This project will take place in the Lower Fox Creek & Upper Cottonwood Creek Subwatersheds (HUC 12 - 170702020904 & 170702020905). Fox/ Cottonwood Creek is a tributary of the North Fork John Day River with an arbitrary name change near Fox Valley, OR. The confluence is near the town of Monument, OR.
The Circle V ranch was purchased late in 2021 as a portion of Vaughan Ranches in Fox Valley. The 8,800 acre parcel was managed with high intensity grazing for many years. Range, riparian and boundary fencing, irrigation diversions, forestry, and in-stream habitat have been impacted. The ranch is situated in an area of Fox/Cottonwood that supports ESA listed Mid-Columbia steelhead at high enough elevations that populations are more resilient to late season high water temperatures and smallmouth bass encroachment. A property conservation assessment is needed to evaluate and prioritize cattle related infrastructure, in-stream habitat condition, diversion passage and function, noxious weed distributions, upland watering sources, upland and forestry related resources.
The proposed project would conduct a conservation assessment using the following tools: 1) the North Fork John Day Watershed Council's Stewardship Planning Framework, 2) A physical geographic survey of natural resource and infrastructure location and condition, 3) A Rapid Geomorphic Assessment and 4) Aquatic prioritization from the John Day Basin Partnership's ATLAS program. The project would result in a property wide assessment that would assist the landowner and conservation partners in prioritizing resource management projects.
Partners for this project include: The North Fork John Day Watershed Council - Stewardship Plan guidance and assessment assembly. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs - Fiscal support and consultation. Grant Soil and Water Conservation District - Consultation.
