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Beaver Creek Demonstration Project
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Beaver
Creek near Tillamook, Oregon.
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E&S Environmental Restoration, Inc. has worked in conjunction with farmers and government agencies in the Tillamook Bay Watershed to help identify and quantify water quality issues. Farmers feel threatened by the prospect of additional
nonpoint source (NPS) pollution regulatory actions and remain unconvinced that
management activities on their individual farms make any appreciable difference
for water quality. Many are skeptical that land use (especially riparian
management) impacts water quality/habitat quality issues related to sediment
fluxes, temperature, and aquatic biota.
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What is needed is a clear and
unambiguous demonstration of improvement subsequent to remediation. The
recently-completed Beaver Creek Remediation Project on two neighboring farms was intended to
demonstrate effective reduction of fecal coliform bacteria, temperature, and
sediment loads contributed to surface waters from an upland agricultural
subbasin of the Tillamook Bay Watershed. This was accomplished by a
combination of streamside fencing, water diversion, riparian planting,
enhancement of multiple small wetlands, and water quality monitoring before and
after implementation of these remediation efforts. Results to
date:
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Primary objectives were to:
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Improve water quality in a subbasin of one of the rivers that flows
into Tillamook Bay
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Improve aquatic habitat quality by reducing sediment transport and water
temperatures and reducing the load of bacteria that is transported to the
lower river and oyster beds in the bay
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Quantify the effectiveness of these measures
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Demonstrate the environmental benefits that can be achieved through
implementing cost-effective management practices and remediation efforts
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Tree planting along
Beaver Creek.
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Priority problem areas addressed:
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Fecal bacterial contamination
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Sedimentation
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Salmonid habitat degradation
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Actions taken:
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Working with landowners
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Permitting
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Before and after monitoring
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Invasive plant removal
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Photo documentation
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Wetland enhancement
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Runoff diversion
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Fencing and off-stream watering
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Riparian and wetland planting
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BMP counseling
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View results
of the Beaver Creek Project
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Last modified: September 08, 2003
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