Photo by Oregon Department of Forestry (these are coho salmon, but not the individuals seen in Waymire Creek)
In the Little Luckiamute River's Waymire Creek tributary, two coho salmon were spotted in mid-November. Click here to watch these determined fish navigate riffles, a culvert and a small dam on their journey to upstream spawning habitat!
LWC Education Fund on behalf of Michael Cairns
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It is with great sadness that we share the news that Michael Cairns passed away on June 21, 2024. Click here to read Michael's obituary in the Statesman Journal.
Michael was a visionary leader and a champion for both environmental and social causes in the Monmouth and Independence communities. Back in 1999, he played a key role in establishing the Luckiamute Watershed Council and after retirement, was the LWC's first manager. Part of his legacy is a beautifully designed wetland near the Willamette River just west of the Independence Sports Park, which is thriving now with a wide diversity of native plants, birds, and other wildlife. He was also instrumental in restoring the health and improving the streamside habitat of Ash Creek at what is now OSU Extension's Mt. Fir Inspiration Gardens. To honor Michael, we are managing an Education Fund that Michael's wife Gail Oberst has set up to be used towards creating an educational display about the wetlands he helped create. |
NOAA Fish Passage Funding Announcement
A perched and undersized culvert on Harris Creek is one of 18 different sites in the mid-Willamette region included in the NOAA fish passage proposal.
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On May 22, 2024, the Mid-Valley River Connections collaborative, which includes the Luckiamute, Marys River, North Santiam, South Santiam and Calapooia Watershed Councils, was recommended by NOAA to receive over $8.7 million in Fish Passage funding. The proposed work will restore fish passage at 18 different sites across the Mid-Willamette region, opening up access to 43 miles of high quality spawning and rearing habitat.
This is fantastic news for all mid-Willamette watersheds, and we look forward to sharing more details about the Luckiamute watershed-centered restoration work on Harris Creek that is included in this proposal! Click here to read the full press release. |
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The Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC) is a volunteer group of neighbors from diverse perspectives working together to learn about the watershed and doing what they can to improve local water quality and habitat conditions.
Our mission is "to engage and assist landowners and communities in the voluntary protection, restoration and enhancement of the Luckiamute and Ash Creek watersheds." We seek to foster good stewardship of natural resources and to develop an improved understanding of the area’s biological diversity. Read more about us here. Native Plants for Fire-Resilient Landscapes
Project Spotlight: Smithfield Oaks Cultural BurnThanks to funding from Roundhouse Foundation and Polk Soil & Water Conservation District, we were able to support the creation of this video by Brian Bull, which highlights the efforts of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program, landowners and local organizations to re-kindle a relationship with fire at Smithfield Oaks, a Polk SWCD property located near Rickreall.
Read more here. |
Next Regular LWC MeetingDate: December 12, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm Location: Zoom only 
Discover our Data Visualization website!
Click to learn more!
Got native plants? Or getting them soon? Check out our new Native Plant Resources Page! It has all the info you need to prepare your planting site, choose which natives will grow and look great, and give your plants the best start to a long, healthy life!
Contact Us
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Knotweed in the Luckiamute
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Click here to find out what we are doing to eradicate invasive Japanese knotweed in our watershed, and how you can get involved. Help us knock out knotweed!
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Volunteers Needed!
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Do you have a special skill that you would like to contribute? Would you like to earn college credits while putting your talents to work in your community? Or are you just itching to get outdoors and help restore streambank habitat? Joining our awesome team of LWC Volunteers might be the perfect answer for you!
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