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What is a Watershed?
The rain that falls to the earth either runs directly into a stream or soaks into the ground. Surface and ground water flow from higher elevations to lower springs, streams, wetlands and lakes. As streams become larger on their way to the ocean, they contain more and more surface and associated ground water. The entire land area that is drained by a specific network of streams is considered a watershed. In Cannon Beach, the most significant watershed is Ecola Creek. The City also has many smaller watersheds that drain directly into the Pacific Ocean.
Our Watershed's Health Starts with You
What we do in our daily lives -- from washing a car to fertilizing the lawn to watering the garden -- can affect the health of our watershed. Water runs off our driveways and yards and flows to the nearest wetland or stream. The contaminants that the water picks up along the way affect water quality. Maybe it's a leaky oil pan in your car or a pesticide applied to a garden; if it enters a stream or wetland, it can adversely affect an entire ecosystem. Our everyday decisions about water usage also directly impact the local watershed because the City obtains our water from spring water associated with Ecola Creek, and, during the summer, from the creek itself. Understanding how our activities affect our watershed is an important start in protecting the integrity of the watershed. The quality of our watershed depends on us.
Why Should We Care about Protecting Our Streams and Wetlands?
In Cannon Beach, healthy streams are important to our quality of life. Wetlands, streams, and riparian areas (the edges of streams and rivers) play a vital role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Maintaining the health of the Ecola Creek watershed is particularly important since Ecola Creek and its main tributary, Logan Creek, support coastal coho salmon, which is a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The City has developed a Response Plan to comply with ESA requirements. Learn more on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species Program website. Here are several reasons why wetlands, streams, and riparian areas are important:
Fish Habitat: Riparian vegetation is critical in regulating water temperature, which is very important to salmon because they are susceptible to elevated water temperatures. Riparian vegetation also provides food, cover from predators, and are spawning and rearing areas for salmon.
Wildlife Habitat: Wetlands, streams and riparian areas provide a diversity of habitat for many wildlife species. These areas provide wildlife with water, food and cover.
Water quality: The cleansing capabilities of wetlands are important in filtering out chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus associated with fertilizers, and other water-borne pollutants. Wetlands also trap sediments from waters that pass through them. An excessive amount of sediment can damage the aquatic ecosystem and the fish habitat associated with it.
Flood control: Wetlands function as natural water storage areas during periods of flooding. This stored flood water is then released slowly downstream, minimizing the impact of the flood water on the structure of the stream.