Rogue valley council of governments will restore natural channel hydrology and fish passage to a highly disturbed reach of bear creek within the city of medford, oregon

The Rogue Valley Council of Governments (RVCOG) received a $1,021,918.49 Project Grant from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) grant program (CFDA 15.507). The grant will fund RVCOG's efforts to restore natural channel hydrology and improve fish passage on Bear Creek, a tributary to the Rogue River, within the city of Medford, Oregon. The project will remove three existing barriers and install large wood and gravel to increase suitable spawning habitat for threatened Southern Oregon and Northern California coho salmon and other native fish species. Additionally, the project aims to improve water quality by reducing polluted sediment, increasing oxygenation, and decreasing water temperatures. Other benefits include reducing bank erosion, improving stream functions, and enhancing the aesthetics of the recreational Bear Creek Greenway multi-use trail. The project is supported by the Rogue Basin Action Plan and multiple partners, including state and local government agencies.

Bear creek, a tributary to the rogue river, provides important spawning and rearing habitat for southern oregon and northern california coasts coho salmon, which are impacted by poor water quality, low flow, and restrictions to fish passage and listed as threatened under the endangered species act and are a culturally significant species for local tribes. This project will remove three existing barriers and install large wood and gravel to increase suitable habitat for salmon spawning. These actions will improve access to 8 miles of potential spawning and rearing habitat for several native fish species and improve water quality by reducing polluted sediment, increasing oxygenation and decreasing water temperatures. Other project benefits include reducing bank erosion, stream-bed improvements to improve stream functions, and improved aesthetic value of the recreational bear creek greenway multi-use trail. The trail also follows an ancient travel route used by the shasta and takelma indians and restoration of seasonal flow to the ancestral lands provides important benefits to culturally significant species. The project is supported by the rogue basin action plan and multiple partners, including the oregon department of transportation, oregon department of fish and wildlife, the rogue river valley irrigation district, the city of medford, and the rogue river watershed council.