Residents of the Luckiamute River and Ash Creek watersheds are interested in the health of the streams that flow through their communities, according to a recent survey conducted by the Luckiamute Watershed Council. This year the council, with help from Western Oregon University staff, students and several other agencies, sent out nearly 4,500 surveys seeking residents’ input on watershed projects and issues. More than 320 surveys were returned, half from rural landowners and half from urban homeowners.

Those who responded listed the top priorities for council projects as: riparian health, habitat restoration, protection and conservation, invasive weeds, public awareness and education, and monitoring water quality.

“This survey is going to be a useful tool for planning, and riparian issues look like the highest priority,” said Michael Cairns, chairman of the council. Of those who responded, 69 percent listed riparian health among their top five priorities for projects they’d like to see in the watersheds.

Western political science professor Mark Henkels and his student, Mike Schindler, both of whom helped develop and send the survey, said they will continue to evaluate the responses to develop strategies for future watershed planning.

But already, survey results have provided direction and a list of people who say they want to be involved in watershed work, according Randy Gould, Bureau of Land Management staff who is on the council and whose agency funded the survey. Nearly half of those responding said they were interested in attending a meeting of the council. The council meets at 7 p.m. every second Thursday of the month at Monmouth Volunteer Hall. The public is welcome.
“It already gives us a sense of what the public thinks we should do,” Cairns said. Some projects which would promote riparian (streamside) health, for example, are planting trees along waterways and fencing stream banks to keep livestock out.

Cairns said he was very happy with the valuable response to the survey. Of those who responded, 48 percent of all rural landowners owned property on a stream. Of the rural landowners who responded, 42 percent owned a farm and 34 percent owned forest land.

The Luckiamute Watershed Council is a non-governmental advisory group made up of a volunteer board and members. It aims at promoting good stewardship of natural resources in the Luckiamute and Ash Creek watersheds. Its members include farmers, biologists, forestry managers, landowners and residents in the combined 234,000-acre watersheds in portions of Polk and Benton counties. In addition to humans, the watersheds are home to a number of species threatened by invasive weeds, poor land-use practices and habitat loss.

“This survey shows that there are a lot of people of all kinds who care about our watersheds,” Cairns said.

In addition to announcing the results of the survey on July 14 Cairns announced the winners of the drawing for three turkeys to be given to survey participants. Winners were George Taray of Independence, Paul Turner of Buena Vista, and Paul and Lois Sieber of Monmouth.

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Some findings from the LWC public opinion survey:
Rural vs urban homeowners. (51:49)
Rural landowners who own farm land (42%) vs forest land (34%).
Proportion owning property on a stream (48% of rural; 29% of all respondents).
List of people who are interested in attending a LWC meeting (149 = 47%).
List of people who are interested in receiving more information about the LWC (231 = 73%).

Top activities the LWC should pursue.
Riparian health (69%)
Invasive weeds (52%)
Habitat restoration (55%)
Public awareness/education (52%)
Protection/conservation (54%)
Monitoring water quality (51%)

Lowest priorities:
Roads (15%)
Fish passage (15%)

List of people who think public awareness and education are very important – 58.
List of people who think water quality monitoring is very important – 61.
List of people who want information on landowner incentive programs – 120.
List of people who may be willing to do various fish passage barrier, riparian, in-stream habitat, or invasive weed projects on their land – 129.
List of people who think various invasive weeds should be controlled on their property – 110.