Thomas Creek-Goose Lake – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Thomas Creek/Goose Lake area — Photo Credit: Martyne Reesman, ODFW

Area includes Goose Lake and surrounding habitat; and Thomas Creek and its surrounding riparian habitat. Thomas Creek is the largest tributary of Goose Lake

COA ID: 145

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in - channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function, ensuring sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife
Maintain riparian, wet meadow habitats and emergent wetlands

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Important Bird Areas of Oregon

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
Ducks Unlimited
US Fish and Wildlife Service

Special Features

General

Includes several unique endemic fish species
Provides breeding habitat for waterbirds and receives heavy use by migrating waterfowl

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID EC-17 (Chewaucan River)
2006 COA ID EC-20 (Thomas Creek)
2006 COA ID EC-21 (Goose Lake)
2006 COA ID EC-22 (Warner Mountains)

Protected Areas

Fremont-Winema National Forest
Lakeview Wildlife Administrative Site

Ecoregions

East Cascades

The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains’ summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.

Strategy Habitats

Aspen Woodlands

Aspen woodlands are woodland or forest communities, dominated by aspen trees with a forb, grass, or shrub understory. Aspen woodlands can also occur within conifer forests.

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.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land. For the purposes of the Conservation Strategy, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes.

Oak Woodlands

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

Ponderosa Pine Woodlands

Ponderosa pine woodlands are dominated by ponderosa pine, but may also have lodgepole pine, western juniper, aspen, western larch, grand fir, Douglas-fir, mountain mahogany, incense cedar, sugar pine, or white fir, depending on ecoregion and site conditions. Their understories are variable combinations of shrubs, herbaceous plants, and grasses.