AUGUST RIVERSCAPE

Please Give to our

187 Miles of Wonder Campaign!

WE ARE ALMOST HALFWAY TO OUR GOAL! PLEASE HELP US GET TO $75,000 BY AUGUST 31ST! This funding is essential to support our advocacy on behalf of the river, our on the ground work to restore the river and our amazing field trips, paddles and events to engage the community with the river. 

THE NEXT $10,000 WILL BE MATCHED 1:1. IF YOU DONATE NOW, YOUR DONATION WILL BE DOUBLED!

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FROM THE RIVERKEEPER: CELEBRATING OUR WILLAMETTE

Dear Friends,

As dozens of paddlers began assembling in Wallace Marine Park in Salem for our annual Pinot Paddle, an unmistakable sound rang out from the Union Street Railroad Bridge just downstream: the “cack, cack, cacking” of a peregrine falcon. For me, that is the sound of hope and restoration. A little more than 50 years ago you could not find a peregrine falcon nesting on the Willamette River, or anywhere in Oregon for that matter. They had been wiped out by the pesticide DDT and sat perched at the edge of extinction. Thanks to the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the courage of politicians on both sides of the aisle to ban DDT and a small army of scientists, conservationists and dedicated volunteers, peregrines, the fastest animal on the planet once again grace our skies. It was an auspicious beginning to a fabulous two days paddling down the Willamette. 

Willamette Riverkeeper takes on some of the most difficult and complex issues related to the Willamette: Enforcing the Clean Water Act and holding polluters accountable, advocating for protection of floodplains to prevent irresponsible development that harms salmon and puts our communities as risk of flooding, advocating for reform of the Willamette hydropower system so that federally listed salmon can get safely to sea and return again to spawn. The list is long and the fights are difficult. 

At the same time we cannot forget to stop and celebrate this amazing river and how far we have come together. One of the things that drew me to Willamette Riverkeeper is the emphasis that our organization puts on getting people out on the water. In my first month and a half as executive director some of the biggest highlights have been the opportunity to immerse myself in this “canoe culture” and to to take a deeper dive into Willamette Riverkeeper’s efforts to ensure that the river is safe and accessible for people. 

Pinot Paddle was fabulous. For two sunny days, nearly 70 paddlers made their way down the Willamette. By my count, we passed nearly 40 bald eagles, osprey dove on fish, clouds of cedar waxwings flew overhead and we awoke to a dawn chorus of Swainson’s Thrusts, Western Wood Pewees and Spotted Towhees. I had the chance to talk with people who have been working on the river for decades and some who were really discovering the river for the first time. I heard many comments about how quickly the river transforms from an urban waterway to something that feels much more remote and yes, wild. I was incredibly impressed by our dedicated safety paddlers and appreciative of the opportunity to enjoy great food, wine and music as the sun set and the star emerged. Special thanks to our Deputy Director Michelle Emmons for an amazing job organizing the event.

A week later I had the chance to participate in one of our Paddle & Pull events. Led by our intrepid restoration manager, Vanessa Youngblood, and our partners from Oregon State Parks, Benton Soil and Water Conservation District, and a dozen volunteers, we set out from Corvallis in search of the invasive aquatic weed, Ludwigia, which chokes out back channels destroying vital salmonid habitat. On this day we got a special surprise: our destination north of Corvallis where we had pulled in prior years had magically transformed. Ludgwigia had largely been replaced by healthy mats of native wapato. Magic is really the wrong word. The transformation was the product of years of hard work, mud-covered volunteers pulling up Ludwigia in their canoes, and hauling garbage bags of it down the river for disposal. It was the result that was magical.

In addition to getting people out on the river, Willamette Riverkeeper also owns and manages land along the Willamette that we make accessible for primitive camping. We are a core partner in creating the Willamette Water Trail which runs the length of the Willamette, manage the Willamette Water Trail website and recently published a guide to the Willamette Water Trail. 

