The jefferson county soil and water conservation district, in partnership with the middle deschutes watershed council, will remove western juniper from upland habitat to restore water connectivity…

The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, in partnership with the Middle Deschutes Watershed Council, will receive $263,564 from the Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation under the Cooperative Watershed Management Program (CFDA 15.554) to remove western juniper trees from 460 acres of upland habitat surrounding Willow Creek in Oregon. This project aims to restore water connectivity between upland and in-stream habitats by removing juniper that has caused flows in Willow Creek to become intermittent. Specialized excavators will ensure complete removal of subsurface roots. In-stream temperature loggers will record impacts on stream flows and temperature from the juniper removal. The project supports several watershed management plans for the area. Work will be completed by December 31, 2023.

The jefferson county soil and water conservation district, in partnership with the middle deschutes watershed council, will remove western juniper from upland habitat to restore water connectivity between upland and in-stream habitats surrounding willow creek, in western oregon. The vast expansion and encroachment of juniper has caused the flow in willow creek to become intermittent. This project will remove juniper trees across 460 acres using specialized excavators to ensure the removal of sub-surface roots. In-stream temperature loggers will record the impacts on stream flows and temperature. The project is supported by the willow creek watershed analysis, the middle deschutes action plan, and the middle deschutes agricultural water quality management plan.