Description: A 9 member body will be comprised of faculty members from 1) College of Forestry, 2) Department of Animal Sciences, 3) Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, 4) Department of Civil Engineering, 5) faculty member at large, 6) a staff member from facilities services, 7) member at large (local citizen) to be appointed by the mayor of Corvallis, 8) citizen or staff from Marys River Watershed Council or Corvallis Environmental Center, and 9) Chairperson appointed by the Vice-Provost of Research and the President of the University.

Tasks: Manage and coordinate all educational and research activities that occur on OSU land along Oak Creek. The governing body will be responsible for providing guidance and oversight to such activities. This group will also provide an annual report of the ongoing activities and the state of the health of Oak Creek to the Vice Provost’s office. This report could be shared at the Vomocil Water Quality Conference in November each year. This group can appoint subcommittees to address special needs (e.g., monitoring committee, committee to address livestock grazing in the riparian
zone).

Rationale: Today there are many activities on OSU lands along Oak Creek. Few of these activities are coordinated or consistent in term of management practices. To better able serve students, faculty, and the general public this body will serve as a governing committee. Resources required: It is requested that this group be initially funded at the level of $50,000 and at a level appropriate in future years to support needed monitoring, cost share projects within the stream corridor, and partner with others on needed research and educational projects.

Status as of June 2002: This forum has not been established, however, the College of Agriculture has formed a management committee who are developing a Farm Conservation Plan for the university farms.

Description: OSU is the land manager of the riparian zone along approximately 8 miles of Oak Creek. There are other private property owners interspersed between OSU lands. This area runs from the developed urban site near the football stadium, along and through several different rural and agricultural uses, up to the headwaters of the creek in Dunn Forest. The Riparian Study Area will extend 500 ft (150 m) out from the high flow channel of Oak Creek. This area would be wider than a simple riparian buffer and would include the area of direct riparian influence on the stream and a small amount of the upland terrestrial habitat that borders the riparian area. The University would acknowledge the high potential for its activities in this area to adversely impact riparian, aquatic, and other public resources. Furthermore, this area provides distinct teaching and research opportunities. University managers would demonstrate that activities proposed for this area would be consistent with maintain or restoring riparian functions, and any potential adverse activities would be monitored and documented. The Oak Creek Riparian Study Area would be dedicated to teaching, research, demonstration sites, and public outreach.

Tasks: The governing body would serve to coordinate and provide guidance to all OSU land uses in this study area. It would encourage long-term studies of alternative landuse practices that focus on riparian and aquatic systems. It would ensure the establishment of sustainable stewardship practices and require that all activities address and evaluate their impacts on these systems. In essence, the governing body would be charged with monitoring the overall health of Oak Creek and its associated riparian zone.

Rationale: Recent and current interests in the state have brought attention to the need to broaden and expand our understanding of the role and function of the riparian zone as they relate to a wide variety of natural resources issues. Faculty at OSU have been and will continue to be involved in educational efforts, demonstrations, and research projects that relate to, utilize and expand our understanding of riparian zones. The establishment of the Oak Creek Riparian Study Area will enhance this educational commitment and further establish our reputation as a leader in the broad area of natural resources.

Status as of June 2002: The riparian study area has not been established.

Description: Responsible management of the Oak Creek watershed requires direct measurement of environmental and ecological trends on University lands. Monitoring data are necessary to 1) document the status and trends of resources on the University lands and 2) verify the effectiveness of management practices and policies.

Tasks: To establish long-term monitoring stations to document water quantity and water quality. To develop systematic surveys of environmental and ecological components of the Oak Creek Riparian Study Area on a recurring basis (time intervals between measures would depend upon specific components).

Rationale: OSU needs accurate environmental and ecological information to design policies and practices for resource protection and to document the success of failure of these measures. The University will be able to adapt to resource trends or future environmental concerns if it establishes a rigorous information base of ecological and environmental conditions.

Status as of June 2002: The University has not implemented a monitoring plan. However, several monitoring studies are under way as part of the Mary's River Watershed Council's activities and research activities within the Department of Forest Engineering (contact: Jeff McDonnell) and the Department of Civil Engineering (contact: Pete Nelson). Refer to the Hydrology and Water Quality Section of this website for more information.

