Tahkenitch-Siltcoos Lakes – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Tahkenitch and Siltcoos Lakes Area — Photo Credit: Doug Cottam, ODFW

Two large coastal lakes with floating peat islands and large numbers of wintering waterfowl exist in this COA. Carnivorous pitcher plants (Darlingtonia are found along the edges.

COA ID: 036

Recommended Conservation Actions

Limit the placement of docks and boathouses in the lake, follow ODFW dock guidelines or use established public ramps
Place LWD in stream channels to increase habitat complexity for fish and wildlife
Protect and restore shorelines from hardening and dynamic revetment modifications (rip rap, rock, etc)
Protect shoreline habitat for rare plants
Remove remaining dikes to recover lost wetland and floodplain habitats

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Coastal Multispecies conservation plan
Important Bird Areas of Oregon

Potential Partners

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Siuslaw Watershed Council
US Forest Service
West Lane SWCD

Special Features

General

Extensive peat bog/fen wetlands (some are floating)
Numerous Bald Eagle and Osprey nesting sites
Snowy Plovers successfully nest along the shoreline

Previously Associated With

2006 COA ID CR-27 (Siltcoos - Tahkenitch Basin)
2006 COA ID CR-28 (North Fork Smith River)

Protected Areas

Ada Park
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Oregon Dunes
Siltcoos ATV Site
Siuslaw National Forest
Tahkenitch Dune
Westlake Park

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Strategy Habitats

Coastal Dunes

Occurring along the Oregon coastline, coastal dunes provide habitat for species that prefer open, sandy habitats with a high degree of disturbance from winds and tides.

Estuaries

Estuaries occur where freshwater rivers meet the oceanic salty waters, are influenced by tidal flooding, and experience frequent periodic changes in salinity, water levels, sunlight, and oxygen.

Grasslands

Grasslands include a variety of upland grass-dominated habitats, such as upland prairies, coastal bluffs, and montane grasslands.

Late Successional Mixed Conifer Forests

Late successional mixed conifer forests provide a multi-layered tree canopy, including large-diameter trees, shade-tolerant tree species in the understory, and a high volume of dead wood, such as snags and logs.

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.

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.