Beaver Based Restoration at Vesper Meadow: summary and video
Produced by Tensegrity Productions for the Restoring Riverscapes project, visit www.restoringriverscapes.org to learn more
Latgawa Creek Restoration, a summary
How we got here:
Latgawa Creek has undergone significant hydrologic alteration and degradation of native species’ habitat in the last 200 years, since time of Western settlement. Causes for this degradation are common to most other Western waterways and are rooted in historic and ongoing livestock grazing, water diversion for irrigation, poorly-designed infrastructure, invasive species among other related issues. The widespread extirpation of beaver (Castor canadensis) in the nineteenth century and current trapping of this ecological keystone species have significantly contributed to the loss of wetland function. Evidence of past beaver populations at Vesper Meadow is apparent by beaver-chew seen on woody debris as well as through oral histories told by local residents. The creation of an irrigation diversion structure in 1960 for the Talent Irrigation Ditch that was built below the channel elevations, plus the removal of riparian willow (c. 1970) by the previous owners has left the creek channel severely incised and vulnerable to continued head cutting and bank erosion. In effect, this has led to increased flashiness, decreased water storage capacity, prevented spring inundation of the meadow, and increased floodplain desiccation. These issues are compounded by related impacts in the adjacent floodplain; soil compaction, invasion of non-native grasses, decline and loss of species, and changes to the meadow habitat structure and function.
The deep incision of the creek displayed here is dramatic, with downcutting all the way to the bedrock. This picture was captured in winter when water is seasonally diverted out of the creek to irrigation canals for the towns of Ashland and Talent, OR. This site is just downstream of the Talent Irrigation District (TID) diversion structure and county highway, and is subject to flash floods each spring when the TID switches the floodgates and returns the water into its natural course downstream.
And where are we going?
Like many ecological restoration projects, we want to reduce the harms of past land management practices; for the waterway and the wildlife. What’s unique is our approach, starting with our goals:
Reduce entrenchment of three miles of creek channel, reconnect the floodplain with the water table, and increase annual floodplain inundation, and expand the meadow’s wet season (ideally April through late June). Short-term benefits: Raising of the water table elevation, so that the water table and floodplain are reconnected and so that water is dispersed throughout the meadow longer in the late spring/ early summer season. Long-term benefits: Increase retention of water in the meadow, both spatially and temporarily. Spring inundation will bring benefits to invertebrate, native fish, and vertebrate riparian-dependent species, increase resiliency to fire events, and support native plant restoration and Tribal partnership work for First Food restoration.
Improve water quality through increasing water storage capacity of the meadow, decreasing spring flashiness and bank erosion, and maintaining lower water temperatures. Short-term benefits: Increase water quality through improvements in turbidity, temperature, and natural filtration. Long-term benefits: Conserve snowpack, improve water supply dependability and resiliency to drought, improved drinking water quality for downstream users.
Utilize best practices in process-based restoration strategies for enduring ecological benefits and resiliency to climate change impacts. Short-term benefits: Cause minimal disturbance to the ecosystem when implementing restoration activities, through utilizing hand-tools and natural hydrologic processes to help facilitate the restoration of instream and riparian habitat (i.e. stream-power not diesel power). Long-term benefits: Sufficiently address limiting factors for beaver habitat such that beaver will again occupy this reach and continue to maintain the optimal structure and function of the riparian ecosystem.
Local students participate in restoration planting along Latgawa Creek. photo by Molly Allen.
Further a community-wide restoration ethic through the engagement of a diverse partners: Federal and private land managers, non-governmental conservation organizations, restoration practitioners, and public volunteers. Short-term benefits: Increase public understanding of water quality issues and land management and increased access to educational opportunities and practice of restoration skills. Long-term benefits: Building a culture of restoration for sustained engagement in land stewardship.
Furthering existing Tribal partnership goals for First Food management, cultural revival, and ecological restoration. Short-term benefits: Build upon existing Tribal partnership work by furthering First Food restoration efforts with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde through the Indigenous Gardens Network. Long-term benefits: Work toward a future of land justice by demonstrating a successful US Federal-NGO-Tribal partnership and strengthen southwest Oregon networks to help meet the self-identified goals of Tribal partners.
Restoration plan for Latgawa Creek:
This project initiated in 2019, and now the work is in full swing. We took our time getting to know the place and its inhabitants, securing funding and designing plans, and going through a lengthy permitting process…and now, we can finally act like beavers in the creek! The phase one of restoration was completed October 2022, in which 20 Post-assisted log structures were constructed in Latgawa Creek at Vesper Meadow, along with in-stream willow planting and riparian shrub plantings.
Phase two of the restoration work will occur 2023-2025 up- and downstream of this site, including work at Vesper Meadow and on the adjacent BLM managed land. We couldn’t do it without volunteers, partners, donors, and support from the Drinking Water Providers Partnership, Medford BLM, Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District.. At least 50 structures, which will function together to capture sediment, aggrade the channel, slow flow and reconnect the floodplain will include mid-channel and bank-attached post-assisted log structures.
All PALS are made from conifer branches collected from onsite and neighboring properties, living willow stakes from onsite, planting of riparian shrubs, untreated 3” diameter wood posts pounded into the streambed when necessary, spaced 1’-2’ feet apart. All structures are built in accordance with the best management practices and standards put forward by the Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes manual, and the Beaver Restoration Guidebook.
A panoramic view along the creek in January 2023, a channel spanning post-assisted log structure is pictured on right.
A vision of bringing it all together:
An annual documentation at a painting-point along the creek. Painting and photo by Sarah F. Burns
The vision that is playing out right now, engages diverse partners and is deeply integrated with public engagement. We utilize the best science available and utilize adaptive management through ongoing monitoring of hydrology, vegetation, wildlife and insects. But what’s more, is that we bring multiple ways of thinking to this project by incorporating scientists, Tribal peoples, artists, academics, youth, and neighboring land managers. Through spending time with the land we can intimately know its rhythms and stay connected for a lasting relationship of reciprocal tending, deepening the human-land bond.