Watershed Health

What is a Watershed? A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is above or below ground drains or flows into the same place.

"...that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community." (John Wesley Powell, Environmental Protection Agency Website)

On behalf of Clackamas County Service District No. 1 (CCSD #1), Water Environment Services provides surface water management services, focused on protecting public health, water quality and watershed health within the District.

CCSD #1 has shifted from a utility-based management approach to a watershed health management strategy by expanding surface water maintenance practices, improving system management efficiency, and promoting watershed health stewardship.

Beginning in 2010, WES began implementing Watershed Action Plans for the Kellogg/Mt. Scott and Rock Creek basins. With the help of Stakeholder committees in each basin, priorities were established that will help the District identify high priority projects aimed at wisely directing program investments.

Watershed priorities are focused on improvements in the following four areas:

• Hydrology – managing stormwater runoff in a manner that minimizes flooding and stream channel degradation
• Water Quality – reducing in-stream contamination
• Habitat – promoting the function and/or restoration of functioning and healthy streams and riparian areas
• Biological – maintaining viable conditions for aquatic insect and diverse fish and wildlife populations

Please click on a project listed below:

Detention Pond Retrofit
In-stream/Riparian Restoration

Videos
Watershed Health - Smart Gardening
Watershed Health - Invasive Species

Resources
Kellogg/Mt. Scott Map
Rock Creek Map
Rock Creek Watershed Action Plan
Kellogg/Mt. Scott Watershed Action Plan
"Think Smart About Pesticides" by Clackamas River Water Providers
"Integrated Pest Management" by Clackamas River Water Providers