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A bi-monthly round-up of news about the Willamette and Columbia
March 1, 2013  Image: Spring Chinook fishing by Oregon Dep't. of Fish & Wildlife on flickr.com |
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Events, Trips, and Other River Happenings
15th Annual Johnson Creek Watershed Council WATERSHED WIDE EVENT. March 2, 9am-noon. "Volunteer to remove invasive species and plant trees at one of the 12 Watershed Wide restoration locations. Great family event. Complimentary lunch to follow event as well. Register here." Slough 101. March 9, 8:45 am to 1 pm. "Learn about the history, water, wildlife, and current issues of the Columbia Slough at Slough 101. Slough experts will lead hands-on activities including a tour of a pump station and macroinvertebrate discovery. Pre-registration is required for this free workshop, and light refreshments will be provided. Suitable for adults and teens 14 & up." Columbia Slough Watershed Council Celebrate Oaks Bottom's Bluff Trail. March 9, 10 am - 1pm, South Meadow of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. "Join Portland Parks & Recreation, the Urban Greenspaces Institute, Portland Audubon Society,the Sellwood Moreland Improvement League, Friends of Oaks Bottom and other community partners as we celebrate the grand re-opening of the Bluff Trail! Bring the whole family and enjoy: refreshments, kid's activities, bird watching, guided walks (RSVP suggested), photo display and more! ... For more information or to RSVP for a guided walk, contact Marissa Dorais at 503-823-7016 or marissa.dorais@portlandoregon.gov." (Image: Portland Parks) ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Call for Wooden Boats! Now in its third year, the Wooden Boat Festival celebrates wooden boat building, time on the river, and other fun water activities. The culmination of the festival on Sunday, July 14, 2013 will include a display of wooden boats from local boat builders and owners. Space is available on the grounds for canoes, kayaks and boats on trailers, as well as dock space for larger vessels. There is no charge to display a boat, but you must be registered before the event. To enter your boat, send email to johnwhitehouse1@msn.com, using the subject line "WBF 2013 Boat Registration." (See the fun from last year here).
 Transportation Bureau announces Sunday Parkways dates, routes for 2013 . "Sunday Parkways is a series of free community events opening the city's largest public space - its streets - for people to walk, bike, roll and discover active transportation." And be sure to check out the upcoming offerings of PBOT's Smart Trips program--many trips offer chance to see our rivers close-up! (PBOT image). National Working Waterfronts and Waterways Symposium to address access to, uses of working waterfronts. March 25-27, Tacoma. "Washington Sea Grant, in coordination with Oregon Sea Grant, is sponsoring the symposium, which will provide an opportunity for planning professionals, elected officials, interested citizens and others to learn first-hand about: economic and social impacts of and on working waterfronts; successful local, regional, state and federal strategies to address working waterfront issues; the future of working waterfronts, including potential impacts of changing uses and climates; and, keeping waterfront industries commercially viable."  Portland To Host World Environment Day! The United Nations Environment Programme has chosen Portland to host this year's World Environment Day on June 5. The celebration will include numerous events starting on Earth Day on April 22, and it will be part of other World Environment Day events in more than 120 countries across the globe. To learn more, or even better to add your own "WED" activity to the community calendar, click here!
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Willamette River spring chinook are here! "From top to bottom, the Willamette River's spring chinook salmon are in like a surprise box of chocolates." OregonLive.com, February 16 (Image: ODFW)
 Twenty-five Acres of Northeast Portland Wetlands are Sprouting this Spring. "Farmed for many years, the site borders two waterways, cold water springs and historic wetlands. Environmental Services and Portland Parks & Recreation own the site. New grading reduces stormwater pollutants from more than 600 acres of upland roads and development. ... The project also increases off-channel floodplain and flood storage in the former floodplain of the Columbia River where more than 90% of wetlands have been filled or developed." City Green Blog, February 15 (Image: BES)
Portland Boat Tours: From Dream to Business. "This new book tells the story of Portland Boat Tours from its inception through the entire first season. Through a collection of over 150 full color photographs and 104 pages of stories, Captain Seth Vore shares with us what it really took to make his dream of owning and operating a wooden boat tour company a reality." Portland Boat Tours (Image: PBT)
Willamette River boat 'aquatic squatters' ranks thinning despite enforcement difficulties. "A new rule targeting people living on boats on the Willamette River and elsewhere has yet to be enforced, but it's already prompting so-called "aquatic squatters" to hoist anchor and be on their way, officials say." OregonLive.com, February 20
Letter: Transient boaters should face more enforcement. "As a fisherman who fishes for salmon in the Willamette River, I frequently use the St. Johns boat ramp. Last year during the high-use spring salmon season, a 20-foot sailboat taking up most of the 30-foot space was moored to the dock for more than several days." OregonLive.com, February 27
