Lincoln City Looks At Forest Plan To Protect Schooner Creek Drinking Water

The Lincoln City city council is considering a 10-year forest stewardship plan for city-owned land in the Schooner Creek watershed, with drinking water protection and forest resilience as its central goals.

Consulting forester Shane Hetzler of Trout Mountain Forestry presented the draft plan to the City Council. The work was funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The plan covers a 157-acre tract within the watershed and recommends actions for 2026 through 2036.

Schooner Creek is Lincoln City’s primary drinking water source, serving about 6,100 residences and commercial businesses, Hetzler said. The city’s population can rise from just over 13,000 to about 33,000 during summer. The creek also supports salmon, steelhead and bull trout.

The plan calls for managing the city’s forest land first and foremost to protect drinking water, while improving forest resilience against threats such as wildfire, pests, disease and climate change. Its recommendations include inspecting and addressing roads, planting near streams, thinning selected stands to increase tree diversity, seeking partnerships and funding, and improving signs.

Hetzler described the tract as steep and erosion-prone, with evidence of past landslides and limited access. Five forest stands range from mature mixed-conifer forest to Douglas fir plantations. He said carefully targeted work could help create a more diverse forest with multiple tree species and age classes, while overly intensive work could increase runoff and sedimentation.

“Carefully targeted management for long-term water quality and forest resilience benefits outweigh short-term risks,” Hetzler said. Council members asked about wildfire preparedness, access for firefighting, thinning and the cost of carrying out the recommendations.

Hetzler said detailed cost estimates would depend on which actions the city chooses to pursue. City staff said consultants are exploring state and federal grant opportunities.

The plan does not propose public recreation access to the tract. A city representative said access would be limited to crews, citing the steep terrain and the need to protect the water-treatment site. The draft plan is posted on the city’s website for public comment.