Public Ownership of Submerged and Submersible Land Tidally-Influenced Waterways

Public Ownership of Submerged and Submersible Land

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Tidally-Influenced Waterways


	Salmon River Estuary, Lincoln County, photo Jill Burnett

All tidally-influenced waterways, i.e., land subject to tidal influence (with the exception of those parcels the state may have sold since statehood) are owned by the State of Oregon.

When the original thirteen states took sovereignty of their land from the British after the American Revolution, those states became owners of the submerged and submersible land underlying what are termed "navigable" waters, we well as the land underlying tidal waters.

Under the Equal Footing Doctrine, federal courts have held that states entering the union have the same rights as did the original thirteen states.

Therefore, when Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859, it became the owner of all submerged and submersible land underlying both the navigable waterways and tidal waters within its borders as a part of its sovereignty.

The heads of tide locations listed are based on inspection or other evidence obtained by Department staff prior to 1989. The head of tide on any particular waterway may have changed since then.

Some Columbia River tributaries in Clatsop, Columbia and Multnomah Counties may be tidally-influenced but have not been investigated by the Department.

County	River Name	Location of Head of Tide
Clackamas	Willamette River	RM 26.5 @ Willamette Falls
Clatsop	Logan Creek	T5N-R10W W. line of Sec. 20
Clatsop	Neacoxie Creek	T6N-R10W N. Line of Sec. 10
Clatsop	Neawanna Creek	T6N-R10W S. line of Sec. 22
Clatsop	Neawanna Creek (unnamed tributary)	T6N-R10W Sec. 22
Clatsop	Necanicum River	RM 4.0 @ T6N-R10W Sec. 28
Clatsop	Nehalem River	RM 8.9 @ T3N-R9W Sec. 31
Clatsop	Nehalem River N. Fork	RM 6.2 @ T4N-R9W Sec. 32
Clatsop	Stanley Lake Creek	T6N-R10W Sec. 15
Coos	Bear Creek	T28S-R14W Sec. 27
Coos	Beaver Slough	RM 5.0 @ T12S-R13W Secs. 15 & 17
Coos	Boone Creek	T26S-R12W Sec 32
Coos	Catching Slough	T26S-R12W Sec. 32
Coos	China Creek	T29S-R15W Sec. 11
Coos	Coalbank Slough	T26S-R13W Secs. 3 & 10
Coos	Coos River	ALL
Coos	Coos River S. Fork	RM 10.2 @ T25S-R11W Sec. 27
Coos	Coquille River	ALL
Coos	Coquille River N. Fork	RM 0.5 @ T29S-R12W, S. line of Sec. 4
Coos	Coquille River S. Fork	RM 3.0 @ T29S-R12W Sec. 20
Coos	Cox Canyon	T26S-R14W Sec. 36
Coos	Croft Lake	T30S-R15W, E. line of Sec. 10
Coos	Crooked Creek	T29S-R15W Sec. 12
Coos	Cut Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 31
Coos	Daniels Creek	T25S-R12W, S. line of Sec. 35
Coos	Davis Slough	T26S-R13W Secs. 27 & 28
Coos	Day Creek	T26S-R14W Sec. 13
Coos	Deton Creek	T25S-R12W Sec. 13
Coos	Elliott Creek	T26S-R13W Sec. 19
Coos	Ferry Creek	T28S-R14W Sec. 29
Coos	Fivemile Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 5
Coos	Fourmile Creek	T30S-R15W Sec. 2
Coos	Hatchet Slough	T28S-R13W Sec. 7
Coos	Haywood Creek	T26S-R14W Sec. 14
Coos	Iowa Slough	T28S-R13W Sec. 7
Coos	Isthmus Slough	T27S-R13W Secs. 2 & 3
Coos	Joe Ney Slough	T26S-R13W Secs. 6 & 7
Coos	John B. Creek	T26S-R14W Sec. 25
Coos	Johnson Creek	T29S-R15W Sec. 1
