The upper South Santiam watershed is renowned for its lush conifer and hardwood forests and runs of native winter steelhead and spring Chinook salmon. While habitat has been fragmented by Green Peter and Foster Dams, native adult salmon and steelhead are trapped and hauled around Foster Reservoir and released into the upper South Santiam River, where they complete their life cycles by spawning new generations of fish.

The water quality is generally good in the upper South Santiam watershed, but creating better habitat conditions for adult and juvenile salmon and steelhead is a high priority for us.  We have partnered with the Sweet Home Ranger District and Cascade Timber Consulting (CTC) to address habitat needs in the upper watershed by adding large wood structures into important spawning streams.  These structures trap spawning gravels, allow flowing water to carve pools in the stream bed, and provide cover for juvenile fish during the summer months and during high winter flows.

The following projects benefit native winter steelhead and Chinook salmon.