McKenzie River - Watershed

Watershed

The McKenzie River drains a region of 1,300 square miles (3,400 km2) and is one of the primary tributaries of the Willamette River. Elevations within the region range from 10,358 feet (3,157 m) at the summit of the South Sister, to 375 feet (114 m) at its confluence at the Willamette River north of Eugene. The McKenzie watershed is bordered by the watersheds of the Calapooia, North Santiam, and South Santiam rivers to the north; the Middle Fork Willamette to the south, and the Deschutes River to the east.

The watershed is lightly populated, with over sixty percent of the land being owned by the government as designated wilderness area. The river, however, is the sole water source for the cities of Eugene and Springfield.