Riffles WRC logo
In This Issue
Plants for Pollination
Hayhurst Elementary School Depave
Landscaping for Conservation




Connect with other
Southwest Watershed Stewards!

Find us on Facebook 

 

 

 

 

 

Multnomah Days- August 18th!  

 

 

 

 

 

   







Invasive Plant Spotlight:

  

Purple Loosestrife 

 

 

 

Lythrum salicaria

 

  

 

These perennial flowering plants are native to Eurasia, and were introduced to the Willamette Valley as ornamental vegetation.  Purple loosestrife is listed as a noxious weed in Oregon and 44 other states.  It is illegal to sell purple loosestrife in Oregon. 

 

 

Purple loosestrife has attractive, magenta flower stalks that typically bloom July through September. It can regrow from stem or root fragments, and seeds can spread by wind or water. Eradication is difficult for large populations, so control is most effective when there are small patches that can be manually removed.  

 

 

Purple loosestrife typically thrives in wet areas, such as ponds or wetlands and can crowd out all other vegetation.  It grows in dense stands, trapping sediment and removing food and shelter for native wildlife.  

 

 

For more information, visit the Purple Loosestrife weed profile 

 
 

 

If you see this plant in your neighborhood, please contact WMSWCD or the Watershed Center for further assistance or referrals.


 









 

August 2012 News

 

 

What's in our water?    

  Water drop

 

Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Tualatin River Research

Presented by Tualatin Riverkeepers
Thursday, August 16, 7pm
Max's Fanno Creek Brewpub
12562 SW Main St., Tigard


Stewart Rounds, hydrologist for US Geological Survey, will give a presentation summarizing research on water quality and ecological health in the Tualatin River and its tributaries from 1991-2012. Stewart's presentations are some of the best we have hosted, interesting for scientists and citizens alike. Don' miss it. RSVP on Facebook or send an e-mail to [email protected]

  

Come early for dinner, drinks and conversation. Detailed agenda at:
http://tualatinriverkeepers.org/text/past_present_future_talk_16Aug2012-1.pdf

 

Planting native also supports other beneficial native insects and other native wildlife, a healthy soil food web, and improved water quality.  Our backyards become places of connectivity with natural areas, too.   

 

Want to know more?     

 

Lessons Learned from Twenty Years of Tualatin River Research

 

  

 

 

Summer Watershed Volunteers Needed!  

 

Help build watershed awareness by participating in community outreach events!

Watershed Stewards Multnomah DaysOpportunities include:

          • Educate the public about how they can take action to improve watershed health
          • Assist with distributing informational materials and answering questions at events 
When you help connect with neighbors to increase awareness, you are making a difference for both people and wildlife -- since everyone who lives in a watershed affects its health.  Whether you volunteer at an event or take action in your own backyard, your efforts raise awareness and inspire change in your community and beyond. Come have fun with other volunteers and make change!!   
TCWC fern


Sign up here for the opportunities below!

National Night Out- Tuesday, August 7

Spring Garden Park/ Multnomah Neighborhood Assn, 6-9pm
Willamette Park/ South Portland Neighborhood Assn, 5:30-8:30pm


Multnomah Days
- Saturday, August 18 

8:00am setup shift 

Tabling shifts at 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm

3:30-5pm take down shift 

 

Questions or need more info?  Contact Jen Seamans.  

 



Depave logo Hayhurst Elementary School Depave
Saturday, August 4
9:00 am  

5037 SW Iowa St.

  

Depave is partnering with Hayhurst Elementary School to remove 1,400 square feet of asphalt.  In its place a vegetable garden will be used as an outdoor learning center for students and teachers!


Volunteers of all ages are welcome and encouraged to arrive early, while it's still cool out, but feel free to show up later as well.  Depave will provide  all the necessary tools, safety gear, and water. Snacks and lunch will be provided.  

 

Due to the physical nature of asphalt removal, volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants and clothing appropriate for the weather. Closed-toe shoes are required to depave - No Exceptions!

 

For more information and to sign up for this event please contact Maia Nativ.

 

 

   

 
Portland Parks
City Nature 
Special Events
  

River View Natural Area

Wednesday, August 8, 5:00-8:00 PM   

 

Join PP&R, Northwest Trail Alliance, and Sellwood Cycle in for an evening of trail work: brushing, tread work, and some minor re-routes. Meet at the top of the natural area at SW Brugger & Palatine Hill Rd. Directions here. All tools, work gloves, and materials will be provided. Please wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and sturdy footwear; bring water and snacks. Contact Rachel at 503-823-9423 or [email protected] for more information.


