Upper South Fork Malheur Area – State Wildlife Action Plan

Upper South Fork Malheur Area (COA 188) Photo Credit: Keith Kohl, ODFW

Geographic boundaries of the COAs were updated for the 2026 State Wildlife Action Plan and the associated COA profiles are intended to provide additional information. Content of each COA profile is being refined and will be updated to reflect current conditions when feasible. Please help us by submitting information on Local Conservation Actions, Plans, or Potential Partners to: OCS.revision@odfw.oregon.gov.

This COA straddles US Highway 78 southeast of Malheur Lake and provides connectivity between the Crowley (185) COA, Ten Cent Lake-Juniper Lake Area (193) COA, and the Steens Mountain High Lava Plains (192) COA. North of US Highway 78 the COA includes Malheur Cave and a section of South Fork Malheur River. South of 78 the COA encompasses Riddle Mountain, Burnt Flat, and sections of creeks and seasonal drainages fed by the northern ridge of Steens Mountain. In 2014 part of this COA was burned in the Buzzard Complex Fire.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or restore the ecological function of riparian and associated wetlands habitats
Manage grazing to promote health sagebrush, riparian, and wetland habitats
Promote early detection and suppression of invasive weeds
Restore and maintain complex, continuous sage habitat
Control encroaching Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Eastern Oregon (Taylor et.al. 2005)
Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy
Important Bird Areas of Oregon
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project
Andrews Management Unit and Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area Resource Management Plans
Sage-Grouse Focused Investment Partnership
Sage-Grouse State Action Plan

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Contains large areas of Sagebrush Steppe Shrublands
Sage Grouse Core Habitat Areas

Protected Areas

Kiger Mustang
Kiger Mustang Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Steens Mountain Cooperative Management And Protection Area
Stonehouse Wilderness Study Area

Specialized Local Habitats

Canyon Shrublands
Grassland Habitats
Springs

Ecoregions

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Key Habitats

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land that were formed through geological processes, such as glacial scouring, tectonic movements, volcanic activity and river meander cutoffs. In Oregon, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes. Depth is not a reference for characterization of …

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.