Overview

• Siuslaw River Estuary (lower Siuslaw Watershed) 
• North Fork Siuslaw River
• North Florence Sole Source Dunal Aquifer boundary, which includes Clear Lake, Munsel Creek, all wetlands, upland and riparian areas, and 100 acres adjacent to and outside the UGB that is trust land of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians (see attached Maps).

 

Florence is the only major urban center in the Siuslaw Watershed. Its entire UGB drains primarily to the Siuslaw estuary or the Pacific Ocean. Rapid infiltration rates into the sand cover, combined with a shallow water table, make the North Florence Sole Source Dunal Aquifer, and the hydrologically-connected wetlands, riparian, and estuarine system, highly susceptible to contamination from surface activity. These conditions, combined with the high habitat value of the area, and projected growth, make this "Integrated, Multiple Objective Approach to Watershed Protection and Restoration Project" a high priority project for the watershed.

1. Use Collaboration and Scientific Investigation
2. Foster Public Education and Stewardship
3. Protect Water Quality and Quantity
4. Protect and Restore Wetlands and Riparian Areas
5. Protect and Restore Key Estuary Wetlands
6. Plan for Ecological Growth
   

Phase I: October 1, 2009-September 30, 2010

Phase II: October 1, 2010-September 30, 2011

Phase III: October 1, 2011-September 30, 2012

The Estuary, and the area surrounding it, is a place of transition from land to sea, and freshwater to saltwater. Home to 23 species of fish, almost 200 species of birds, and numerous species of marine mammals, this watershed is a significant natural area. It provides habitat to several endangered and threatened species and supports spawning runs of fall chinook, chum, winter steelhead, coho, and sea-run cutthroat trout. The River was once the Oregon Coast's largest coho-producing system next to the Columbia; but current salmon production levels are significantly diminished due to habitat impacts. Portions of the River are classified as "Water Quality Limited," under the Clean Water Act, for temperature, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, and sediment; and the River is included on the State's 303(d) list of Impaired Water Bodies by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Groundwater in the aquifer was of good quality when the last comprehensive testing was done 23 years ago. The 1987 EPA Sole Source Aquifer Resource Document states, "Possible sources of aquifer contamination include fuel storage tank failure, accidental spills of hazardous material, septic tank effluent, storm runoff, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers." Today, pharmaceutical by-products are also an environmental threat. Clear Lake is a remarkably unpolluted, clean source of drinking water. Heceta Water District, Lane County and the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission created the Clear Lake Watershed Protection Zone to protect the Clear Lake drinking water source well into the future.                                                                  

In Florence, there is often a high seasonal water table, which results in rainwater backing up to the land surface. Stormwater runoff adds volume, velocity, and contaminants to area surface waters. By better understanding the relationship between groundwater and surface water, the project partners will be able to address issues such as flooding, stream bank erosion, and surface water pollution that are likely to arise as the UGB is developed over time. This study will result in improved stormwater management practices.

The 1996 "Florence Local Wetlands and Riparian Area Inventory" identified 270 wetlands, totaling 572 acres, and about 315 acres of riparian area. The majority of the wetlands are of high quality and the majority of the riparian areas have high or moderate functional values. In the northern UGB, there are large wetlands, bogs, and flooded forests that serve a role in regulating stream flows and reducing flood waters. The values and functions of these wetlands and riparian areas need to be assessed to determine how they can be an effective part of a broader water management and wildlife habitat protection program.

The health of the local and regional economy is tied to the health of the environment. Find out how natural and scenic resources contribute in a major way to the economy by reading the attached report, "Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing, and Shellfishing in Oregon , 2008 State and County Expenditure Estimates," by Dean Runyan Associates for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Travel Oregon, May 2009.