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Project Summary

Umpqua North Spit Snowy Plover Habitat & Wetland Creation

Northwest Regional Map


1. Project Identification

Name Umpqua North Spit Snowy Plover Habitat & Wetland Creation
Region Northwest
State Oregon
Location  
Date of this update  

2. Problem(s) addressed (check one or more)

Habitat Restoration/Protection  
Wetlands
River systems
Beaches/Dunes
Offshore areas
Mangroves
Assisting Species at Risk X
Pollution Mitigation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Other (describe)  

3. Project Description (100 words or less. Please include qualitative information, e.g. acres of habitat restored, miles of steam reopened to migration, and legislative authorization, e.g. WRDA, ISTEA, CWA/NEP, CZMA, etc.)

The snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) has been listed as threatened by the State of Oregon since 1975. On July 13, 1990, the FWS determined that its listing as a federally threatened species was warranted. The species decline has been attributed primarily to habitat loss, caused by the establishment of European beachgrass (Ammophilia arenaria) along the coast eliminating much of the flat, open sandy beaches required by the plover for nesting.

This project is located on land along the Umpqua River North Spit within Oregon Dune National Recreation Area near Reedport, Douglas County, Oregon. The project, completed in the Fall of 1994, created approximately 10 acres of suitable nesting habitat for snowy plover as well as a two- acre wetland. This habitat expansion occurred through the placement of clean dredged sediments removed from the Winchester Bay Federal Navigation Project.

The project was conducted under the general navigation authority (operation and maintenance) of the COE for the Winchester Bay Federal Navigation Project. All agencies participated in the design of the placement areas to provide the desired habitats. The U. S. Forest Service (USFS), EPA, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) funded the preliminary site preparation, with the COE administering the contracts. The COE also administered the dredging and placement operations and the Port of Umpqua provided the required lands, easements and rights-of-way. These same agencies also contributed funding via a number of authorities: the USFS through its Challenge Cost sharing Program; the EPA through its Dredged sediments Management Program; the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife through its Non-game Program; the FWS through its Endangered Species Program; the COE through its Operation and Maintenance Program and the Port of Umpqua as the nonfederal local sponsor.

4. Goals/Benefits (quantify where possible using measures of success list)

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Was a cost-benefit study conducted for this project? yes/no If yes, provide a summary of findings.

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5. Partners (include each participant's responsibilities - funding, permitting, etc.)

6. Funding/Contributions (organization and amount)

7. Legislative authorities used by each participant

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8. Value added by Coastal America Partnership including Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals achieved through this collaboration (500 words or less)

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9. Project Status

Initiation date  
Completion date  
Current stage  

10. Contacts

11. Any additional information/comments

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This page was last updated on Saturday, 24-Jun-2000 11:48:48 EDT
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