Oregon’s North Fork Smith River

 In 1990, Congress enacted legislation to establish the Smith River National Recreation area that protected the Smith River watershed in California. Unfortunately, the boundary of the recreation area stopped at the Oregon border, leaving the North Fork of the Smith River and its tributaries, unprotected. 

While the North Fork Smith watershed is included as part of Senator Wyden’s mineral withdrawal provisions within S. 1589, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-2) and Peter DeFazio (OR-4) have also introduced legislation to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area into Oregon’s North Fork watershed. Senate Bill 162 includes the following provisions, along with expanding the Smith River National Recreation Area into Oregon’s 58,000-acre North Fork watershed: 

• Legislation identifies a boundary adjustment for the recreation area to include the proposed addition to add North Fork Smith watershed in Oregon.   

• Wild and Scenic River Designations for 75 river miles of tributaries to the main-stem North Fork Smith, including Baldface Creek. 

• If the State of Oregon is a Willing Seller, then the Secretary shall acquire the Cedar Creek parcel with conservation funds.

• A Special Study of streams, fens, wetlands and unstable and potentially unstable aquatic habitat areas is requested in the legislation. 

The Smith River is home to a rich life forms – from the diverse Siskiyou Mountains forests to unique plants found nowhere else on earth to ancient, towering redwoods along the lower river. The area offers exceptional recreational activities, including water sports, camping, world class fisheries, exceptional water quality, and abundant wildlife.