Stream Restoration on Soda Creek and Sparks Lake Meadow

Need an excuse to get up into the high country before the summer ends and the snow flies?  Join us for an interesting project and beautiful field site next to Sparks Lake just beyond Mt. Bachelor.  Soda Creek is a tributary stream to Sparks Lake that has experienced flood events in the past that caused road and campground damage.  In addition, the channel was highly altered with diversions and headgates built into the fields several decades ago to irrigate Sparks Meadow for grazing.  This section of Soda Creek and Sparks Meadow is naturally an alluvial fan and historically supplied water throughout the meadow to support wetland vegetation via a network of small channels.  We are working with the Forest Service to restore the function of the stream and meadow, as we remove the stream out of the old ditches and roads, allowing it to naturally flood the meadow for a diversity of fish and wildlife.  On Sept. 30th, we will be planting the recently restored floodplain, broadcasting seed and raking it in, and constructing protective cages to protect the plants.  We will be meeting at the TU office at 8:15am and working with Forest Service crews until 3pm.  Volunteers need to rsvp by Sept. 23rd, and plan to bring boots for mud and water, lunch, water, sunscreen, and layers for the weather.  To rsvp, ask questions, and find out further details, please contact Darek (dstaab@tu.org).