Project Partners:

• Clatsop Soil and Water
• Skipanon Watershed Council
• Oregon Fish and Wildlife
• Natural Resources Conservation Service

Start Date: June 1999

Completion Date: February 2000

Estimated Costs

• OWEB Funds ($47,931.04):
• Matching Funds ($16,457.00):
• Total Funds ($64,388.04):

Final Costs

• OWEB Funds ($42,599.35): Under-budget by $5,331.69
• Matching Funds ($19,199.50):
• Total Funds ($61,798.85):

Project Highlights

• Riparian Fencing
• Water Quality Enhancement (Cattle Confined from River)
• Planting of Native Vegetation
• Adjoining landowners now interested in providing fish habitat.

Project Description:

This project fenced cattle from over two miles of the lower main steam Skipanon River in Clatsop County Oregon. In addition, two small tributary streams running through the property were fenced and planted with shrubs and trees. In total, riparian fencing added up to 11,512 feet. Historically, the river had runs of sea-run cutthroat trout, coho, and chinook salmon. Recently salmon have been rarely sighted. In 1994 the river was put on the 303 (d) list for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform problems.

This restoration work will provide winter and summer rearing habitat areas for coho and other salmonid species including sea-run cutthroat trout. The large riparian zone produced by fencing set-back (an average 50-ft) will help water quality by excluding cattle from the river and producing shade which should help stream temperatures in the summer. The large set back and tree planting should help reduce erosion problems associated with the stream. In time, trees planted will help restore and enhance riparian areas by providing shade and woody debris into the river.