The watershed councils and SWCD in Curry County have close working relationships with the local schools in Port Orford, Gold Beach, Brookings and Agness. Each year in the spring we sponsor the Curry County Research & Education Watershed Symposium (C-CREWS). During the symposium, science research students from all over the county and southwest Oregon present their research projects on such topics as water quality, estuaries, bank stabilization, sustainable agriculture, irrigation practices, salmon biology, and other related topics. It is a chance for students to present their work to their peers in a friendly exchange of ideas. Guest speakers from the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds usually are featured speakers at the symposium.

Curry County schools have a long and rich tradition of top quality science research. Gold Beach High School, for example, has been the number one science research high school in Oregon for the past five consecutive years. Port Orford and Brookings have strong programs as well. In recent years, middle school students have also started to participate in the symposium -- getting an early start on scientific thinking and research procedures.

Some of the other projects that Curry County schools and the watershed councils are engaged in include:

•Monitoring of Garrison Lake (Port Orford) for possible pollutants.

•Inventory and survey of wetlands (county-wide)

• Beginning a hatchbox program on Riley Creek (Gold Beach)

• Starting "Adopt-A-Stream" programs on selected rivers in the county.

• Assessing and evaluating the genetic differences between hatchery and wild fish.

• Planting trees in riparian areas (Floras Creek, Langlois Creek, and others)

• Agricultural research

• Water quality research including dissolved oxygen, tubidity, pH, and other measures.

• Macroinvertebrate studies

• and more.

The watershed councils also publish a quarterly newsletter called Curry Currents, which keeps landowners informed of restoration projects throughout the county. Each issue includes features, photos, a landowner profile, Q and A on watershed restoration topics, and more.

To be put on the mailing list, or to find out more about our outreach and education projects, please call the watershed / SWCD office at (541) 247-2755.

INFORMATION -- HOW TO REACH US
South Coast / Lower Rogue Watershed Councils
P.O. Box 666
Gold Beach, OR 97444
Phone: (541) 247-2755; FAX (541) 247-8058
e-mail: curswcd@harborside.com

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