Contributed approximately $17,841.00 for the total project. He designed the bioengineering work and helped implement it.

  Project Description:

The project was a continuation of landowner project started in 1998.

Project is in the lower Columbia River Basin specifically in the Nehalem River drainage. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has identified the Nehalem area as an "core" area for coho salmon. In addition basin has been identified in the Unified Watershed Assessment (UWA) as a top priority area. This area ranks number one in both priority level and restoration priority.

The North Fork of the Nehalem drainage is an important area for coho salmon and steelhead. This project will develop BMP’s for streamside erosional processes throughout Clatsop County as well as other North Coast basin areas. It will help the overall health of the watershed as well as providing habitat for salmonid fish. Project will allow other landowners to see there are other methods available for bank stabilization other than the use of riprap rock.

During high water events bank erosion was occurring along property on the Nehalem River. Since 1996 an estimated five hundred cubic yards of soil was washed away along 200 ft. of bank. Total project covered approximately 500 ft of bank.

Clatsop Soil and Water: The work crew under the supervision of John Sprague (Salmon Enhancement Coordinator) helped finish the project. Ron Figlar-Barnes (District Administrator) brought together a partnership team for project support.

Volunteers: In addition to landowner and Clatsop Soil and Water work crew several local volunteers put in time and effort into the project.