 

 




Muddy Boots Family Trail Day Walking trail
Friends of Tryon Creek
Saturday, August 11
10am - 1pm    
Learn some new skills with the Friends as we focus on forest investigation techniques for our second Muddy Boots event of 2012.  We'll have experienced guides stationed on our upper trails (near the visitor's center) waiting to engage parents and children in fun and interactive investigation techniques that are designed for usefulness in a variety of outdoor environments.  Bracelets will be available at the Visitor's Center and families that collect all the bracelet beads (one from each activity station) will be given a prize to assist with future forest investigations.

This is a free event, but pre-registration is appreciated.

Pre-register online at http://www.tryonfriends.org or by calling 503-636-4398. 

 





Texas Green Street wetland

Landscaping for Conservation:

Let Nature Work for You!

Saturday August 18, 1 pm - 4 pm

  

Save time, save money and help out the environment by letting nature do your gardening.  Join Friends of Tryon Creek Education Director Matthew Collins for this workshop and learn how your garden can function more like the natural system surrounding us.  You will learn about your garden from the ground up - starting with the soil and its complex role supporting plants.  You will also learn about gardening with native plants which use less water and don't require expensive fertilizers and pesticides. 

Cost: This is a free program but enrollment is limited.  Pre-register online at http://www.tryonfriends.org or by calling 503-636-4398. 

 


 

Why "Riffles"?

 

A riffle is a section of creek where velocity and turbulence are higher, creating small waves on the surface.  Riffles often occur at an elevation change, where the stream suddenly slopes, or where the material at the bottom of the creek bed is coarser.

 

So why the name for this newsletter?  A riffle is free flowing, unencumbered  water, not stagnant.  Riffle habitat adds oxygen to the water, and often supports higher species diversity among macroinvertebrates and fish.  We'd like to see a few more Riffles around SW Portland!

 

  



 

EventsUpcoming Watershed Events & Grant Deadlines
 

Aug 1: Willamette Park Concert, Devin Phillips Band, 6:30pm   

Aug 4: Hayhurst Elementary School Depave

Aug 4: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party  

Aug 5-10: Ecological Society of America annual meeting, Portland 

Aug 7: National Night Out - multiple locations NNO Party Locations

Aug 8: River View Natural Area work party, 5-8pm

Aug 9: Caruthers Park Movie, The Muppets, 6:30pm

Aug 11: Friends of Terwilliger work party 

Aug 11: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party   

Aug 11: Muddy Boots Family Trail Day, Tryon Creek  

Aug 15: WMSWCD FISH grant deadline 

Aug 16: Lessons Learned from 20 years of Tualatin River Research 

Aug 17: Caruthers Park Concert: Toque Libre, 6:30pm

Aug 18: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party  

Aug 18: Multnomah Days, Multnomah Village

Aug 18: Landscaping for Conservation, Tryon Creek SP 

Aug 19: Shomrei Teva at Neveh Shalom work party 

Aug 23: Dewitt Park Movie: Megamind, 6:30pm

Aug 24: Caruthers Park Concert: Sassparilla, 6:30pm

Aug 25: Friends of Marquam Nature Park work party

Aug 25: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party 

 

Sept 1: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party

Sept 6: Caruthers Park Movie: Big Miracle, 6:30pm

Sept 7: Multnomah Art Center Movie: Hugo, 8pm

Sept 8: Friends of Terwilliger work party

Sept 8: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party

Sept 10: Tryon Creek Watershed Council meeting, Tryon Creek Nature Center, 6pm

Sept 15: South Portland Riverbanks work party

Sept 15: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party

Sept 16: Shomrei Teva at Neveh Shalom work party

Sept 22: Woods Memorial Park work party

Sept 22: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party

Sept 29: Friends of Marquam Nature Park work Party

Sept 29: Friends of Tryon Creek SP work party     

 

Oct 3: Tryon Creek State of the Watershed Event

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Other Watershed Items of Interest



 
 
Salmon: Running the Gauntlet PBS Nature special on Pacific salmon populations


 

  

Watershed Links
Bureau of Environmental Services watershed planning & projects
Metro natural gardening programs: schedule at your site with a group of 20+ people
Portland Parks & Recreation natural areas work parties
Watershed Resource Center Watershed Stewards group links, WRC hours
  

 

For healthy SW watersheds,
Jen
SWNI logoJen Seamans
Watershed Resource Center Manager
Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc.
503-823-2862

[email protected]

http://wrc.swni.org 

WRC photo bar images (c) David Pickar