Bakeoven Creek-Buckhollow Creek – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo Credit: Shilah Olson, Wasco County SWCD

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.

The northern boundary of this COA follows Buck Hollow Creek, with the remaining boundaries connecting to the Lower Deschutes River (COA ID 148) and Lawrence Grasslands (COA ID 152) COAs.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Promote early detection and suppression of weeds
Restore and maintain complex, continuous sagebrush and grassland habitats
Restore and maintain riparian habitats
Utilize grazing prescriptions to increase vegetative vigour

Potential Partners

Sherman County SWCD
Department of State Lands

Special Features

General

Buckhollow Creek provides important habitat for Summer Steelhead, supporting conservation efforts in the lower Deschutes River
Canyons of Buckhollow Creek (north of Buckhollow) provide high quality wildlife habitat
Provides important winter range for big game species, and habitat many sensitive wildlife species including Peregrine Falcon and Golden Eagle.
This area provides a well documented wildlife habitat connectivity corridor between the Deschutes and John Day Rivers.

Specialized Local Habitats

Canyon shrublands

Ecoregions

Columbia Plateau

The Columbia Plateau ecoregion was shaped by cataclysmic floods and large deposits of wind-borne silt and sand earlier in its geological history. It is dominated by a rolling landscape of arid lowlands dissected by several important rivers, and extends from the eastern slopes of the Cascades Mountains, south and east from the Columbia River to the Blue Mountains.

Key Habitats

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

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.