Lower John Day River – State Wildlife Action Plan

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 Lower John Day River COA follows the lower John Day River and surrounding habitats. This COA has been affected by several wildfires.

Recommended Conservation Actions

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

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Area provides significant habitat for bighorn sheep, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and many other sensitive species
John Day River canyon includes large blocks of native Strategy Habitats

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-03 (Lower John Day River area)
2006 COA ID CP-05 (Lower John Day River)

Protected Areas

BLM Prineville District
Clarno State Park
Cottonwood Canyon State Park
John Day Fossil Beds
John Day River
John Day, Chaparral Access
John Day, Chaparral Recreation Association
John Day, Hilderbrand
John Day, Wild and Scenic River designation
Lower John Day Wilderness Study Area
North Pole Ridge Wilderness Study Area
Pats Cabin Wilderness Study Area
Pine Creek Conservation Area
Spring Basin Wilderness

Ecoregions

Blue Mountains

Located in NE Oregon, the Blue Mountains ecoregion is the largest ecoregion in the state. It provides a diverse complex of mountain ranges, valleys, and plateaus that extend beyond Oregon into the states of Idaho and Washington.

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 …

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.