Little Butte Creek, which the Butte Creek Mill sits next to, is known to be one of the best salmon producing tributaries of the Rogue River and is one of only a few streams in the Upper Rogue watershed to support salmon populations. What makes the Mill's water usage unique is that it is only diversionary - the Mill does not actually consume any water, it just borrows its power as it moves past the turbine.
The Daley Mill, currently known as the Butte Creek Mill, holds a certificate of water right that was issued on April 28, 1950, in the name of George Putman. In 2017 the Foundation worked with Trout Unlimited to dedicate the mill’s water rights to instream flow, protecting over 20 cubic feet per second of water in this vital tributary.
This instream lease will prevent upstream junior water rights holders from taking the water, assuring steelhead and salmon will have adequate flow to reach their spawning grounds. This instream lease will also assure that scenic Little Butte Creek will continue to flow through the center of Eagle Point—a critical recreational resource for the community.