FS plans restoration project on Indian Ford Creek

The Forest Service is planning a significant restoration project along Indian Ford Creek, restoring wet meadows and aspen stands and improving fish passage and riparian habitat.

The project would cover about 1,432 acres, with 454 seeing active management.

A draft environmental analysis (EA) for the "Indian Ford Aquatic Restoration Project" has been released and is open for public comment.

The EA includes three alternatives for action, including "no action." The second alternative would plug and breach old ditches in Glaze Meadow to increase water flow to Indian Ford Creek; create riffles to promote fish passage below an old irrigation dam; relocate dispersed camping sites and close or decommission user-created roads to reduce sediment in the creek.

There would also be some thinning and burning to improve aspen stands.

Alternative 2 would close the stream crossing at Forest Road 2058 and Pine Street, removing two culverts and reshaping the channel and floodplain.

Alternative 2 is the Forest Service's preferred alternative.

Alternative 3 would be similar to Alternative 2, but would keep the Pine Street crossing by building a ford culvert or a bridge.

Keeping that crossing is important to property owners in the area.

Jack McGowan, who lives and manages property in the area, explained the importance of the crossing.

"We have numerous property owners that live on the north side of Indian Ford (Creek) that have property on the other side," he said. "I go there regularly because I'm doing invasive species restoration, native species planting and, as a citizen, cleaning up illegal dump sites."

If the crossing were decommissioned, McGowan and other property owners would have to drive a tractor down Indian Ford Road to Camp Polk Road, down Camp Polk To Barclay and back over to Pine Street and up that dirt road to access their properties for work. The existing Pine Street crossing allows direct access with about a quarter-mile tractor drive.

The significant additional road travel, McGowan says, creates a vehicular hazard.

He and other property owners are also concerned about cutting off an emergency access point and a point of access for recreational birders.

McGowan said that the Sisters Ranger District has been very open to hearing the property owners' concerns.

"I would like to publically commend the local Forest Service office - (fish biologist) Nate Datchler and (District Ranger) Kristie Miller - for their honesty and willingness to listen to people," he said. "They've been very responsive to my concerns."

The public is welcome to submit comments on the proposed project to Indian Ford Aquatic Restoration Project, District Ranger, Kristie Miller, P.O. Box 249, Sisters, OR 97759; fax 541-549-7746. Email comments should be sent to [email protected]