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Big Butte Creek

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Big Butte Creek is a 12 miles (19 km) long tributary of the Rogue River located in the U.S. State of Oregon. It drains approximately 245 square miles (630 km) of Jackson County. Its headwaters are at the confluence of the north and south forks, near Butte Falls. Big Butte Creek flows generally northwest until empties into the Rogue River about 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of Lost Creek Dam.

Big Butte Creek's watershed was originally settled by the Klamath, Upper Umpqua, and Takelma tribes of Native Americans. The first European American settlers arrived in the 1840s, and the area was quickly developed.

Big Butte Springs, located in the watershed, provides clean drinking water to over 115,000 residents of the Rogue Valley. It emits over 26,000,000 US gallons (98,000,000 L) of water per day.

Course

Big Butte Creek begins in the Cascade Range near Butte Falls. It flows generally northwest over approximately 12 miles (19 km) to its confluence with the Rogue River. There are two main forks of Big Butte Creek: the north fork and the south fork. They meet each other at 2,244 feet (684 m). The creek's mouth is located at 1,562 feet (476 m).

The north fork's headwaters are located on the slopes of the 6,207-foot (1,892 m) tall Rustler Peak. It flows southwest, receiving many small tributaries such as Jackass, Acre, and Mule Creek. Turning west, it flows just north of Butte Falls, before joined with the south fork.

The south fork begins at the confluence of Twincheria and Rancheria creeks. It flows southwest, receiving Fourbit Creek on the left. Beginning near Mount McLoughlin, massive faults may allow water to seep from nearby Fourmile Lake into Fourbit Creek. The south fork turns west and receives Willow Creek on the left. The Big Butte Springs are located on Willow Creek, and the Medford Aqueduct parallels the south fork all the way to Butte Falls. The south fork flows over Butte Falls, merging with the north fork about 1 mile (1.6 km) later.

Big Butte Creek travels northwest, gathering McNeil Creek on the left and Clark Creek on the right, along with many other minor tributaries. It then flows into the Rogue River 155 miles (249 km) from its mouth in the Pacific Ocean. Big Butte Creek's mouth is about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Lost Creek Dam. It discharges less water than the south fork in the summer due to water diversions.

Discharge

The United States Geological Survey monitors the flow of Big Butte Creek at three different stations: two on the south fork, and one on the main stem.

A gauge on the south fork above its confluence with Willow Creek recorded data between 1986 and 1991. The average flow was 61.4 cubic feet per second (1.74 m/s) from a drainage area of 67.6 square miles (175.1 km), about 28 percent of Big Butte Creek's total drainage basin. The maximum flow recorded on the north fork was 662 cubic feet per second (18.7 m/s) on February 23, 1986, while the minimum flow was 21 cubic feet per second (0.59 m/s) recorded several days in August and September 1988, and September 1990.

Measurements were taken on the south fork near its mouth at Butte Falls between 1911 and 1991. The average flow was 151.4 cubic feet per second (4.29 m/s) from a drainage area of 138 square miles (357.4 km), about 56 percent of Big Butte Creek's total drainage basin. The maximum flow recorded was 12,600 cubic feet per second (360 m/s) on December 22, 1964, while the minimum flow was 31 cubic feet per second (0.88 m/s) recorded several days in September 1981.

A gauge on the main stream at the mouth recorded data from 1946 to present. The average flow was 207.9 cubic feet per second (5.89 m/s) from a drainage area of 245 square miles (634.5 km), 100 percent of Big Butte Creek's total drainage basin. The maximum flow recorded there was 16,800 cubic feet per second (480 m/s) on December 22, 1964, and the minimum flow was 6.4 cubic feet per second (0.18 m/s) recorded on June 23 and 24, 1977.

History

Humans have been living in the Big Butte Creek area for at least 8000 years. The Klamath, Upper Umpqua, and Takelma tribes of Native Americans inhabited the watershed until they were driven out in the Rogue River Wars of the 1850s. White settlers first arrived in the early 1840s, and agriculture, ranching, and logging quickly developed. Big Butte Creek was named by early settlers for its close proximity to Mount McLoughlin (also known as Snowy Butte), as was nearby Little Butte Creek.

In 1904, a sawmill was constructed at Butte Falls, a waterfall along the south fork of Big Butte Creek. The town of Butte Falls was established in 1906, and incorporated in 1911. The Pacific and Eastern Railway was constructed to Butte Falls in 1910.

The Cat Hill Burn destroyed 30,000 acres (120,000,000 m) of forest on Rustler Peak in 1910. In 1915, the Eagle Point Irrigation Canal was constructed, diverting approximately 100 cubic feet per second (2.8 m/s) of water for irrigation in the Little Butte Creek watershed. The canal begins just below Butte Falls. The water is primarily used for irrigation. The Medford Aqueduct, a 31-inch (79 cm) pipeline, was constructed in 1927. It delivers about 40 cubic feet per second (1.1 m/s) of drinking water from Big Butte Springs to the Bear Creek watershed. In 1951, a second pipeline was added, and Willow Dam was constructed, creating Willow Lake. The springs serve over 115,000 customers throughout the Rogue Valley.

