Fort Rock/Silver Lake SWCD

In partnership with the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board,  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and a Silver Lake landowner, Ducks Unlimited will replace an existing irrigation diversion dam on Buck Creek, a tributary of the Paulina Marsh in Lake County, Oregon. The existing diversion represents the last fish passage impediment between Highway 31 at Paulina Marsh and the headwaters in the public lands ownership. In consultation with the project partners and ODFW fisheries, Ducks Unlimited will finalize engineering designs, secure necessary regulatory permits and clearances, and solicit and award bids to replace the existing diversion dam with a progressive 'roughened surface' / 'rock chute' diversion dam. The new dam will maintain and likely enhance distribution of surface water across the historical Buck Creek floodplain hydrating seasonal wet meadows critical for spring staging migratory waterfowl and waterbirds. Additionally, the new structure will provide perennial fish passage with no management demands, opening up an additional 4.5 miles of fish migration potential on Buck Creek.

Livestock access Ranny Springs for water. Ranny Springs is a natural spring location on the edge of Summer Lake. Ranny springs is an appropriate location for livestock water;however, it is marshy on  and livestock have become trapped in the bogs. When this happens,  livestock need assistance to get out. In this situation, nutrient inputs from livestock and impaired water quality are of potential concern. The landowners have a drilled a well at the location, with the hope of installing off-site water in the future.