A bi-monthly round-up of news about the Willamette & Columbia Rivers...and more! |
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 Events & Activities |
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Spring Paddle Festival: The annual rite of spring is Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, 9 am - 4 pm, at Vancouver Lake Park; free demos and instruction; $3 parking.
NATIONAL DRUG TAKE BACK INITIATIVE--Spring cleaning includes medicine cabinets! April 27, 10 am - 2 pm. Local law enforcement staff will accept expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. The DEA coordinates these national collections twice a year in response to serious concerns about prescription drug abuse, accidental poisonings, impacts to aquatic species, and chemical pollution of our nation's surface and groundwater resources. People can anonymously turn in controlled (i.e., prescription) and non-controlled ("over the counter") pharmaceuticals--but only in pill form (tablets and capsules). Check out locations here. If you can't make it that day, there are now 65 permanent, free pharmaceutical collection sites in Oregon open year round. Emailed by Betsy Parry, Oregon Health Authority.
It's nearly time for SENIOR STROLLS! This year's schedule (May 14-Oct. 1) features an abundance of river viewing opportunities, like South Waterfront, OMSI/Esplanade, Willamette Park, Waterfront Park, and more! The Portland Bureau of Transportation will offer these FREE strolls on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings beginning at 10 am. Tuesdays: shorter for those who want to reap the many benefits of walking, but don't want to go too far; Wednesdays: generally about 1 mile longer. No pre-registration needed - all you have to do is show up at the designated meeting place, rain or shine!
 Check out these River walks courtesy Portland Bureau of Transportation's Active Transportation program:
Hop on to Peninsular Crossing Trail, part of the 40-mile loop and enjoy this great connection between theWillamette and Columbia Rivers featuring artwork and great views.
Going To The River Walk...walk to Swan Island and explore the scenic viewpoints of the working Willamette River and the history of Portland's Harbor and shipbuilding industry. Discover a seldom seen Greenway trail with great views of downtown Portland, terminals and manufacturing plants.
For more ways to get out along, on or into our Rivers, click here:
[Image by SoulRider.222 on flickr]
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Eastside Greenway Trail Detour. "From May 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, the Eastside Greenway trail will be closed between SE Caruthers Street and OMSI while light rail crews reconstruct the trail and create the landside piers for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge. Pedestrians and cyclists will be safely detoured to SE Water Avenue..." Portland-Milwaukie Light Transit Project Construction Update, April 12
Construction on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project is increasing as dry weather approaches. Construction updates are posted weekly for downtown Portland, South Waterfront, Southeast Portland, Milwaukie and North Clackamas County on the project construction page. You can also follow construction and general project news on the project Facebook page.
(see more TriMet bridge articles, below)
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 And check-out the video of Safe Passage--New Efforts to Get Salmon Past Willamette Basin Dams--a talk given by Greg Taylor of the US Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Rivers Office continuing River in Focus series.
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The Future of the River and Downtown-let your views be known! Through the "CC2035" project, Portland is planning the future of its Central City and is now zeroing in on the "West Quadrant." The West Quadrant Plan "will examine a range of land use, urban design, transportation, environmental and economic development issues in the western areas of the Central City." The River figures prominently in early planning and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) wants Portlanders' input.
BPS has prepared the colorful West Quadrant Reader (p. 10 addresses the River) to inform the community about the area, and invites Portlanders to sound-off BY MAY 10 about their desires in an on-line West Quadrant Survey, which includes some key river questions, such as:
- What types of uses near the waterfront would bring you to the west side of the Willamette River? Select the three uses for each area you feel are most important.
- What keeps you from going to the waterfront along the west side of the Willamette River more often?
- How can the urban design character of the West Quadrant be enhanced? Select two priorities you feel are most important in the near term (next 5 years). (includes "Make the Willamette River a focal point")
For more information on the Central City 2035 process, click here.
