Rogue River
Status: YELLOW ALERT
Length: 215 miles
Basin area: approximately 5,000 square miles
Aside from some problems with bacteria and high temperatures, the Rogue River is fairly clean.
The Rogue River's headwaters begin at Crater Lake in the Cascade Mountains, and the river runs through Grants Pass and numerous small towns before cutting through the Coast Range and reaching the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach. It drains the relatively populated Medford-Ashland area with its orchards and irrigated agriculture. Mining and forestry are also significant economic sectors in the basin. The river provides habitat for Chinook and Coho salmon, steelhead, brown trout, cutthroat, golden trout, catfish and sturgeon. 84 miles of the Rogue is a designated National Wild and Scenic River, and its exciting class IV rapids are popular among white-water rafters; it is also heavily used by jet boats. Both are regulated, with a permit system in place for rafters. French fur trappers called this area the “Riviere aux Coquins,” or Rogue River, after the Native Americans who lived along its shores.
A Closer Look
The Rogue is the cleanest river of its size in the state of Oregon. Even so, sections of the Rogue River violate standards for temperature and fecal coliform bacteria. Parts of the river have violated pH standards in the past, but in 2006 the pH was within acceptable levels. The upper Rogue watershed is largely undeveloped and has very good water quality. Other parts of the watershed are impacted by agriculture and urban uses. Agricultural practices in floodplain areas have led to over-allocation of water, increases in water temperature and the input of chemical and biological wastes to streams. Urban runoff and wastewater from the cities of Medford, Ashland and Grants Pass also contribute to the river's water quality problems. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is working with partners to develop a clean water plan for the Rogue River. All anadromous fish species in the Rogue are listed or being considered under the Endangered Species Act.
Landowner Joan Kostelnik was concerned about the erosion occurring along Cooksie Gulch, which runs through the middle of her property and directly into the Rogue River. She was also having a heck of a time managing the invasive blackberry growing along the edges of the creek. So she contacted the Middle Rogue Watershed Council, and they helped her develop a restoration plan and obtain a small grant from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.
The restoration plan called for eradicating the blackberry, bioengineering to reduce erosion, and planting native grasses, trees and shrubs along the edges of the creek to provide shade and stabilize the streambanks. One year has passed since Joan began working on the project in early 2006, and she has used some creative techniques to make it successful. She hired local school youth to eradicate the blackberries (providing them with job skills and a few extra bucks). She used heavy black landscaping fabric to prevent re-growth of the blackberries, and through online research she discovered coconut fiber matting for erosion control. She worked with local nurseries and grass seed banks to identify native riparian grasses, trees and shrubs. And she even kept the birds from eating the native grass seeds by trying out the concept of "Fukuoka balls.” She mixed the seeds with mud, rolled them into golf ball sized balls, and threw them into the area where she wanted the grass to grow. Amazingly, it has worked wonders!
The initial project is nearly complete, and the creek is well on its way to being restored to natural conditions. Through her own efforts, research, and never say die spirit, Joan Kostelnik is proving that one person can make a difference to improve our rivers.
Property owner Joan Kostelnik proudly displays some large blackberry roots she removed while restoring the creek on her land.© Middle Rogue Watershed Council
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