Council Misson

Founded in March of 1997, we are dedicated to the protection, preservation, and enhancement of the Nehalem watershed through leadership, cooperation and education.

An Overview of the Nehalem Watershed

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The Nehalem River

The Nehalem watershed sits in the northwest corner of Oregon.  Its eastern boundary is only a short drive from Portland.

The river is the longest river in the Oregon Coast Range, flowing 105 miles from its source.

The Nehalem River and its tributaries form a watershed of 855 square miles.

Learn more about the Nehalem Watershed
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Watershed Councils

Watershed councils are locally organized, voluntary, non-regulatory groups established to improve the condition of watersheds in their local area.  

They are required to represent the interests in the basin and be balanced in their makeup. Watershed councils offer local residents the opportunity to independently evaluate watershed conditions and identify opportunities to restore or enhance the conditions.

Through the councils, partnerships between residents, local, state and federal agency staff and other groups can be developed.

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Stats

The Lower Nehalem Watershed:
• Covers 310 square miles
• Receives between 100 and 200 inches of rain each year.
• Is managed primarily for timber production. 
• Fifty two percent of the land is owned by the State of Oregon and managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry.  Private Timber companies own 31.6 percent of the land and the remaining 16.4% is farmland or zoned for urban & rural development.
• Includes the Nehalem estuary, and four fifth field watersheds: Cook Creek, North Fork Nehalem, Salmonberry, and Mid Nehalem

About

Watershed Councils

Watershed councils are locally organized, voluntary, non-regulatory groups established to improve the condition of watersheds in their local area.  Watershed councils are required to represent the interests in the basin and be balanced in their makeup. Watershed councils offer local residents the opportunity to independently evaluate watershed conditions and identify opportunities to restore or enhance the conditions. Through the councils, partnerships between residents, local, state and federal agency staff and other groups can be developed.

Watch and listen

Volunteer EVents & Speaker Series

The Role of Red Alder in the Oregon Coast Range w/ Andrew Bluhm, OSU

Mar 22, 2022 7:00 PM
This presentation will introduce the characteristics of red alder and summarize the ecological role that red alder plays in the Oregon Coast Range.
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

12th Biennial Nehalem Estuary Cleanup

Mar 5, 2022 7:00 AM
The Nehalem Estuary Cleanup, March 5th, is a your chance to make a difference in your community by helping to create a debris free estuary.
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

Sarah Rhodig, Portland State University

Nov 11, 2021 2:00 PM
Using Bird Inventories for Tidal Slough Habitat Assessment
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

John Goodell, Elakha Alliance

Oct 14, 2021 9:00 AM
Restoring Sea Otters to the Oregon Coast
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

Jeremy Lees

Mar 18, 2021 4:14 PM
Lower Nehalem Rapid Bioassessment and Limiting Factors Analysis Community Presentation
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

Meg Reed

Mar 11, 2022 5:02 AM
Preparing for Sea Level Rise in Oregon
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!

Dan Donato

Dec 10, 2020 12:33 PM
Revisiting the Labor Day Fires of 2020: Were they Really Unprecedented
This event is over, but you can watch the recording here!