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 Celebrating Nature at Work at the new Foster Floodplain Natural Area!."Today marks the kick-off of World Environment Day festivities in Portland, with representatives from the United Nations Environment Programme, the City of Portland, and partner agencies and community organizations celebrating the official opening of the Foster Floodplain Natural Area." City Green Blog, April 25
Foster Flooplain celebration. "In honor of the United Nations' environmental delegate Anne Fraenkel attending, students from nearby Kelly Elementary School came with flags from around the world! The UN chose Portland to showcase the start of their World Environmental Day efforts because of our city's dedication to nature. - at Foster Floodplain Natural Area." Portland Parks & Recreation on Facebook,April 25
Photos: Portland Parks & Recreation
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TriMet begins building Portland-Milwaukie light rail bridge deck -- and search for a name. "America's largest car-less commuting bridge continues to take shape over the Willamette River, with crews pouring the first concrete deck segment on Wednesday. ... TriMet said it will name a "blue ribbon" committee" to help it "in shepherding the bridge naming process through some kind of public process."" OregonLive.com, April 24
Milestone for New Trimet Bridge. KGW.com, Aprl 24
Related videos:
Designing the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Harbor Structure. TriMet, March 7
BridgeView, Episode 13: Temporary Cables Support Deck Construction. TriMet, April 5
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Park and Ride Swales help protect Tryon Creek. City Green Blog, April 12
Portland paddling season about to officially begin with arrival of Spring Paddle Festival. "Nowadays, business has gone in several different directions, according to owner Dave Slover. Whitewater boating has held steady, but it makes up a much smaller percentage of the total business, which for the store now includes canoes, rafts, sit-atop kayaks, touring kayaks and, lately, stand-up paddle boards. In fact, specialized kayaks used for fishing are the fastest growing paddle element these days, Slover said." OregonLive.com, April 19
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Greenbrier axes 200-plus Gunderson jobs as CEO criticizes business climate. "Stymied by delays in a coal export proposal and by a railcar customer's buying habits, The Greenbrier Cos. plans to lay off more than 200 workers at its Gunderson LLC plant in Northwest Portland." Portland Business Journal, April 19
Furman: Coal war led to Gunderson layoffs. "Regarding the waterfront, [Greenbrier CEO] Furman also said the city hasn't given river businesses enough support as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to determine how much "potentially responsible parties" will pay to clean up the Superfund site." Sustainable Business Oregon, April 22
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Foss Maritime tugboat company departs Columbia River, leaving Tidewater, Shaver in its wake. "Foss Maritime Co., one of three main tugboat companies operating on the Columbia River, will lay off its 60 workers and leave the river. ... Foss's exodus is a rare waterfront shakeup, a consolidation as fewer international cargo ships call on Columbia River ports. A channel-deepening project completed three years ago enables a smaller number of larger vessels to carry freight, meaning less work for tugs." OregonLive.com, April 22 [Rivers Office image]
Details of Scrapped Nike South Waterfront Deal Emerge. Willamette Week, April 18
EPA hits Lower Willamette Group with $125,500 penalty on Portland Harbor cleanup. "The Environmental Protection Agency has fined a key group of Portland Harbor property owners $125,500 for "unacceptable quality" in its assessment of health risks from harbor pollutants". OregonLive.com, April 16
Portland Planners Try Again On West Hayden Island. OPB Ecotrope, April 12
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Columbia River Treaty between U.S. and Canada under intense review. "Northwest policymakers have a brain-busting problem on their hands: Trying to figure out whether the United States should continue a 60-year treaty with Canada on managing Columbia River flows." OregonLive.com, April 15
Columbia River Treaty Power play among friends-U.S., Canada renegotiate pact that averts Portland flooding. "For nearly half a century, the United States has relied on Canada to hold back the raging waters of the Columbia River to avoid catastrophes like the 1948 Vanport Flood, which inundated Oregon's second-largest city and erased it from the map. In exchange, the U.S. sends free hydropower to Canada that's produced downstream at Columbia River dams. Now the landmark Columbia River Treaty that secured that tradeoff in 1964 is up for review, and some say it's a bad deal financially for the United States." Portland Tribune, April 18 [Image: Libby Dam Treaty Tower, US Army Corps of Engineers]
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Marine Law Enforcement Academy Recruits Take On the Willamette River. "During the weeks of April 21-May 2, newly recruited marine deputies and troopers from around the state will converge in Clackamas County for the Marine Board's annual Marine Law Enforcement Academy. ... Beginning April 29 through May 2, students will be conducting onthe- water scenarios and boat handling on the Willamette River between the Oregon City Falls and Hog Island. Most of the boat handling drills will take place in the Cedar Oaks Lagoon and Clackamette Lagoon, near the confluence of the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers." Oregon State Marine Board news release, April 15 [Image: Oregon State Marine Board]