Coos	Kentuck Slough	T25S-R12W Sec. 6
Coos	Lampa Creek	T28S-R13W Sec. 30
Coos	Larson Creek	T24S-R12W Sec. 30
Coos	Lillian Creek	T25S-R12W Sec. 32
Coos	Lowe Creek	T28S-R14W Sec. 23
Coos	Mart Davis Creek	T25S-R12W Sec. 23
Coos	Millicoma River	ALL
Coos	Millicoma River E. Fork	RM 1.3 @ T25S-R11W Sec. 4
Coos	Millicoma River W. Fork	RM 1.1 @ T25S-R11W Sec. 6
Coos	New Lake	T30S-R15W, S. line of Sec. 15
Coos	New River	T30S-R15W, S. line of Sec. 15
Coos	Noble Creek	T27S-R13W Sec. 2
Coos	North Slough	T24S-R13W Sec. 12
Coos	Offield Slough	T28S-R14W Sec. 11
Coos	Paloose Creek	T24S-R12W Sec. 18
Coos	Ross Slough	T26S-R13W Sec. 12
Coos	Seelander Creek	T26S-R12W Sec. 29
Coos	Sevenmile Creek	T28S-R14W Sec. 3
Coos	Shinglehouse Slough	T26S-R13W Sec. 15
Coos	South Slough	ALL
Coos	Stock Slough	T26S-R12W Sec. 9
Coos	Talbot Creek	T26S-R13W Sec. 30
Coos	Threemile Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 5
Coos	Twomile Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 17
Coos	Vogle Creek	T25S-R12W Sec. 29
Coos	Wasson Creek	T26S-R14W Sec. 35
Coos	Willanch Slough	T25S-R13W Sec. 13
Coos	Wilson Creek	T26S-R12W Sec. 29
Coos	Winchester Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 2
Coos	Whiskey Run Creek	T27S-R14W Sec. 20
Curry	Bowman Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 3
Curry	Burnt Hill Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 5
Curry	Chetco River	RM 3.3 @ T40S-R13W Sec. 34
Curry	China Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 28
Curry	Coon Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 3
Curry	Elk River	T32S-R15W Sec. 19
Curry	Euchre Creek	T35S-R14W Sec. 8
Curry	Floras Creek	T31S-R15W
Curry	Garrison Creek	T33S-R15W
Curry	Harris Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 36
Curry	Horse Prairie Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 21
Curry	Housetender Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 9
Curry	Hubbard Creek	T33S-R15W Sec. 9
Curry	Hunter Creek	T37S-R14W Sec. 7
Curry	Lone Ranch Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 22
Curry	Macklyn Creek	T41S-R13W Sec. 6
Curry	Mill Creek	T41S-R13W Sec. 6
Curry	Miller Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 16
Curry	Miner Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 16
Curry	Mussel Creek	T34S-R14W Sec. 19
Curry	Myers Creek	T38S-R14W Sec. 7
Curry	Pistol River	RM 1.4 @ T39S-R14W, W. line of Sec. 20
Curry	Ram Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 22
Curry	Ransom Creek	T41S-R14W Sec. 1
Curry	Retz Creek	T33S-R15W Sec. 15
Curry	Rinehart Creek	T34S-R14W Sec. 18
Curry	Rogue River	RM 4.5 @ T36S-R14W Sec. 17
Curry	Shy Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 26
Curry	Sixes River	RM 2 @ T31S-R15W Sec. 31
Curry	Spruce Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 21
Curry	Taylor Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 26
Curry	Thomas Creek	T39S-R14W Sec. 28
Curry	Whalehead Creek	T40S-R14W Sec. 3
Curry	Winchuck River	RM 1.1 @ T41S-R13W Sec. 25
Douglas	Brainard Creek	T21S-R11W Sec. 17
Douglas	Butler Creek	RM 1.1 @ T21S-R11W Sec. 30
Douglas	Eslick Creek	T20S-R11W Sec. 35
Douglas	Frantz Creek	RM 0.5 @ T21S-R12W Sec. 14
Douglas	Hudson Slough	ALL
