Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council
$140,000  East Cascades 

The project is located in the Goose Lake Watershed, Lake County Oregon. The Goose Lake Watershed is a closed basin that occupies about 1,100 square miles. This is a semi-arid region, and historically Goose Lake has gone completely dry during periods of extended drought. The area lies in the Southern Oregon-Northeastern California (SONEC) region of the Pacific Flyway. This region stands out as the highest priority habitat across the 11-state geography. SONEC sustains more than six million migrating and breeding birds each year. Latest data indicates that wetlands across this landscape are threatened not only by land use changes but also drying as a result of climate change.

Additionally, the lake and its tributary streams support a unique assemblage of nine native fish species, four of these fish species are listed as “species of concern” by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) due to vulnerability within this challenging system. This includes the Goose Lake red band trout, Goose Lake lamprey, Goose Lake sucker, and the California Pit Roach. Survival through drought has been possible for centuries by seeking refuge in the upstream tributaries. In the early and mid 1900's the majority of these streams have been utilized for irrigation and diversion barriers impede upstream migration and refuge - ultimately impacting populations and resilience.

The project has three goals: 1) Implement a fish screen to prevent fish entrapment, 2) Restore fish passage on Cox Creek at the irrigation diversion, and 3) Maintain the integrity of the irrigation diversion which provides hundreds of acres of wet meadow habitat for migratory birds. Project partners include The Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council (LCUWC), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Ducks Unlimited (DU), Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), and River Design Group, Inc. (RDG).