A core part of our mission is getting people out on the river, to experience and celebrate its beauty, its wildlife, its magic… ALL 187 MILES OF ITS WONDER… to rejuvenate ourselves and inspire us forward to face the challenges that lie ahead. 

Please join us out on the river, and if you haven’t already please consider donating to our current 187 Miles of Wonder fundraising effort to help support bringing these extraordinary experiences to more people on our Willamette River!

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Over the last several weeks there have been a series of incidents on the Willamette River that serve as stark reminders of serious hazards and how Willamette Riverkeeper is working to address them.

In July, two dragon boats from the Wasabi Paddling Club were swamped and capsized by wake boats (boats specifically designed to create large waves). To make matters even worse, the incidents occurred in designated no wake zones. Put simply these boats do not belong on the Willamette. They create large, unnatural waves that otherwise would not occur on this kind of river. They put people at real risk and they destroy riparian habitat. WRK joins our friends at Wasabi in calling for strong enforcement, signage and educational outreach. The recreational activities of one user group must not be allowed to put other river uses, especially those in human powered watercraft as real risk.a a

WILDFIRE ON ROSS ISLAND

Photo Credit: Portland Mercury

During the same time period, a major fire broke out on Ross Island. Old tire piles and machinery left on the island by Ross Island Sand and Gravel Company caught fire, putting the island's valuable wildlife habitat at risk and enveloped significant portions of downtown Portland and SE Portland in thick, black, billowing smoke. It took more than 40 firefighters several hours to put out. Because the Portland Fire Department did not make a request to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, they did not deploy air monitors during the fire so there is no way to know what was released into the environment and Portland’s neighborhoods. 

Willamette Riverkeeper is calling on Ross Island Sand and Gravel Company to resolve its outstanding legal issues related to the island, complete its legally mandated restoration obligations, and expeditiously transfer ownership of the four island complex to a public agency or non profit (Willamette Riverkeeper is willing to step up) that protect and restore the islands to their full potential and manage them in perpetuity. WRK requested the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to fully investigate this fire and are pleased to hear that they are doing so. WRK has also requested the CIty of Portland to have DEQ deploy air monitors anytime there is a significant industrial fire with potential for release of highly hazardous materials.

Finally, in the Springfield-Eugene upper Willamette river near the I-5 bridge, several major safety incidents have occurred, including one just from this past weekend, at the Millrace low head dam just upstream of the I5 Bridge. This structure consists of a series of deteriorating cement weirs spanning the river, pushing all traffic to far river right for safe passage, but virtually invisible until unsuspecting boaters or floaters are too close to it to course correct. Willamette Riverkeeper has been on the frontline of working together with District 4 Senator, Floyd Prozanski and local stakeholders, to identify and implement solutions, both immediate and long term, in an effort to mitigate safety risks for recreationists.

Stay tuned! Lots more to come on all of these issues as Willamette Riverkeeper continues to advocate alongside our constituents and stakeholders for safe river recreation and a healthy river.

SUMMER RESTORATION UPDATES

Purple loosestrife shown here during one of our AIS survey efforts (to the left as flowering spires), reproduces quickly with hundreds of thousands of seeds.,

One of our many restoration projects for this summer is focused on two A-listed aquatic invasive species, yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata) and garden loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris). These noxious weeds are extremely aggressive invaders that choke out our native aquatic habitat for fish & wildlife , they limit or in some cases fully restrict boating access on the river, and for farmers or landowners who have water rights these weeds can restrict irrigation withdrawals. 

Our volunteer carries a whole bunch of AIS weeds tagged and bagged for proper disposal!

A WRK intern surveys an example of yellow floating heart taking over a back channel habitat.

Last Saturday, WRK's Paddle & Pull event broke a record, with 55 bags of Ludwigia removed from the back channel at Tripp Island (above photo). Eight partner representatives, including and six volunteers joined us for this hefty effort. We are incredibly grateful to our organizing partners, Benton Soil & Water Conservation District and Oregon State Parks for making this event successful!

