What is the Coos watershed anyways? Since I started my position as an AmeriCorps intern at the Coos Watershed Association three months ago, I have been asked that very question countless times.

It is hard to visualize because a "watershed" is not a distinct body of standing water. It is the area of land that drains water down slope to a common body of water at the lowest point. In this case, the Coos watershed is defined as all the land that drains water in to Coos Bay. The Coos watershed encompasses approximately 640 square miles in northern Coos County.

In Oregon, independent, non-governmental watershed councils work to restore watersheds and reach out to local communities about their restoration and research projects. Watershed councils are voluntary, local forums that bring land management agencies and plans together with local property owners with the goal of sustaining natural resources. The Coos Watershed Association has taken on this role for the Coos watershed. The association was established in 1994 after discussions among landowners concerned about the condition of coho salmon began in late 1993 and evolved into a nonprofit organization.

If you live anywhere in or near Charleston, Coos Bay, North Bend, Empire, Eastside or Allegany, you live in the Coos watershed. This means that any water that drains off of your roof, driveway, or yard, drains into Coos Bay and is part of the larger Coos watershed. The North Bend airport, the Pony Village Mall, Mingus Park, the North Spit, and all of the state parks on Cape Arago Highway are all part of the watershed because any water that falls on those sites ultimately drains to Coos Bay.

As a landowner you can be involved by working with the association to implement restoration projects on your property. A new landowner resource page is being developed on the association's Web site: http://www.cooswatershed.org/landowner.

It's important to remember that you don't need to be a landowner to help the watershed. A relatively young volunteer involvement group the Friends of the Coos Watershed runs planting projects, cleanup projects and booths at community events to educate others about the watershed and water quality, and is always looking for new members. You can learn more about volunteer opportunities at http://www.cooswatershed.org/volunteer and more about the Friends of the Coos Watershed at http://www.cooswatershed.org/friends.

Marley Bice

Charleston