Crooked River Watershed Council

Crooked River Watershed Council is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization headquartered in Prineville, Oregon, that has been registered in SAM.gov since January 2008. The organization serves as a prime federal grant awardee focused on watershed restoration, habitat enhancement, and ecological management within the Crooked River watershed and surrounding central Oregon landscapes. Through its federal grant awards, the Council provides comprehensive environmental restoration services that address hydrological impacts, riparian degradation, and wildlife habitat loss across multiple stream systems and land management areas in the region.

The Council has demonstrated substantial expertise in watershed restoration through three prime federal grant awards totaling over $2.7 million. A $2,709,863.99 WaterSMART Project Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation (awarded April 2, 2024) funded restoration of habitat and ecological features on two sites downstream from Prineville, including the strategic placement of approximately 130 large wood structures, stabilization of 3,285 linear feet of eroding streambanks, restoration of 19 acres of floodplain and upland habitat, and creation of 0.42 acres of wetland to benefit native spring chinook salmon and Columbia River steelhead populations. A Cooperative Agreement from the Bureau of Land Management (awarded September 25, 2025) supports rangeland restoration in the Blue Mountain eco-region, focusing on improving Columbia spotted frog habitat through installation of woody structures that mitigate livestock impacts and restore riparian-wetland conditions. A third cooperative agreement from DOI Fish and Wildlife Service Region 1 (awarded August 1, 2023) involved installing beaver dam analogues in a 2.5-mile reach of Horse Heaven Creek to slow water flow, capture sediment, and reactivate floodplain connectivity in areas degraded by historical cattle grazing. Additionally, the Council has received four federal sub-grant awards through the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board for projects including Lower McKay Creek Restoration (May 2025), Foley Butte Holistic Restoration (November 2023), Lower Crooked River Strategic Habitat Restoration Phase I at Sigman Ranch (February 2023), and Lower Ochoco Creek Fish Passage (October 2022), demonstrating ongoing partnerships with state funding mechanisms to advance comprehensive watershed management objectives.