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Long Tom Watershed Council
751 South Danebo Ave.
Eugene, OR 97402
Dana Dedrick
Watershed Coordinator/
Executive Director
(541) 338-7055
Jason Schmidt
Urban Watershed Restoration
Specialist
(541) 338-7042
Amanda Wilson
Fiscal Manager
(541) 338-7060
Rob Hoshaw
Operations Manager
(541) 338-7060
Restoration Team
Cindy Thieman
Restoration Program Director
(541) 338-7033
(541) 338-7058
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Cutthroat Trout Migration Study 
During the fall of 2010, the Council started a research study to track the seasonal migration patterns of cutthroat trout in the Bear and Ferguson Creek basins. Traps are set to live capture trout, and volunteers are checking traps and tagging trout three times a week from late fall through spring. Trout are tagged by inserting PIT tags, which are like microchips for pets, into the abdominal cavity of the fish. Five antenna stations are strategically placed in the Bear and Ferguson Creek area to detect when trout swim by. This information is helping us understand and prioritize fish passage corrections and habitat improvements for a fish that is beloved by local residents. Many people remember fishing for good-sized cutthroat "back in the day" and want to see this native fish thrive again. We plan to tag approximately 700 fish over the course of two years. Involvement from w Native Fish Species Cutthroat trout are the most beloved local fish, but some of the other native fish in the Long Tom Watershed include the Redside Shiner (below left), several species of sculpin (below center), and two species of lamprey (below right). Volunteer taggers often find sculpin or shiners while checking traps for trout.
Check out the amazing video below of four Western Brook Lamprey creating a spawning nest in Owens Creek. The fish are using their mouths to pick up and position small pebbles on the bottom of the creek into a bowl-shaped nest. The Western Brook Lamprey is one of two lampreys native to western Oregon, along with the Pacific Lamprey. Western Brook Lampreys spend all of their lives in freshwater streams and eat dead and decaying plant matter.
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atershed neighbors and volunteers has made this research possible--we wouldn't be able to collect this information without them! Over the past two tagging seasons, we've had over 40 dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers participate in the project through either tagging fish or entering and graphing data. We also appreciate all of the landowners who host a trap or antenna on their property. Stay tuned for ways to become involved or show your support!