Tualatin Valley Water District selects Willamette River as future water source. "The Tualatin Valley Water District voted 4-0 Wednesday to tap the Willamette River as the district's need for water grows in the next 30 years and beyond. The district will partner with Hillsboro, which voted in February to adopt the same long-term strategy for water supply. ... "This decision tonight, if properly implemented, will enhance the control that this region has over its future," said Commissioner Richard Burke. "I will be very happy to drink Willamette River water."" OregonLive.com, April 24
Sides cut deal on river waste zone complaint. "An environmental watchdog group has backed off its threat to sue the operators of a Halsey pulp mill over pollution in a Willamette River mixing zone after the company took steps to remedy the problem. ... Under terms of the deal, Cascade Pacific pledged to move forward with a dredging project aimed at increasing the volume of water flowing through the mixing zone. The company also agreed to pay $10,000 toward Willamette Riverkeeper's legal fees and another $10,000 to help fund a floodplain restoration project at Green Island north of Eugene." Corvallis Gazette-Times, April 13
Minto Fish Collection Facility is open for business. "Within a few hours of opening the Minto Fish Collection Facility's entrance gate on April 1, the first winter steelhead had made its way through the facility and back into the North Santiam River below Big Cliff and Detroit dams..." For more information about the Minto Fish Collection Facility Rebuild Project, click here or watch video here. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
At first foods ceremonies along the Columbia River, prized spring chinook is scarce. "The First Foods Ceremony last weekend in this tribal village had plenty of dancing, drumming and solemn celebration of the Northwest's springtime bounty. What it didn't have was a whole lot of salmon." OregonLive.com, April 17
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 BPA Ratepayers Provide $805,000 For Acquisition Of Wildlife Corridors Near Eugene. "The recent acquisition of Coyote Creek near Eugene ... will enable Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to engage in habitat restoration work for the benefit of numerous fish, wildlife and plant species, including the Northern red-legged frog. ... BPA teamed with The Nature Conservancy and ODFW to secure 310 acres in the Willamette Valley adjacent to two existing conservation projects. Nestled between Fern Ridge Wildlife Area and the city of Eugene's Coyote Prairie wetland mitigation site, Coyote Creek provides a mix of rare wet prairie and riparian forest." Columbia Basin Bulletin, April 19 [Image: Oregon Dept. Fish & Wildlife]
Acquisition protects wildlife corridor in Willamette Valley. Bonneville Power Administration Newsroom, April 15
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Fun / Of Note |
Judge Signs Agreement Requiring EPA To Get Tougher On Oregon's Water Temperature Standards For Fish. "A Portland-based federal judge on Wednesday signed an agreement between The Northwest Environmental Advocates and the federal government that requires more rigorous oversight of Oregon's setting of water temperature standards for the state's rivers and streams." Columbia Basin Bulletin, April 12
River Town-Minneapolis launches plan to restore the banks of the Mississippi River. "The Minneapolis Parks Department has commenced its RiverFirst Initiative, a plan to return portions of the city's Mississippi River frontage to a more natural state by 2016. The city hopes to position the river at the center of an ecologically focused urban development strategy that will guide growth for decades to come through strategic interventions at seven points along the waterway. ... During the course of its development, the city encased the river with concrete at many points, channeling its ebbs and flows for easier use by industry and destroying or diminishing its native ecology." The Architect's Newspaper, April 16
The Chicago River Is Now Running in the Opposite Direction. "Heavy rain in Chicago has maxed out storm water storage facilities and caused officials to "re-reverse" the Chicago River into Lake Michigan, in an effort to lessen flooding in the city. The river's flow was reversed a century ago to prevent sewage from draining into the city's drinking water source. This, it turns out, is still a very real concern. The Chicago Tribune reports that this reversal will allow "millions of gallons of raw and partially treated sewage to flow into the region's source of drinking water." " The Atlantic Cities, April 18. (also see YouTube video by WBEZ91.5)
How to Protect an Urban River From Pollution. "If you want to get something done in a multi-jurisdictional region, assembling over 100 partners comprising the business community (including several major national corporations), municipalities from seven counties, 14 state and federal partners, philanthropic and academic institutions, and over 20 conservation organizations is a heck of a start. ... Over a million people reside in [New Jersey's Raritan River's] watershed, where farming, industry and development have delivered an unfortunate soup of contaminants." The Atlantic Cities, April 8
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As found on "Watch Rio Erase and Rebuild Its Entire Waterfront in 3 Minutes". "Rio de Janeiro is in the midst of massively remaking itself in preparation for the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 Olympics and life beyond both as the international capital of one of the world's fastest growing economies. ... you can watch the entire thing unroll as if in a planner's dream in three minutes in this break-neck animation produced by the city. The highway vanishes as trees and happy transit commuters pop up. The future literally sprints across the city toward the airport, erasing everything in its wake." The Atlantic Cities, April 23
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To view past River News Digests, click here.
To submit news, email Rick Bastasch, or call 503.823.0275
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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