Mohawk River – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo is needed for this COA. — Submit photos to: OCS.Revision@ODFW.Oregon.gov

The Mohawk River COA (15 mi²) extends from outside Springfield up the Mohawk River to Marcola. The area includes the surrounding foothills and associated lowlands. This COA is adjacent to the McKenzie River Area and Coburg Ridge COAs.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Continue efforts to maintain high water quality and meet temperature standards for Mohawk River and its tributaries.
Maintain and enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology. Work with local partners to reduce ash in stream.
Maintain and restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient habitat complexity for wildlife.
Maintain and restore upland prairie habitats.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Coastal Recovery Unit Implementation Plan for Bull Trout (2015)
McKenzie River Trust Strategic Plan (2020)
McKenzie Watershed Recovery and Restoration Plan (2025)
Private Forest Accord
Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead
TNC Willamette Valley Synthesis Conservation Opportunity Areas
McKenzie River Trust Land Management Plan – Spores property

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

This area has important spawning habitat for one of the strongest populations of cutthroat trout in the Willamette Basin.
This COA runs through a landscape that is very agricultural and faces increasing development from housing and energy as the Eugene-Springfield areas urban growth boundary expands. All the land in this COA is privately held, which makes developing relationships with local landowners essential to promoting conservation in this area.

Previous COA Associations

Previously Associated with (2006 COA IDs)
- WV-24 (Coburg Ridge area)
- WV-25 (Mohawk River)
- WV-26 (McKenzie River)
Size Change from 2016 boundaries: -3.0 mi²(17% decrease)

Specialized Local Habitats

Off channel habitat

Ecoregions

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.

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 …

Example of Oak Woodlands, which is a Strategy Habitat within the State Wildlife Action Plan

Oak Habitats

There are several oak habitat types in Oregon, where oaks comprise most of the canopy. These can include oak woodlands, oak forest, oak chaparral, and riparian oak. Oak savanna is covered in the Grasslands Key Habitat. Oaks may also co-dominate a canopy in oak/fir, oak pine, and oak hardwood habitats.

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.