The South Sherman County watershed council is comprised of both the Sherman County portion of the Buck Hollow watershed and the area within the Macks Canyon Watershed Council boundary, its total area encompassing 117,281 acres. Macks Canyon watershed encompasses 37,400 acres of land drained by Macks Canyon, Allison Canyon, and their tributaries, ultimately discharging into the Deschutes River. Buck Hollow watershed encompasses 79,880 acres of land on the Sherman County portion of the watershed. Buck Hollow watershed originates near the town of Shaniko in Wasco County and flows into the Deschutes River below Sherars’ Bridge appoximately eight miles downstream from the town of Maupin and 43 miles upstream from the Columbia River.

The South Sherman Watershed Council will act as an advisory body to other public organizations. As such, the council makes recommendations and proposals concerning the protection, restoration and enhancement of the South Sherman watershed.

The Macks Canyon Watershed Council was established in March 1999 to address watershed management issues. The council works to improve water quality in the area's streams by reducing soil erosion and flood damage through effective resource planning. A Watershed Action Plan has been developed for Macks Canyon watershed, and the council is actively in search of funding for monitoring and implementation of the plan. The council seeks support and cooperation from the Sherman County Court, the Sherman County Soil and Water Conservation District, and other interested agencies or individuals in developing and implementing the Watershed Action Plan.

The primary goal of the Buck Hollow watershed plan was to rectify water quality problems, specifically related to salmonid fisheries as identified in the 1988 Oregon Statewide Assessment of Non-Point Sources of Water Pollution. Conservation practices such as grazing systems, fish stream improvements, and cropland systems have been & will continue to be implemented for the purpose of reducing water quality impairments including sediment and nutrient loading, high temperatures and low flows. These measures have greatly improved the habitat for the spawning and rearing of salmonid species. Some of the important issues concerning the Buck Hollow watershed are: providing livestock watering facilities (low flows limit access), preserving wildlife, cold water fish and other aquatic life, and improving aesthetic quality.

Click on image to enlarge Buck Hollow was featured in "The Dalles Chronicle" on January 17th, 2007 Conservation ethic and watershed enhancement were evident on January 3rd of this year when runoff from heavy rain in the area produced clear flowing water in Buck Hollow. Click here to see the article and pictures that showcase the benefits of conservation practices in improving water quality and overall watershed health.

South Sherman County Watershed Concerns