COOS WATERSHED ASSOCIATION

RESTORATION: WE ARE DEDICATED TO CREATING HEALTHY STREAM HABITATS THROUGH BOTH IN-STREAM AND RIPARIAN RESTORATION EFFORTS. IN-STREAM RESTORATION FOCUSES ON IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF STREAMS BY PLACING WOOD FEATURES LIKE LOG JAMS, UPGRADING STREAM CROSSING INFRASTRUCTURE, MEANDERING CHANNELS, AND PULLING BACK ERODED BANKS. THESE EFFORTS RESTORE NATURAL STREAM FUNCTIONS AND ENHANCE HABITATS FOR FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC LIFE.RIPARIAN RESTORATION TARGETS THE AREAS ALONGSIDE STREAMS TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY AND STABILIZE BANKS. THIS INCLUDES PLANTING ENDEMIC TREES AND SHRUBS, INSTALLING FENCING TO PROTECT SENSITIVE AREAS, AND CREATING OFF-CHANNEL WATERING SOURCES FOR LIVESTOCK. THESE PRACTICES REDUCE SEDIMENTATION AND WATER TEMPERATURES, HELPING THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.A KEY PART OF RIPARIAN RESTORATION IS ADDRESSING THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. AS ENDEMIC PLANTS ARE REPLACED BY ORNAMENTAL OR INVASIVE ONES, THE ECOLOGICAL FOOD WEB BEGINS TO UNRAVEL. TO SUPPORT ENDEMIC BIODIVERSITY, WE OPERATE AN ENDEMIC PLANT NURSERY CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO 20,000 PLANTS ANNUALLY FOR USE IN RESTORATION PROJECTS. WE ALSO MONITOR AND CONTROL NOXIOUS WEEDS THAT THREATEN COASTAL HABITATS AND LOCAL ECONOMIES.URBAN ENVIRONMENTS OFFER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP. SOME OF OUR MOST INNOVATIVE AND ENGAGING PROJECTS TAKE PLACE RIGHT IN THE HEART OF TOWN, OFTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS. THROUGH STORMWATER EDUCATION AND ECOLOGICAL LANDSCAPING PROGRAMS, WE WORK TO IMPROVE WATERSHED HEALTH EVEN IN DEVELOPED AREAS.

MONITORING: EFFECTIVE, ON-THE-GROUND MONITORING IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR RESTORATION EFFORTS. ACROSS THE COOS WATERSHED, WE TRACK KEY INDICATORS OF WATERSHED HEALTH, INCLUDING STREAM FLOW, WATER QUALITY, HABITAT CONDITIONS, AND FISH ABUNDANCE AND MIGRATION. THIS DATA HELPS US EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF OUR WORK AND IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE RESTORATION.OUR MONITORING PROGRAM PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ASSESSING THE STATUS AND TRENDS OF COHO SALMON POPULATIONS, AS WELL AS TRACKING WATER QUALITY AND HYDROLOGY THROUGHOUT COOS BASIN STREAMS. IN ADDITION TO LONG-TERM ECOLOGICAL MONITORING, WE ALSO CONDUCT IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING FOR OUR IN-STREAM AND RIPARIAN RESTORATION PROJECTS. THIS ENSURES THAT OUR PROJECTS NOT ONLY MEET THEIR IMMEDIATE GOALS BUT ALSO SUPPORT LASTING IMPROVEMENTS IN WATERSHED HEALTH.