The Middle Fork flows into the Willamette River at rivermile 186. The Middle Fork watershed encompasses 1,355 square miles and the communities of Oakridge, Westfir, Lowell, Dexter, Fall Creek, Jasper and portions of south Springfield and Pleasant Hill. as does the wild and scenic North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River and the pristine Waldo Lake.

Three flood control dams dominate the lower watershed: Dexter, Lookout, and Fall Creek. While the majority of the land above Lookout dam is publicly owned by the Forest Service, the majority of the land below is privately held. Smaller tributaries and sections of the Middle Fork are water quality limited for temperature and dissolved oxygen.

The North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette, from Waldo Lake to the Willamette National Forest boundary, is classified as a National Wild and Scenic River.

Sources

Compiled by John Ame, Science Writer (2007)