WRK will continue to work with partners and contractors on 130 miles of the Willamette to continue eradication efforts so they do not become the new Ludwigia, which is an ODA B-listed weed that has spread up and down the Willamette River. These aquatic invasive species are mostly introduced through the aquarium trade. A common example of this is when someone has a fish that they no longer can keep as a pet, and they think they’re doing the right thing by setting them free in the wild (in this case the river) and the non-native vegetation comes with it. More often than not, those plants or pets have aggressive reproduction mechanisms, and they end up taking over an area in a short period of time which degrades our native river habitat. There are some wonderful programs out there like “Don’t let it Loose” that help educate the public on these impacts and also provide help with finding a new home for your exotic pet.

We want everyone to enjoy and have access to our river, so it’s also in all of our best interest to educate ourselves on what aquatic invasives we‘re battling and get familiar with the Oregon State Marine Boards, “Clean, Drain, Dry” campaign. The Willamette is an incredible river that lies entirely within our state and is right in our backyard. So, we as Oregonians are solely responsible for its health as a natural resource.

To learn how YOU can get involved in invasive aquatic weed removal opportunities with Willamette Riverkeeper and our partners, please email our Restoration Manager, Vanessa Youngblood.

UPPER WILLAMETTE

WATER CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission is working with businesses in the Upper Willamette Watershed to conserve and recycle water, promoting Class A Recycled Water use. MWMC is a partner with Willamette Riverkeeper in water conservation and water quality education in the Lane County area.

Willamette Riverkeeper takes pride in our Willamette River Festival sponsor, Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), as a primary partner in education and water conservation. This year, MWMC was awarded $4M in federal drought resiliency funds for Class A recycled water development, by the Bureau of Reclamation this past May. The $4 million came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This money will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure for water filtering, disinfection, storage, and conveyance. Once completed, the MWMC can deliver up to 1.3 million gallons of Class A recycled water daily for public works and industrial uses by community partners rather than pulling water from the Willamette River or using drinking water.

Recycled water has a variety of applications that can help reduce the impacts on our rivers by providing water for landscaping, irrigation, and industrial processes that can consume high volumes of water or place strains on drinking water systems. The MWMC historically produces Class D recycled water, which is used to irrigate its poplar tree farm as part of its natural treatment system for wastewater. In 2023, the MWMC utilized more than 46 million gallons of Class D recycled water. Class A capabilities will allow the community to expand that use to virtually any other application not requiring potable water. MORE…

EVENTS & STEWARDSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Come PADDLE & PULL invasive aquatic weeds with WRK's Restoration Team. We'll be reviving back channel habitats to help restore cooler temperatures and oxygenated habitats for native flora, fauna, and wildlife! We'll have two opportunities this year... these outings are free of charge and include all the boating gear needed; canoes, PFDs, and paddles. Space is very limited; please register early to ensure a seat in one of our canoes, or bring your own boat (please be experienced paddling in moving water if you are bringing your own boat).

Or join us for our RIVER GUARDIANS program in Eugene or Corvallis this summer! If you are interested in learning how to sponsor getting a program started in your community, please contact Michelle Emmons. WRK also welcomes employee groups at any of our regularly scheduled cleanups. To see what we've got coming up soon, please check our event calendar, or register for one of our upcoming events below.Or

Join Oregon Paddle Sports and Willamette Riverkeeper with our LGBTQIA+ community and allies, to celebrate Pride with a sunset paddle the Willamette River! We’ll start at Eastgate Woodlands and paddle downstream to Alton Baker Park. Bring your own boat, borrow one of ours, or reserve a seat in a raft. This event is FREE and includes all the gear you need, first come-first served -LIMITED AVAILABILITY- register early! More information and registration HERE.

Join the fun! The Willamette River Festival is almost here, and we can't wait for you to join in on the fun! Music, paddling demos, a Paddle Parade float contest, Downriver Race, safety education and activities to support history, culture, and healthy watershed ecology are FREE! Come connect to #OurWillamette River at this exciting summer riverside event at the River House Eddy in Eugene! For more information see: www.willametteriverfest.org