Douglas	Joyce Creek	T21S-R11W Sec. 8
Douglas	Noel Creek	T21S-R11W Sec. 3
Douglas	Oar Creek	T22S-R11W Sec. 7
Douglas	Otter Slough	RM 1.0 @ T21S-R11W Sec. 27
Douglas	Providence Creek	T21S-R12W Sec. 28
Douglas	Scholfield Creek	RM 5.3 @ T22S-R12W Sec. 11
Douglas	Silver Creek	T22S-R12W Sec. 8
Douglas	Smith River	RM 23.1 @ T20S-R10W Sec. 34
Douglas	Smith River N. Fork	RM 3.0 @ T20S-R10W Sec. 30
Douglas	Tahkenitch Creek	T20S-R12W Sec. 19
Douglas	Threemile Creek	T21S-R12W Sec. 18
Douglas	Umpqua River	RM 29.2 @ T22S-R9W Sec. 7
Douglas	Winchester Creek	T22S-R12W Sec. 8
Lane	Agate Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 27
Lane	Berry Creek	T17S-R12W Sec. 15
Lane	Blowout Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 22
Lane	Bob Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 22
Lane	Cape Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 34
Lane	China Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 22
Lane	Cummins Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 10
Lane	Gwynn Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 10
Lane	Hadsall Creek	T18S-R10W Sec. 12
Lane	Haring Creek	T18S-R11W Sec. 7
Lane	Hoffman Creek	T18S-R11W Sec. 13
Lane	Knowles Creek	T18S-R10W Sec. 1
Lane	Lawson Creek	T18S-R11W Sec. 28
Lane	Lindsley Creek	T18S-R12W Sec. 12
Lane	Morris Creek	T18S-R11W Sec. 5
Lane	Munsel Creek	T18S-R12W Sec. 26
Lane	Nancy Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 10
Lane	Rock Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 15
Lane	Siltcoos River	T19S-R12W Sec. 34
Lane	Siuslaw River	RM 22.8 @ T17S-R10W Sec. 34
Lane	Siuslaw River N. Fork	RM 10.5 @ T18S R11W Sec. 4
Lane	South Inlet	T18S-R11W Sec. 31; T19S-R11W Sec. 6
Lane	Squaw Creek	T16S-R12W Sec. 3
Lane	Sutton Creek	RM 0.4 @ T17S-R12W Sec. 28
Lane	Sweet Creek	T18S-R10W Secs. 16 & 21
Lincoln	King Slough	T11S-R11W Sec. 28
Lincoln	Alsea River	RM 11.5 @ T13S-R10W Sec. 34
Lincoln	Beaver Creek	T12S-R11W Sec. 20
Lincoln	S. Beaver Creek	T12S-R11W Sec. 20
Lincoln	Big Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 32
Lincoln	Boone Slough	T11S-R11W Sec. 25
Lincoln	Buckley Creek	T13S-R12W Sec. 1
Lincoln	Cape Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 3
Lincoln	Coal Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 17
Lincoln	Collins Creek	T12S-R12W Sec. 36
Lincoln	D River	T17S-R11W Sec. 15 (50 yds. W of Hwy 101 bridge)
Lincoln	Deer Creek	T12S-R12W Sec. 24
Lincoln	Depot Creek Slough	RM 5.0 @ T11S-R10W Sec. 6
Lincoln	Drift Creek	RM 2.7 @ T13S-R11W Sec. 23
Lincoln	Drift Creek	T7S-R11W Sec. 36
Lincoln	Eckman Slough	T13S-R11W Sec. 28
Lincoln	Elk Creek	RM 4.5 @ T11S-R10W Sec. 25
Lincoln	Flesher Slough	T11S-R11W Sec. 35
Lincoln	Fogarty Creek	T8S-R11W Sec. 32
Lincoln	Fox Creek	T13S-R12W Sec. 1
Lincoln	Grant Creek	T11S-R11W Sec. 30
Lincoln	Henderson Creek	T11S-R11W Sec. 30
Lincoln	Hill Creek	T12S-R12W Sec. 25
Lincoln	Johnson Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 5
Lincoln	Lint Slough	T13S-R11W Sec. 30
Lincoln	Little Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 32
Lincoln	Little Creek	T13S-R12W Sec. 36
Lincoln	Lost Creek	T12S-R11W Sec. 7
Lincoln	McCaffery Slough	T12S-R11W Sec. 3
Lincoln	McKinney Slough	T13S-R11W Sec. 20
Lincoln	Mill Creek	T11S-R10W Sec. 27
