Calapooia Watershed Council

Programs: The calapooia watershed council's (cwc) primary program activities included instream and vegetation restoration in local streams, youth watershed education, community engagement, and operations. In fiscal year 2015 approximately 165 thousand native bare root plants were installed in the calapooia basin by contracted crews thanks to our regional restoration program that has long-term support from meyer memorial trust, and restoration support from oregon watershed enhancement board. Landowner recruitment dollars were invested in "model tributaries" as well as in other high priority sub-basins in the calapooia and santiam watersheds. As with last fiscal year, wood habitat work was performed in reach 1, primarily to benefit native turtles but also off channel fish habitat on the calapooia river in brownsville. We have also been designing wood placement and two crossing restoration sites on upper courtney creek. These projects included private and public landowners. The cwc has been partnering with the nature conservancy (tnc) for long-term investment in local youth watershed education in local elementary and high schools in partnership with teachers and district staff. The program has grown quickly to incorporate several new schools in the albany area, and through recruitment to salmon watch has expanded to the greater part of linn county as well. In addition to tnc and over 10 years of support for the program, the cwc and partners secured dollars from oweb, oregon department of fish and wildlife, gray family foundation, and city of albany. In fiscal year 2015 the program has expanded with high school youth watershed councils in central linn, lebanon, sweet home and albany high schools. The program currently supports two outdoor camps- in sweet home and the central linn outdoor camp. Per their strategic plan, the cwc is in year two of a large signature event, willamette river relay to serve as a generator of unrestricted dollars, and community engagement campaign in partnership with local conservation groups, the city of albany, the calapooia brewing company, and the title sponsor, the nature conservancy. In year two we have secured several more sponsorships from local businesses and have many vendors excited for the celebration. The first event was held on august 9th in fiscal year 2015. We are in planning phases for year two august 15th, 2015 and hope to generate twice the athletes. The cwc updated their strategic plan this fiscal year, was approved as "eligible" with "high merit" for the council support from grantor oregon watershed enhancement board (oweb)