Chewaucan River – State Wildlife Action Plan

The Chewaucan River in southern Oregon. 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.

Area includes the Chewaucan River and surrounding habitats. Wildfire has burned a large portion of this watershed in recent years, and has impacted ecosystem function.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in - channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain or restore existing stands of Aspen Woodland and Ponderosa Pine woodland to provide habitat for wildlife
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function, ensuring sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife
Maintain or restore upland habitat function
Promote early detection and treatment of invasive plants to prevent conversion of fire-impacted landscape to an invasive-dominated system
Reduce risk of future high-severity fire

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
US Forest Service

Special Features

General

Provides important habitat for Oregon Great Basin Redband Trout

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID EC-17 (Chewaucan River)
2006 COA ID NBR-02 (Summer Lake area)

Protected Areas

Fremont-Winema National Forest

Ecoregions

East Cascades

The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains' summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.

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 …

Ponderosa Pine Woodlands

Ponderosa pine woodlands are common in Oregon’s eastside ecoregions. While dominated by ponderosa pine, these woodlands may also have lodgepole pine, western juniper, aspen, western larch, grand fir, Douglas-fir, mountain mahogany, incense cedar, sugar pine, or white fir, depending on ecoregion and site conditions. Known for their open forest structure, these woodlands generally have fewer …

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.