Deadwood Watershed Restoration

From Creek to Coast: Restoring the Siuslaw Together

Deadwood sits in the heart of the Siuslaw River watershed, a vast forested region where countless small creeks — including Deadwood Creek and Lake Creek — wind their way through the Coast Range, ultimately draining into the Siuslaw River and out to the Pacific Ocean.
Over the past century, logging, road construction, and stream channelization altered the shape and flow of these waterways. Once-thriving salmon runs declined, sediment and temperature levels rose, and stream habitat complexity — critical for fish and wildlife — was lost.

Why We Restore
The work of restoring these watersheds isn’t just about fish. It’s about clean water, climate resilience, rural livelihoods, and the cultural ties between people and place.
“We restore because these rivers, streams, and forests are home — to fish, wildlife, and people. We restore because healthy watersheds provide clean water, cultural value, and resilience in the face of climate change.”
— Siuslaw Watershed Council
In Deadwood and surrounding communities, restoration has meant:
Removing old culverts and reconnecting streams for migrating salmon
Reintroducing large wood to cool and reshape channels
Planting native vegetation to stabilize banks and reduce erosion
Training and employing local workers
Involving youth and schools in hands-on science and stewardship

A Model of Collaboration: The SCRWP (1999–2016)
One of the most significant regional efforts was the Siuslaw Collaborative Watershed Restoration Program (SCRWP) — a pioneering partnership between the Siuslaw National Forest, Cascade Pacific RC&D, and dozens of collaborators.

How It Worked
The SCRWP redirected timber sale revenues into ecological restoration across both public and private lands. Projects focused on improving forest health, fish habitat, and community well-being throughout the Siuslaw, Smith-Umpqua-Dunes, Marys Peak, Hebo, and Alsea regions.

Goals of the Program:
Complete critical ecological restoration
Provide community jobs and economic benefits
Build trust across diverse partners, from loggers to conservationists
More than 70 organizations and agencies participated, including:
Watershed councils, tribes, and landowners
Environmental nonprofits (like The Nature Conservancy)
State and federal agencies (like ODFW, NOAA, BLM)
Local groups like the Mapleton Stream Team and The Siuslaw Institute, right here in Deadwood

“This program worked because we invested in people as much as place. Collaboration wasn’t a buzzword — it was the method.”

The Siuslaw Institute and Johnny Sundstrom

Deadwood’s Johnny Sundstrom, founder of the Siuslaw Institute, was a leading voice for community-based watershed stewardship. The Institute worked closely with local schools, tribal representatives, landowners, and scientists to ensure restoration was both grounded in science and deeply rooted in community.
The Institute’s “Watershed Fridays” program, created in partnership with the Mapleton School District, brought students directly into the field to monitor, learn, and contribute. Many young people went on to pursue careers in resource management, biology, and public service.

“We are proud of the ways we have been able to leverage additional funding and provide significant benefits in terms of personnel and curriculum to our beleaguered schools.”
— Johnny Sundstrom, 2013

Looking Ahead
Though the SCRWP program officially ended in 2016, its impact continues through the ongoing work of the Siuslaw Watershed Council, private landowners, tribal governments, and local stewards.