Massive amounts of forest were logged in the 1920s and 30s. Reforestation efforts began in the 1940s because natural regeneration could not keep up with the amount of logging. Old-growth forest covers only about five percent of the watershed. In 1962, the Columbus Day Storm knocked many large trees to the ground.

Watershed

The Big Butte Creek watershed experiences a Mediterranean climate, and receives between 35 and 80 inches (890 and 2,030 mm) of precipitation annually. Most precipitation occurs in November through March. Temperatures range from 10 °F (−12 °C) in the winter to 100 °F (38 °C) in the summer.

The watershed contains the largest groundwater source in the entire Rogue River basin.

Elevations range from 1,562 feet (476 m) at the creek's mouth to 9,495 feet (2,894 m) at the summit of Mount McLoughlin, with an average of 3,528 feet (1,075 m).

The watershed is split into two geographic regions: the High Cascades, and the Western Cascades. The Western Cascades compose the western two thirds of the watershed. This section is about 38 to 17 million years old, and highly eroded. The unstable slopes are primarily made of pyroclastic rock. Due to the rock's high ability to absorb moisture, earthflows are common. The High Cascades are much younger, around seven to three million years old. Basalt and andesite are the most common rock types in this region.

Pollution

Water quality in the Big Butte Creek watershed is generally high. Sedimentation sometimes occurs due to road construction and logging. The Willow Creek region often experiences high turbidity, but Willow Lake traps the sediment before it can travel downstream.

Big Butte Springs provides surprisingly clean water. It requires minimal treatment to meet water quality standards. Water temperatures average between 44 and 46 °F (7 and 8 °C). The springs have very little chemical pollution, and low turbidity.

Flora and fauna

Some of the most common trees that inhabit the Big Butte Creek watershed include three species of fir, two species of pine and cedar, and Western Hemlock. The understory contains plants such as Pacific Yew, Pacific Madrone, Chinquapin, and Vine Maple. Several invasive species have been reported in the Big Butte Creek watershed, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, Common Bent, Drooping Brome, and Redtop. The spread of these species is most likely due to overgrazing. Sensitive species that grow in the watershed include Howell's Yampah, Egg Lake Monkeyflower, Clustered Lady's Slipper, Green-flowered Ginger, Mount Mazama Collomia, and Detling's Microseris.

The Northern Spotted Owl, a vulnerable species, are known to live in the Big Butte Creek watershed. Bald Eagles nest around Willow Lake. Over 152 other bird species are known or suspected to live in the watershed. Black-tailed Deer, Roosevelt Elk, Cougars, and Black Bears are some of the most common of the 63 species of mammals inhabiting the watershed. Fishers, American Martens, and the Northern Goshawk have also been spotted. Sensitive species include the Wolverine, the Western Pond Turtle, the Sandhill Crane, and Townsend's Big-eared Bat. The Gray Wolf and the vulnerable Grizzly Bear once lived in the watershed, but are now considered extirpated. Nineteen species of reptiles have been reported to live in the area.

Rainbow Trout, Chinook and Coho salmon are the most common anadromous fish that inhabit Big Butte Creek. They travel as far as Butte Falls, sometimes passing over it in during high flows. The higher regions have very low populations of anadramous fish due to the falls and the cold, sterile conditions of the water. Native species in this area include Cutthroat and Rainbow trout. Willow Lake contains Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow and Cutthroat trout, and Brook Trout.

Notes

  1. Cite error: The named reference Source was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Divide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

References

  1. Cite error: The named reference Butte Falls was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. Cite error: The named reference GNIS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. Rustler Peak, Geographic Names Information System
  4. ^ Benchmark Maps 2006, pp. 96–97
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Upper was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. Topographic Map: Butte Falls quadrant, United States Geological Survey
  7. Topographic Map: McLeod quadrant, United States Geological Survey
  8. USGS 14335200 So Fk Big Butte Cr Ab Willow Cr Nr B Fls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  9. USGS 14335200 So Fk Big Butte Cr Ab Willow Cr Nr B Fls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  10. USGS 14335200 So Fk Big Butte Cr Ab Willow Cr Nr B Fls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  11. USGS 14335500 South Fork Big Butte Cr Nr Butte Falls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  12. USGS 14335500 South Fork Big Butte Cr Nr Butte Falls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  13. USGS 14335500 South Fork Big Butte Cr Nr Butte Falls,Oreg., United States Geological Survey
  14. Cite error: The named reference Average Main was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. Cite error: The named reference Max/Min was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. McArthur 2003, p. 79
  17. ^ Central Big Butte Creek Watershed Analysis, Bureau of Land Management
  18. ^ Upper Rogue Watershed Assessment, Upper Rogue Watershed Association
  19. Fletcher 2005, p. 143
  20. ^ Water for Our Community, Southern Oregon University
  21. Mail Tribune, June 23, 2008
  22. Lower Big Butte Watershed Analysis, Bureau of Land Management

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