2022 was a busy year for the Greater Yamhill Watershed Council!
The Greater Yamhill Watershed Council’s primary purpose is to work collaboratively with communities and landowners to develop and carry out voluntary watershed protection, enhancement, monitoring and community engagement activities.
The Council was formed in 1995, and has an active volunteer Board of Directors presently comprised of six members. The Board represents a wide diversity of interests and technical skills. The Council geographic boundary includes land area mostly within Yamhill County, but also the northern portion of Polk County, and small areas of Lincoln, Tillamook, and Washington counties.
The Council adopted an Action Plan in 2013, and updated this document most recently in 2019. The work identified by the Council focuses on the restoration of riparian and aquatic lowlands.
The following is a summary of the Council’s activities during the 2021-2023 biennium. This summary focuses on physical restoration activities, which have occurred as a result of ongoing community engagement efforts.
Cozine Creek
* Maintenance of previously completed restoration sites.
* Outreach to owners of working lands and urban stakeholders to secure access and field tours.
* Riparian enhancement for 1 acre of habitat along an unnamed tributary within Ash Meadows Park, in McMinnville.
Chehalem Valley
* Maintenance of previously completed restoration sites.
Hess Creek
* Large wood material placement.
* Riparian vegetation planting and maintenance.
Salt Creek
* Maintenance of previously completed restoration sites.
* Outreach to agricultural landowners for additional restoration site planning.
Yamhill River
* Culvert replacement on an unnamed tributary of Glenbrook Creek, approximately 1.5 miles from the confluence of Gooseneck Creek, tributary to Mill Creek and Yamhill River.
Oak and Prairie Habitat Restoration
* Miller Woods site planting and maintenance
* Fromherz – Cooke Property planting and maintenance
