South Fork John Day Watershed Council

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

South Fork John Day Watershed Council South Fork John Day River Watershed Council

The South Fork John Day Watershed Council is a non-regulatory and non-governmental non-profit that works with private landowners and public land managers in the South Fork John Day River watershed. The Council's mission is to maintain and enhance the health of the South Fork John Day River watershed and the long-term economic stability of the region, foster a better understanding of the multiple resources, represent broad and diverse geographies and interests, and work collaboratively to carry out voluntary watershed restoration activities.

Interested in Learning more about Virtual Fence, Here's a great opportunity!
09/25/2026

Interested in Learning more about Virtual Fence, Here's a great opportunity!

South Fork, Summer 2026
09/02/2026

South Fork, Summer 2026

If you are looking for a great read, here are some books by local authors about life in Izee and the South Fork John Day...
07/14/2026

If you are looking for a great read, here are some books by local authors about life in Izee and the South Fork John Day.

Abbott watershed restoration is a watershed scale project using Juniper cutting piling and mastication to release the as...
07/01/2026

Abbott watershed restoration is a watershed scale project using Juniper cutting piling and mastication to release the aspen and bitterbrush, pasture fencing and upland water developments to control livestock movement and provide reliable water for wildlife.

Happy ! 🌊 Today, let’s shine a spotlight on another important species, Aspen. Quaking aspens are ecological lifelines i...
06/25/2026

Happy ! 🌊 Today, let’s shine a spotlight on another important species, Aspen.

Quaking aspens are ecological lifelines in Eastern Oregon. Despite covering a small fraction of the landscape, they act as biological hotspots. They provide crucial forage and shelter for mule deer and elk, host diverse bird and bat species, and shade local streams to sustain water tables in a dry region.

Aspen enhancement and restoration practices focus primarily on simulating natural disturbances, increasing sunlight, and protecting young root shoots (called suckers). Because aspens regenerate clonally through their root networks rather than from seeds, management strategies must target root stimulation.

Encroaching conifers (like firs and pines) and western junipers outcompete aspens for sunlight and water, causing groves to die back.

Young aspen suckers are highly appealing forage for both livestock and wild ungulates like mule deer and elk.

Installing 6-to-8-foot wildlife-proof fencing or strategically piling slash around a treated grove protects young trees until they grow tall enough (usually over 6 feet) to survive browsing.

Wildlife movement is in full swing around the South Fork!
06/11/2026

Wildlife movement is in full swing around the South Fork!

Lepidium draba—better known as whitetop may look harmless when it carpets a field in white blooms, but it’s one of the m...
06/04/2026

Lepidium draba—better known as whitetop may look harmless when it carpets a field in white blooms, but it’s one of the most aggressive noxious weeds we deal with.

• It outcompetes native plants, forming dense monocultures that push out the grasses and forbs wildlife depend on.

• Its deep, spreading root system makes it incredibly hard to control once established.

• It reduces forage quality for livestock and wildlife, especially in already drought‑stressed landscapes.

• It spreads fast, moving along roadsides, irrigation ditches, and disturbed soils.

But there’s good news: biological control agents are helping us fight back. Biocontrol isn’t a quick fix, but it’s a long‑term, landscape‑scale tool that works with the ecosystem.

After 10-years of the South Fork John Day Watershed Council collecting monitoring data on White top populations in Izee, the Aceria drabae gall mite has been approved for release by APHIS.

Izee will be one of the 1st release sites for biological control of White top in Oregon.

We spent the day touring a series of Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) on private land with private landowners, Confederated T...
05/27/2026

We spent the day touring a series of Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) on private land with private landowners, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and Oregon Department of Forestry. It’s incredible to see how quickly the landscape responds when we give water a chance to slow down and spread out.

BDAs mimic the work of natural beaver dams — raising water tables, reconnecting side channels, creating wet meadows, and giving fish and wildlife the cool, resilient habitat they need. Even on working lands, these structures help reduce erosion, improve forage, and build drought resistance.

Huge appreciation to the landowner who opened their gates and are leading the way in showing what beaver‑based restoration can do for the whole watershed. This is the kind of practical, on‑the‑ground work that makes a real difference.

If you’ve spent any time in the Izee country, at the headwaters of the South Fork John Day, you will notice an abundance...
05/14/2026

If you’ve spent any time in the Izee country, at the headwaters of the South Fork John Day, you will notice an abundance of a fragrant beautiful yellow shrub called bitterbrush. Bitterbrush isn’t just another shrub on the landscape—it’s one of the most important plants we have for mule deer survival.

Bitterbrush is a high‑protein, cold‑season powerhouse, providing critical forage when everything else is dried up, snowed under, or dormant. In tough winters, it can mean the difference between a herd that pulls through strong and one that struggles.

But here’s the thing:
Bitterbrush doesn’t bounce back quickly. It’s slow‑growing, vulnerable to overbrowsing, and easily lost to wildfire, conifer encroachment, and heavy pressure on winter range. When we lose bitterbrush, mule deer feel it first.

That’s why restoration work in places like Izee—protecting young plants, reducing conifers, managing grazing timing, and re‑establishing bitterbrush after fire—is so important. Healthy bitterbrush stands = healthier deer herds and a more resilient landscape for everyone who depends on it.

02/14/2026

Tree and shrub orders are due by April 3rd! Order forms can be found at the SWCD office and in post offices around the county. Also, visit the SWCD website and order online: https://www.shermancountyswcd.com/

Address

353 Patterson Bridge Road
John Day, OR
97845

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+15416205739

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when South Fork John Day Watershed Council posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to South Fork John Day Watershed Council:

Shortcuts

Share

Category