GILCHRIST, Ore. — Wildlife in Central Oregon’s arid Gilchrist State Forest will continue to have access to much-needed water this summer thanks to a collaborative effort by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and local volunteers to maintain and repair a network of artificial watering systems known as “guzzlers.”
The 72,000-acre Gilchrist State Forest receives an average of just 10 inches of rainfall annually and contains no permanent rivers, streams, lakes, or ponds, making supplemental water sources critical for wildlife during the region’s hot, dry summers.
“The entire Gilchrist has no perennial water source, meaning no rivers, streams, lakes, or ponds,” said Vanessa Petro, ODF’s lead state forest wildlife biologist. “Providing important habitat features like these guzzlers benefits a wide range of species including the Crescent mule deer herd, American badger, Rocky Mountain elk, and many small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.”
The forest is home to 11 guzzlers, simple but effective water collection systems that have been used since the 1960s. Constructed from metal roofing material positioned just above the ground, the structures collect rain, snow, and condensation. Water is funneled through a gutter system into underground storage tanks, where a float valve—similar to the mechanism inside a household toilet—keeps a nearby watering trough supplied.
Although the systems are relatively straightforward, they require regular upkeep to remain functional.
Petro said ODF staff recently inspected all 11 guzzlers and found that three require complete rebuilding later this summer. Others needed repairs ranging from cleaning sediment-filled tanks and fixing plumbing issues to repairing collection aprons.
Volunteers from the Oregon Hunters Association, Walker Range Fire Protection Association, and ODF wildlife staff worked together to address many of those maintenance needs in the field.
The effort also resulted in all 11 guzzlers being enrolled in the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Adopt a Guzzler Program, which helps secure grant funding by documenting volunteer hours and travel as matching contributions.
While ODF coordinated the maintenance work and enrollment process, Petro said volunteers play a critical role in keeping the watering systems operational throughout the year.
“The Walker Range FPA volunteers use their firefighting tanker trucks to fill up the guzzler tanks several times each summer when they are not being used to fight wildfires,” Petro said. “There just isn’t enough rainfall or condensation to keep those tanks filled and in use.”
She added that volunteers from the Oregon Hunters Association routinely make repairs when they discover problems and help educate hunters about ethical practices around guzzlers, including maintaining the recommended 300-foot distance when placing tree stands near wildlife watering sites.
While many Oregonians are most familiar with the state’s lush Clatsop and Tillamook State Forests, Gilchrist and nearby Sun Pass State Forest offer a much different landscape and present unique wildlife management challenges.
According to Petro, ODF manages state forests to provide environmental, economic, and social benefits, with healthy wildlife populations playing a key role in achieving those objectives.
“One small way to aid that in the Gilchrist is through the guzzlers,” Petro said. “Just as important is to have folks actively participate in maintaining and improving their state forests. We thank all the volunteers who help do that.”
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