Salmon River (Lincoln County, Oregon)

Mouth of the Salmon River

The Salmon River is a river in the U.S. state of Oregon.

It flows through the Oregon Coast Range and is not to be confused with the same name Salmon River, which rises on Mount Hood in Oregon. The river is considered as the boundary between the Northern and the Central Oregon Coast Range.

Geography

The 38 km long Salmon River rises east of Lincoln City on the border between the Lincoln and Polk County. It flows partly through the Siuslaw National Forest and flows south of the Cape Cascade Head about six kilometers north of Lincoln City in the Pacific Ocean. Through an offshore sand bank of the estuary forms an approximately 177 -acre wetland. The State Route 18 follows in far parts of the river valley, over a length of 19 km, it performs the HB Van Duzer Forest State Scenic Corridor, which consists partly of a forest of Douglas firs.

Environment

Six miles above the mouth is Otis, a fish farm, suspended from the thousands each year of king and silver salmon. Furthermore, the river is spawning area for rainbow trout. Because of the fish farm of the underflow is considered a good angling for salmon and rainbow trout.

The wide estuary is a habitat for many water birds, such as Belted Kingfisher, Common Merganser and Bufflehead ducks. Other bird species are marsh wren, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, American Bittern and pastures Yellowthroat. Birds of prey hen harriers and bald eagles occur.