Status: Active

Project Area: Bear Creek River Mile 19 at Lynn Newbry Park in Talent, Oregon

Project Lead: Rogue River Watershed Council

Project Partners: This project is possible due to the funding and support from ~ Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the Drinking Water Provider Partnership, The Freshwater Trust, the City of Talent, Oregon Department of Transportation, Jackson County, and partners from the Bear Creek Restoration Initiative.

Summary

In September 2020, the Almeda Fire devastated the region including destroying much of the towns of Phoenix and Talent and burning 300 acres of riparian area along Bear Creek. This resulted in severe water quality degradation, including threats to the drinking water for Gold Hill, Rogue River, and Grants Pass, and to the riparian and aquatic communities. This project will facilitate the reconnection of the mainstem of Bear Creek to historic side channels and the floodplain, install large wood and boulders in the primary and secondary channels to improve the aquatic habitat, and protection of highly eroding stream banks by stabilizing them with wood structures and native vegetation.

Photo credits: Rogue River Watershed Council