Lincoln	Moolack Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 17
Lincoln	Moore Creek	T11S-R11W Sec. 31
Lincoln	North Cape Creek	T15S-R12W Sec. 3
Lincoln	Nute Slough	T11S-R10W Sec. 30
Lincoln	Ollala Slough	T11S-R10W Sec. 17
Lincoln	Parker Slough	T11S-R11W Sec. 27
Lincoln	Pooles Slough	T12S-R11W Sec. 1
Lincoln	Pumphouse Creek	T12S-R11W Sec. 18
Lincoln	Rowdy Creek	T6S-R11W Sec. 25
Lincoln	Salmon Creek	Tidegate Three Rocks
Lincoln	Salmon River	T6S-R10W Sec. 29
Lincoln	Schoolhouse Creek	T8S-R11W Sec. 16
Lincoln	Schooner Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 19
Lincoln	Sijota Creek	T8S-R11W Sec. 10
Lincoln	Siletz River	RM 22.6 @ T9S-R10W Sec. 8
Lincoln	Spencer Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 5
Lincoln	Starr Creek	T14S-R12W Sec. 23
Lincoln	Thiel Creek	T12S-R11W Sec. 6
Lincoln	Vingie Creek	T14S-R12W Sec. 14
Lincoln	Wade Creek	T10S-R11W Sec. 8
Lincoln	Yachats River	RM 1.5 @ T14S-R12W Sec. 26
Lincoln	Yaquina River	RM 21.8 @ T11S-R10W Sec. 1
Multnomah	Columbia Slough	T2N-R1W Sec. 23 to T1N-R3E Sec. 19 (Note that the limit of state ownership in a portion of the channel in T1N-R2E Sec. 23, T1N-R2E Sec. 24, and T1N-R3E Sec. 19 is still uncertain.)
Multnomah	Columbia River	RM 145.5 @ Bonneville Dam T2N-R7E Sec. 21
Tillamook	Alder Creek	T3N R10 W Sec. 27
Tillamook	Anderson Creek	T3N-R10W Sec. 14
Tillamook	Anderson Creek	T2S-R9W Sec. 6
Tillamook	Beaver Creek	T2S-R10W Sec. 12
Tillamook	Clear Lake Creek	T1N-R10W Sec. 5
Tillamook	Coal Creek	T3N-R10W Sec. 14
Tillamook	Crescent Lake Creek	T2N-R10W Sec. 29
Tillamook	Daley Lake Creek	T5S-R11W Sec. 13
Tillamook	Dougherty Slough	T1S-R9W Sec. 20
Tillamook	Esther Creek	T1S-R10W Sec. 26
Tillamook	Fall Creek	T1S-R10W Sec. 31
Tillamook	Flower Pot Creek	T1S-R10W Sec. 8
Tillamook	Foley Creek	T3N-R10W Sec. 36
Tillamook	Gallagher Slough	T3N-R10W Sec. 35
Tillamook	Hall Slough	T1S-R10W Sec. 24
Tillamook	Hathaway Slough	T1S-R10W Sec. 12
Tillamook	Hoquarten Slough	T1S-R9W Sec. 30
Tillamook	Illingsworth Creek	T1N-R10W Sec. 23
Tillamook	Jackson Creek	T2S-R10W Sec. 30
Tillamook	Kilchis River	RM2.0 @ T1S-R9W Sec. 7
Tillamook	Little Nestucca River	RM 3.2 @ T5S-R10W Sec. 9
Tillamook	McCoys Cove	T1S-R10W Sec. 9
Tillamook	Messhouse Slough	T2N-R10W Sec. 17
Tillamook	Miami River	RM 0.8 @ T1N-R10W Sec. 14
Tillamook	Nehalem River	RM 8.9 T3N-R9W Sec. 31
Tillamook	Nehalem River North Fork	RM 6.2 T4N-R9W Sec. 32
Tillamook	Neskowin Creek	T5S-R11W Sec. 36
Tillamook	Nestucca River	RM 8.5 @ T4S-R10W Sec. 14
Tillamook	Nolan Slough	T1S-R10W Sec. 24
Tillamook	Patterson Creek	T1N-R10W Sec. 34
Tillamook	Rice Creek	T2S-R10W Sec. 5
Tillamook	Short Creek	T1S-R10W Sec. 24
Tillamook	Spring Lake Creek	T1N-R10W Sec. 6
Tillamook	Squeedunk Slough	T1S-R10W Sec. 13
Tillamook	Sutton Creek	T2S-R10W Sec. 12
Tillamook	Tillamook River	RM 6.0 @ T2S-R9W Sec. 7
Tillamook	Tomlinson Slough	T1S-R10W Sec. 26
Tillamook	Trask River	RM 4.3 @ T2S-R9W Sec. 6
Tillamook	Watseco Creek	T1N-R10W Sec. 7
Tillamook	Wilson River	RM3.1 @ T1S-R9W Sec. 20
Tillamook	Whiskey Creek	T2S-R10W Sec. 17
Tillamook	Yagar Creek	T2S-R10W Secs. 8 & 9

Tidepool, Lincoln County photo Kevin Moynahan

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