Luckiamute River and Tributaries – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Luckiamute River Area — Photo Credit: AnneMary Meyers, ODFW

The Luckiamute and Little Luckiamute Rivers and tributary drainages and associated agricultural lands surrounding the Kings Valley Area and South of Falls City.

COA ID: 075

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain and enhance wetlands, ponds, and associated uplands to support northwestern pond and western painted turtle habitat
Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat and uplands, flow and hydrology
Maintain or enhance oak savanna and grassland habitats and their connection to adjacent habitats
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function, ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife
Maintain watershed function and wildlife habitat by maintaining/enhancing water quality and controlling invasive species

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Special Features

General

Area of importantance to riparian birds
Area of importantance to winter steelhead
Important habitat for oak and grassland-associated species including birds, mammals, and plants

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-17 (Luckiamute River)
2006 COA ID WV-12 (Habeck Oaks)
2006 COA ID WV-13 (Airlie Savanna)
2006 COA ID WV-14 (Luckiamute River)
2006 COA ID WV-15 (Airlie Oaks)

Protected Areas

Fort Hoskins Historical Park
Little Sink
Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site
Wetlands Reserve Program

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.

Strategy Habitats

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

Oak Woodlands

Oak woodlands are characterized by an open canopy dominated by Oregon white oak.

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal pools, and wet prairies.

Specialized Local Habitats

Springs, seeps and headwaters

Strategy Species

Acorn Woodpecker (Observed)

Melanerpes formicivorus

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Chipping Sparrow (Observed)

Spizella passerina

Clouded Salamander (Modeled Habitat)

Aneides ferreus

Coast Range Fawn Lily (Observed)

Erythronium elegans

Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki clarki

Coastal Tailed Frog (Modeled Habitat)

Ascaphus truei

Common Nighthawk (Observed)

Chordeiles minor

Fringed Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis thysanodes

Grasshopper Sparrow (Modeled Habitat)

Ammodramus savannarum perpallidus

Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasiurus cinereus

Kincaid’s Lupine (Observed)

Lupinus oreganus

Lewis’s Woodpecker (Observed)

Melanerpes lewis

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Marbled Murrelet (Modeled Habitat)

Brachyramphus marmoratus

Nelson’s Checkermallow (Observed)

Sidalcea nelsoniana

Northern Red-legged Frog (Observed)

Rana aurora

Northern Spotted Owl (Observed)

Strix occidentalis caurina

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Observed)

Contopus cooperi

Oregon Chub (Documented)

Oregonichthys crameri

Oregon Vesper Sparrow (Observed)

Pooecetes gramineus affinis

Peacock Larkspur (Observed)

Delphinium pavonaceum

Purple Martin (Observed)

Progne subis arboricola

Red Tree Vole (Observed)

Arborimus longicaudus

Short-eared Owl (Observed)

Asio flammeus flammeus

Silver-haired Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Southern Torrent Salamander (Observed)

Rhyacotriton variegatus

Steelhead / Rainbow / Redband Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus mykiss ssp

Streaked Horned Lark (Observed)

Eremophila alpestris strigata

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Western Bluebird (Observed)

Sialia mexicana

Western Gray Squirrel (Modeled Habitat)

Sciurus griseus

Western Meadowlark (Observed)

Sturnella neglecta

Western Painted Turtle (Modeled Habitat)

Chrysemys picta bellii

Northwestern Pond Turtle (Observed)

Actinemys marmorata

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas

Willow Flycatcher (Observed)

Empidonax traillii

Yellow-breasted Chat (Observed)

Icteria virens auricollis

Strategy Spotlight: Luckiamute Landing Enhancement Project

Riparian plantings take hold as part of a restoration project led by the Luckiamute Watershed Council. Photo Credit: Luckiamute Watershed Council

The Luckiamute Watershed Council (LWC) partnered with Oregon State Parks on the Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area enhancement project at the confluence of the Luckiamute and Willamette Rivers. The confluence area is called out in several regional plans as an area of concern. Both the Middle Willamette River Floodplain and Luckiamute River and Tributaries are Conservation Opportunity Areas (COAs).

As of 2015, the LWC is working on more than 300 acres of floodplain forest (bottomland hardwoods), riparian re-vegetation and enhancement, and interpretive sign development along the North Tract Trail. The LWC is also pursuing funding for floodplain reconnection opportunities at the site to increase the extent and duration of inundation. In a separate effort, Oregon State Parks is managing Western pond turtle habitat on the South Tract. These actions all are recommended by the Oregon Conservation Strategy.