Description: The practice of winter spreading of livestock waste can result in runoff leaving the field, typically during periods of extended rainfall. Evaluation of this practice requires input data on the rate and volume of wastewater generation, the soil infiltration rate and water holding characteristics, and the weather pattern during the winter season. An analysis of this data will determine the volume of storage capacity required to hold the wastewater during times of unfavorable/saturated soil conditions.

Tasks: Assemble existing data on animal numbers and wastewater generated at the facility. Some, if not all of this information is currently available. Collect existing characteristics of the soil types found on the dairy farm. Obtain records of long-term rainfall amounts, frequency, and intensity to provide statistical return frequency for nonrain periods that allow soil drainage/drying, followed by wastewater applications in acceptable cases. Sum these opportunities for spreading livestock wastes and match against the production characteristics of the OSU dairy.

Rationale: All of the animal production units on OSU lands were considered as to their potential negative impact on the water quality in Oak Creek. The dairy operation, with the need to spread several time during the winter poses the greatest potential to impact water quality. Conducting the above described analysis will allow an evaluation and determination of the needed storage capacity to hold the wastewater during times when spreading could result in runoff. Coordinated management and planning will provide public documentation of these assessments and subsequent monitoring for effectiveness.

Description: Establishment of the Oak Creek Study Area will allow the governing body to review all activities that occur in the area. One of these will be the placement and construction of building, activity areas, and other land use activities. The governing body will also considered the need to remove existing structures. It is important to establish and evaluate these land use activities with the long-term view in mind.

Tasks: To put in place a review process that evaluated the long-term protection and use of the land in the study area. This is not to imply that land uses or structural developments are not allowed. But it is very important that each situation be reviewed and evaluated with the health and management of this area in mind.

Rationale: If we are to develop and evaluate land use management practices that are consistent with our goal of protecting our natural resources, it is important to field test those practices. The use of the Oak Creek Study Area provides us a perfect place to conduct that evaluation. Having this laboratory will allow us to use the Study Area in many educational programs and research activities.

Description: Currently OSU withdraws water from Oak Creek at two locations; on the dairy near 53rd street and at the Entomology Research Laboratory on 35th. The first is permitted by Oregon Water Resources Department and the second is not.

Tasks: The Department of Animal Sciences is responsible for maintaining the dam and irrigation facilities as they use the water to irrigate pastures associated with the dairy. They are open to substituting a ground water source for this irrigation, if the issue of permits can be resolved. The second dam should be removed as it is not permitted.

Rationale: Regardless of the legality, the withdrawal of substantial volumes of water during low flow periods is likely to be detrimental to the aquatic communities in Oak Creek. Flows during the mid to late summer are well under one cubic feet per second. The need for irrigation is high during this warm and dry growing season. During low-flow periods with the dams in place, withdrawals both threaten aquatic life and create barriers to fish passage.

Resources required: Assuming the permits can be obtained to allow a ground water withdrawal, the cost of the new installation and permits will cost approximately $15,000. The removal of the two dams could cost $5,000.

Description: Storm drains are potential routes for delivery of toxic materials into Oak Creek. Loading docks, storage sheds, and other areas where toxic materials are held temporarily are sites where accidental spills can release chemicals into the storm drain network. In addition, cross-contamination of sewers and storm drains can deliver other pollutants into Oak Creek.

Tasks: To develop a policy to eliminate discharge of contaminants from OSU properties/facilities into stormwater drains. To increase monitoring and enforcement of 1) best-management practices for activities on campus in areas that are susceptible for erosion, 2) best-management practices for washdown activities that lead to stormwater drains, and 3) contractual requirements for non-point sources of pollutants for outside contractors. To inventory all chemical storage units on campus and develop containment structures such that spills cannot directly reach the stormwater or sanitary systems. To undertake a long-term testing program with the City of Corvallis to determine cross-connections between sanitary and stormwater systems.

Rationale: Teaching and research activities of universities are potential sources of environmental pollutants. Rigorous waste management planning and monitoring are necessary to conduct teaching and research in an environmentally sound manner. This requires explicit assessment of potential surface water contamination associated with campus activities and waste disposal systems. OSU is a leader in environmental education and we should strive to demonstrate our leadership through environmentally sound practices.