The waters of the North Santiam begin their journey on the snowy slopes of Mount Jefferson. Nearly ninety miles later they join the South Santiam. Along its journey the river flows past forest and farm, field and city. Its flow is interrupted by high wall dams and and diverted for irrigation, municipal use and even […]
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What is a watershed?
When we talk about a watershed on these pages, we’re referring to the land area drained by a river or stream. So a “watershed” can be the huge land area drained by the Columbia River or the area drained by the Willamette River. A watershed can be the 766 square miles drained by the North […]
The Detroit and Big Cliff Dams
The decade of the 1930’s was an era of large government building projects. Many undertaken to counter the economic hardships of the Great Depression. The 1930’s also saw the population and industrial development in the North Santiam Canyon finally reach levels that would economically justify a flood control project. So the Detroit Dam complex, which includes […]
Visit the Marion Forks Fish Hatchery
You can learn how the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife raise Chinook salmon and rainbow trout at the Marion Forks Fish Hatchery. There’s also a large pond where visitors can feed adult rainbow trout. The best time to visit is May through October. There is camping nearby in a U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, but you […]
Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge
Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge is part of the Santiam River watershed, lying just below the confluence where the North and South Santiam rivers join. It encompasses about 2,800 acres of flat to gently rolling land near the confluence of the Willamette and Santiam rivers south of Salem, Oregon. Ankeny Refuge was created to provide vital […]
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