Fifteenmile Watershed Project 
The Watershed.
Fifteenmile Creek Watershed is a 373 square mile (238,720 acre) drainage area mostly in northern Wasco County with some headwaters in Hood River County. Fifteenmile Creek and tributaries: Eightmile, Fivemile, and Ramsey Creeks originate in the Mt. Hood National Forest and flow northeasterly, discharging into the Columbia River just downstream of The Dalles Dam. In the rainshadow of the Cascades, the watershed receives most of its rain in the winter with an occasional summer thunderstorm. Rainfall averages are 27 inches in the west grading to 12 inches in the east. Home to the eastern-most run of wild winter steelhead in the Columbia Basin, it was hard hit by a flash flood disaster in July 1995 and the regional flooding of February 1996. Land use of the watershed is primarily forestry and recreation in the westernmost 10 miles with dryland wheat and range in the remainder. Agriculture is the dominant factor in the area's economy, with about 72% of the land base. The City of Dufur, in the center of the watershed, encompasses 730 acres.

A comprehensive watershed planning effort was initiated by Wasco County SWCD in 1995 under a planning and implementation grant from the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Planning and Demonstration effort was completed in 1997 and the project transitioned to full scale watershed treatment. The project chronology is outlined below.

Fifteenmile Watershed Project Area in light blue
 

Project Chronology
1989 Fish Habitat Improvement Project Initiated by Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife with BPA funding
1995 July 7-8; Flash Flood Disaster (eastern half of watershed)
1995 August 22; DEQ (CWA 319 Program) Water Quality Demonstration Project approved
1995 October/November; Hazard Mitigation Plan Approved; HMGP grant application submitted.
1995 February 27; Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Planning and Implemention Project Grant Approved
1996 February 7-8; Regional Flood Disaster
1996 June 24; Interagency MOU signed for Fifteenmile Watershed Project
1996 November; Hazard Mitigation Grant approved, agreement signed with Oregon Emergency Management
1997 February; Watershed Grant application submitted to GWEB to initiate full scale project
1997 March 19; Watershed Council appointed by Wasco County Court on District's recommendation
1997 April; work under hazard mitigation funding initiated
1997 May 28; Proposed for designation as a Geographic Priority area under USDA EQIP program
1997 June 30; Combined Final Report submitted on DEQ and ODA on planning and demonstration project
1997 July 2; Fifteenmile Watershed Action Plan approved by SWCD Board
1997 August; Grant Approved by GWEB and agreement signed.
1997 October; Bank Stabilization and Grade Stabilization Demonstration Bio-Engineering Project Completed (Phase 1)
1998 April; Bio-Engineering Demonstration Project, Phase 2 - livestaking of gravel bar completed
1998 December; GWEB grant project (Aug 97) Completed. (Final report Feb. 99)
1999 January; Second GWEB grant agreement signed. 
1999 September; Hazard Mitigation Project Completed. DEQ 319 Grant project Completed. Company Hollow Gully erosion control project completed.

Project Activities (to be added)

Accomplishments (to be added)
 

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