POWDER BASIN WATERSHED COUNCIL

​Fish the Powder 

Fishing Enhancement Project

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In 2018, Baker City residents raised concerns about the quality of fishing in the Powder River through town and asked the Powder Basin Watershed Council (PBWC) whether conditions could be improved. This inquiry led to a collaborative effort with local residents, the Wallowa‑Whitman National Forest, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and Baker City Parks and Recreation to explore opportunities to improve fishing along the Powder River through town and upstream to Mason Dam.

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Where access permission was granted, ODFW conducted a habitat inventory within the 21.7‑mile project reach from Hughes Lane to Mason Dam to document current conditions. Based on this inventory, a strategy was developed to enhance fishing and fish habitat along the Powder River. Several focus actions were identified, including improving instream habitat, increasing river access for fishing on National Forest lands and within town, riparian vegetation planting and education, and addressing fish screening and passage issues.

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We are excited to begin moving forward again with this project and would like to hear from the community. We want to know which project reaches (Figure 1) and types of actions are the highest priority to you. If have questions or are a landowner within the project area and are interested in partnering with us on a restoration project, please contact Sandra Mayne at wr-coordinator@pbwsc.org or 541‑519‑1420.

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Thank you for your support!