Alvord Lake Basin, COA 194

VIEW DATA LAYERS IN COMPASS

Alvord Lake — Alvord Lake Photo Credit: Paul Scheerer, ODFW

The northern extent of this long narrow COA includes Tudor Lake at the eastern base of Steens Mountain. Continuing south and encompassing a large swath of the Alvord Desert, including the seasonal and alkali Alvord Lake, the COA ends just south of the community of Fields in the Pueblo Valley.

COA ID: 194

Recommended Conservation Actions

Maintain alkaline wetland habitats
Maintain, restore, or improve riparian/wetland vegetation communities
Promote early detection and suppression of invasive plants.

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
The Nature Conservancy
USDI Bureau of Land Management
Audobon Society of Portland
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Department of Environmental Quality

Special Features

General

Contains the only known location of Borax Lake Chub
Low Density Sage Grouse Core Habitat Areas
Much of this area receives some degree of protection under the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Act

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID NBR-09 (Alvord Lake Basin)
2006 COA ID NBR-09 (Pueblo Mountains)
2006 COA ID NBR-09 (Steens Mountain Uplands)

Protected Areas

Alvord Desert
Stonehouse Wilderness Study Area
Borax Lake Area Of Critical Environmental Concern
Borax Lake Preserve
East Alvord Wilderness Study Area
Heath Lake Wilderness Study Area
High Steens Wilderness Study Area
Lower Stonehouse Wilderness Study Area
Steens Mountain Cooperative Management And Protection Area
Steens Mountain Wilderness

Ecoregions

Trout Creek Mountains

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Strategy Habitats

Example of the Aspen Woodlands Strategy Habitat, within Fremont-Winema National Forest, Oregon

Aspen Woodlands

Aspen woodlands are woodland or forest communities, dominated by aspen trees with a forb, grass, or shrub understory. Aspen woodlands can also occur within conifer forests.

Scott Lake is an example of the Oregon Conservation Strategy Natural Lakes Strategy Habitat.

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land. For the purposes of the Conservation Strategy, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes.

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.

Sagebrush Habitats

Sagebrush Habitats

Sagebrush habitats include all sagebrush steppe- and shrubland-dominated communities found east of the Cascade Mountains.

Ducks on a wetland in Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area, Oregon

Wetlands

Wetlands are covered with water during all or part of the year. Permanently wet habitats include backwater sloughs, oxbow lakes, and marshes, while seasonally wet habitats include seasonal ponds, vernal pools, and wet prairies.

Specialized Local Habitats

Ash Beds
Salt Desert Scrub
Springs

Strategy Species

Alvord Lake Chub

Alvord Chub (Documented)

Siphateles alvordensis

American Pika (Modeled Habitat)

Ochotona princeps

American White Pelican (Observed)

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Black-necked Stilt (Observed)

Himantopus mexicanus

Bobolink (Observed)

Dolichonyx oryzivorus

Borax Lake Chub (Documented)

Siphateles boraxobius

Photo is needed for this Strategy feature.

Borax Lake Ramshorn (Observed)

Planorbella oregonensis

Burrowing Owl (Modeled Habitat)

Athene cunicularia hypugaea

California Myotis on tree

California Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis californicus

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern (Observed)

Hydroprogne caspia

Columbia Spotted Frog (Modeled Habitat)

Rana luteiventris

Ferruginous Hawk (Observed)

Buteo regalis

Franklin's Gull

Franklin’s Gull (Observed)

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Greater Sage-Grouse

Greater Sage-Grouse (Observed)

Centrocercus urophasianus

Greater Sandhill Crane (Observed)

Antigone canadensis tabida

Hoary Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Lasiurus cinereus

Kit Fox (Modeled Habitat)

Vulpes macrotis

Lahontan Cutthroat Trout

Lahontan Cutthroat Trout (Documented)

Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi

Long-billed Curlew (Observed)

Numenius americanus

Long-legged Myotis (Modeled Habitat)

Myotis volans

Pallid Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Antrozous pallidus

Peregrine Falcon (Observed)

Falco peregrinus anatum

Pygmy Rabbit (Modeled Habitat)

Brachylagus idahoensis

Silver-haired Bat (Observed)

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Snowy Egret (Modeled Habitat)

Egretta thula

Swainson’s Hawk (Observed)

Buteo swainsoni

Townsend's Big-eared Bat

Townsend’s Big-eared Bat (Modeled Habitat)

Corynorhinus townsendii

Western Snowy Plover (Observed)

Charadrius nivosus nivosus

Western Toad (Modeled Habitat)

Anaxyrus boreas

Willow Flycatcher

Willow Flycatcher (Observed)

Empidonax traillii