South John Day River – State Wildlife Action Plan

South John Day River and surrounding habitat in the Blue Mountains ecoregion. 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.

Includes the mainstem John Day River and surrounding high quality fish and wildlife habitat. Southern part of area begins near Silvies River and continues north to the confluence near the town of Kimberly.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain or enhance in-channel watershed function, connection to riparian habitat, flow and hydrology
Maintain and/or initiate shrub-steppe restoration and management
Maintain or restore riparian habitat and ecological function; ensure sufficient complexity for wildlife
Restore and maintain complex, continuous sage habitat

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Eastern Oregon Bird Conservation Plan

Potential Partners

Bureau of Land Management
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
US Forest Service

Special Features

General

Adjacent to federally designated wilderness lands and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Provides an important migratory corridor for salmon

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID BM-04 (Ochoco Mountains area)
2006 COA ID BM-05 (Picture Gorge - John Day River)
2006 COA ID BM-08 (Silver Creek - Emigrant Creek)

Protected Areas

Aldrich Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Black Canyon Wilderness
Cedar Grove
Cedar Grove Recreation Area
Hog Creek Bark Beetle Hazard Plots
John Day Fossil Beds
Malheur National Forest
Ochoco National Forest
Phillip P. Schneider Wildlife Area
Prineville District

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.

Key Habitats

Grasslands

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

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

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.