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Hillsboro designates Willamette River for water. "The Hillsboro Utilities Commission officially designated the mid-Willamette River near Wilson as the preferred alternative for a second source of city water. The commission can now continue studying the logistics of providing water to the Hillsboro from the river, especially during summer months, when the Tualatin River, the city's primary source of water runs low. The cost is estimated at $870 million." Portland Tribune, February 22
Clean Water is WES goal. "WES [Clackamas County Water Environment Services] manages both the Rock Creek and Kellogg/Mt. Scott watersheds and is responsible for three service districts throughout the county, all of which treat water to ensure its cleanliness and purity before discharging it back into the Willamette River." Portland Tribune, February 20
Metro 'very interested' in rail-to-trail bridge. "It could get a lot easier to bike between Oregon City and Portland if local leaders can persuade Union Pacific Railroad to let go of its abandoned Clackamas River bridge. Springwater Corridor runs 21 miles from Southeast Portland through Milwaukie and Gresham. But Gladstone is not part of Clackamas County's park system, so the five-mile Trolley Trail from Springwater in Milwaukie stops at Gladstone's city limits. To reach trails in Oregon City, people must walk or bike through Gladstone city streets and along a highway. However, Metro regional government and Clackamas County officials have renewed excitement in connecting trails between Oregon City and Gladstone now that the Union Pacific Railroad is discussing the future of its abandoned Clackamas River bridge..." Portland Tribune, February 25
 Emergency deer rescue at Julie Hansen Wildlife Refuge. "It's a deer species that Lewis and Clark counted by the thousands two centuries ago, but today less than one hundred live on the refuge that was created for them near Cathlamet, Washington. Paul Meyers, a US Fish and Wildlife biologist, warned that the deer will be wiped out when the Columbia River floods the refuge this spring." KGW.com, February 27
For more info on the USFWS' translocation effort, click here. (Image USFWS)
Leaking Nuclear Sludge Could Threaten Columbia River. Bloomberg, February 19
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| Fun / Of Note |
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Behind-the-scenes Columbia River pilot reporting trip |
Video: Climb Aboard A Bulk Carrier With Columbia River Pilots. "...a ride on a 609-foot bulk carrier with Columbia River Pilot Capts. Anne McIntyre and Chuck Dobbins. It's the kind of ship companies could use to transport U.S. coal to Asia..." OPB Ecotrope, Feb. 26
Tests Show Invasive Quagga Mussels Can Grow In Columbia River Water, Less So In Willamette. " 'We found that 68 percent of the mussels raised in untreated Columbia River water gained weight -- they grew. ...,' researcher Brian Adair, a Portland State graduate student, said. He drew water from the Columbia, and the Willamette River, and transported it south [to Lake Mead] to test how quaggas responded to untreated water, water treated with various amounts of calcium, and water at various temperatures. ... Survival was 19 percent of mussels reared in Willamette water. ...'The Willamette may be marginal habitat, but mussels probably could adapt,' he said." Columbia Basin Bulletin, February 22
Is Building a Multimillion Dollar Project on Connecticut's Waterfront Really Such a Good Idea? "Connecticut in recent years has staked much of its economic development strategy on reclaiming the state's historically industrial waterfront. ... But there's a darker wrinkle - the land in question is ... smack in the middle of a high-risk flood zone, an area that's currently zoned for "water-dependent" uses, not the planned $750 million office megaplex." The Atlantic Cities, February 20
 What the Urban Coyote Can Teach Us About Nature in Cities. [Ed. Note: Although this fascinating article only touches lightly on river issues, it does so in pretty interesting ways:] "This large-scale linear park [the Madrid Rio Project] was built as the M-30 motorway relocated within a submerged tunnel, allowing for restoration of the Manzanares River above. ... I spoke with another landscape architect about what it means to reprogram places from built to natural. In particular, we discussed a former motorway ramp ... that now displays greened pedestrian space imposed on the former roadway, complemented by its elegant (and once auto-centric) river-hugging form and artful curve. He explained the approach: at core, there is nothing natural in the city, he said, and anything we can do that resonates with the public and creates a sustainable result, is defensible, proper and legitimate." The Atlantic Cities, February 12 (Image: Rivers Office from foreground by Aster; coyote by marya on flickr.com)
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To view past River News Digests, click here.
NOTE: River News Digest is a compilation of interesting items and announcements relating to rivers-with a focus on better understanding, enjoying, and caring for our local rivers, while touching on items from around the country and the world. Please note much of the information is from sources other than the City of Portland [like news media, non-profit organizations, and other government agencies]. The Rivers Office lists these items for information purposes only and is not responsible for their content.
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