Logging & Forestry
A working landscape with lasting effects.
Logging has shaped the Jordan River Watershed for more than a century and remains an active land use today. Beyond forest harvesting on land, forestry operations have also directly altered the river itself through in-river log sorting and the disposal of wood waste near the river mouth. Together, these activities have changed how water, sediment and habitat function across the watershed and estuary.
The Problem
Industrial-scale forestry affects the watershed in multiple ways. Ongoing harvesting and road networks alter forest cover and drainage patterns, increasing erosion and changing how water moves into streams. The use of the Jordan River for log sorting and the disposal of wood waste near the estuary disrupted natural flow patterns, sediment movement and habitat structure. Once altered, river and estuary systems are slow and difficult to recover.
The Impact
Logging has changed how water, sediment and heat move through the watershed, affecting streams and river habitat. The use of the river for log sorting and the infilling of the estuary removed a critical ecosystem that once connected freshwater and marine environments. Combined, these impacts have reduced salmon habitat and diminished the resilience of the Jordan River Watershed.
The Solutions
Improving watershed health requires addressing both current forestry practices and legacy impacts. This includes managing forests with water and habitat in mind, restoring riparian areas, reducing sediment inputs and recognizing the importance of estuaries as critical transition zones. Collaborative planning among landowners, forestry operators, regulators and the community is essential to support a more resilient watershed and healthier river system.
Forests help slow, store and release water throughout the year. When forest structure changes, this balance shifts, leading to higher winter flows, lower summer water levels and increased sediment in streams. Together, these changes affect the watershed’s resilience and its ability to support life, including salmon.
Understanding Key Events:
-
Following colonial settlement in 1858, timber extraction expanded across the Jordan River Watershed. Forests surrounding the river and its tributaries were increasingly cleared to support settlement and industrial development, beginning long-term changes to land cover feeding the Jordan River.
-
Rail infrastructure introduced in the 1930s enabled industrial-scale logging to expand throughout the Jordan River Watershed. Harvesting intensified across the landscape, increasing road development and altering forest structure at a watershed scale.
-
As logging activity increased, the Jordan River itself was used for log sorting and storage. Logs were handled directly in the river, introducing wood debris and disturbing riverbed and estuary conditions at the mouth of the Jordan River.
-
Wood waste generated by logging operations was disposed of in a landfill near the river mouth, infilling much of the Jordan River estuary. This altered the natural shape and function of the estuary, reducing habitat and changing how freshwater and marine systems connected at the river’s outlet.
-
Decades of harvesting, road building, in-river operations and estuary infilling contributed to long-term changes in sediment, water quality and habitat conditions within the Jordan River Watershed.
-
![]()
The Watershed
Year?
-
![]()
1992
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
-
![]()
Grow it.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
-
![]()
Sell it.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
What We’re Working On
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.
What You Can Do
HELP FUND SOLUTIONS
Support monitoring, research and restoration that address ongoing contamination and watershed health through one-time or monthly donations.
SEND A LETTER TO YOUR MP
Add your voice to calls for accountability, long-term stewardship and action on legacy contamination in the watershed.
VOLUNTEER WITH JRWA
Get involved in local monitoring, outreach and stewardship activities that support the long-term health of the watershed.
Keep Learning
Related blog posts:
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper.