Sixes River

The Sixes River watershed drains approximately 134 square miles or 85,645 acres of land. Sixes River is situated almost entirely within Curry County except for a small area of the Upper Sixes Mainstem subwatershed that extends into Coos County. The Sixes is among the larger watersheds on the southern Oregon coast. Flowing in a westerly direction Sixes River crosses Highway 101 and drains into the Pacific Ocean just north of Cape Blanco. Elevations in the watershed range from sea level to approximately 3,315 feet. Major tributaries include the North Fork, Middle Fork, South Fork, Dry Creek, Edson Creek, and Crystal Creek. The upper portion of the basin is characterized by steeply sloped forested areas with narrow valleys and tributary streams that have moderately steep to very steep gradients. Grazing, rural residential development and other agricultural uses are dominant in the lower portion of the basin. Approximately 69% of the watershed is in private ownership.

Watershed Facts

Land Ownership & Use

31% public ownership, 69% private ownership

Vegetation

82% forest/shrub, <1% impervious, 2% wetlands

Watershed Size

134 square miles/85,645 acres

Hydrology/Flow

  • 2 yr peak flow – 12500 cfs
  • 10 yr peak flow – 21800 cfs
  • 50 yr peak flow – 30200 cfs
  • 100 yr peak flow – 33800 cfs
  • Average Flow Range (5% – 95% flow durations): 2860 cfs – 14.1 cfs

Did you know?

The Curry Watersheds Partnership’s most ambitious restoration project to date occurred in the Sullivan Gulch bottomlands on the lower Sixes River. The project was completed in 2015 and included restoration of wetlands, instream and riparian habitat improvements, and grazing management, and you can visit it on Cape Blanco State Park.

Restoration and Education Efforts

woman walking along Elk River

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

woman walking along Elk River

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

woman walking along Elk River

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Assessments, Action Plans & Formal Reports