Hello River Folks -
When I first started in this work in 2000, a prevailing theme was how some of our State Agencies needed to improve accountability, transparency and public participation procedures in their work. Agencies such as the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality were part of this issue. Each of these agencies issue permits to discharge waste material into the world, or they make other key decisions that affect clean water, clean air, and healthy lands.
The problem then was that at times, these agencies had been not upholding the Public Trust in regard to protecting Oregon’s environment. Further, when issues arose, at times these agencies made it difficult to access information or to gain key documents that should be made available to the public, and in time for us to meaningfully participate in public proceedings. Unfortunately, even in 2022 such agencies are still too often behaving in a problematic fashion, and one might make the case that for a time, they improved, but are now once again slipping in a negative direction. The Oregon DEQ may well be at the top of the list.
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Imagine looking into an environmetal issue related to toxic emissions, and being told that the agency will not send you an email that should include documents accessible to the public, and that the only way to access information is to set an appointment and travel to one of their offices to look through boxes of paper documents. Even with the information in hand, the agency decides that sending documents via email is not something they are willing to do. Or if they are, it will be at a significant financial cost. This is reality in 2022 for the DEQ.
Just recently DEQ has been involved in a construction permit for a Confined Animal Feeding Operation near the N. Santiam River. While Willamette Riverkeeper (WR) and others have been deeply involved in fighting this CAFO, instead of emailing WR and our partners that a public comment period had opened in regard to this permit, no involved organizations were notified. Our staff found out in one of the periodic notices issued by the agency. Frankly, this kind of behavior is sad. We expect more from the Oregon DEQ. To us it seems like this agency is taking directions from a playbook issued in 1963, rather than in 2022.
Over the coming year WR will be pressing hard to improve these agencies, and to call them to account. They work for everyone in the State of Oregon, not just for industries seeking permits to facilitate their discharge of waste into Oregon’s water, air and land.
Stay tuned for more on this.
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Travis Williams
Riverkeeper & Executive Director
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Header photo: Willamette River winterscape, taken at Sam Daws Landing |
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Join a trash cleanup or invasive species removal work party this month,
and mark your calendar for more events to come!
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Invasive Plant Removal Work Party: We are partnering with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department on February 5 to remove a patch of invasive species, ludwigia, at Willamette Mission State Park, just north of Salem. Details about the park and of ludwigia are available below. Register here and join the fun this weekend!
Portland Trashy Tuesday is back!
On February 15, we are working with Portland Parks & Recreation to cleanup Powers Marine Park in SW Portland. And on March 1, we will again partner with Portland Parks & Recreation to cleanup Oaks Crossing in SE Portland. More details and registration for both events can be found here.
Eugene-Springfield Trashy Tuesday: In partnership with the City of Eugene Parks & Recreation, we are working from Aspen Street to Alton Baker on February 8. Find more details and register here!
Corvallis Trashy Thursday: On February 17 we are working in partnership with Corvallis Parks to continue our cleanup efforts at the Avery Park Natural Area and the south banks of the Marys River. Join us for this on water and land-based cleanup - more details and registration are available here!
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Discovery Paddle: Join us on Saturday, March 12 for our FIRST Discovery Paddle of 2022! We will be paddling 7.5 miles through the Portland Harbor, offering unique views of 8 Portland bridges, cargo ships, as well as an educational component about the Superfund site and Willamette River history from Riverkeeper and Executive Director, Travis Williams. Bring your own boat or borrow one of ours. Register today!
SAVE THE DATE and mark your calendar for our 2022 Summer Overnight Paddle Trips! This year, we will have THREE overnight events, including the return of our Annual Paddle Oregon (and finally doing the 20th)! Registration and additional details will be available in March 2022.
Pinot Paddle: June 18 - 19, 2022
Paddle Oregon: August 15 - 19, 2022
Harvest Paddle: September 17 - 18, 2022
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Invasive Plants Move Through Willamette
Mission State Park
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Willamette Mission State Park (WMSP) is one of the largest tracts of intact functional floodplain forest and wetland shrub-scrub habitat within the Willamette River’s floodplain, and our largest active restoration projects. Our restoration team recently returned to the park to observe progress of last year’s work, and assess the overall condition of this floodplain forest after the high-water events the park experienced this winter. In December, WMSP was heavily inundated with water levels of 90,000 cubic feet per second; at this level the main road into the heart of the park would have 11+ feet of water running over it.
At the end of the day’s tour, as we watched the river still flowing over the road into Mission Lake, we made an unfavorable discovery. Log jams that had been carried through the high water still remained, some over 10ft high. The unfortunate part was that intermixed within these strainers was an enormous biomass of water primrose (Ludwigia ssp.), an ODA listed “B” aquatic invasive species. Willamette Riverkeeper has been diligently fighting infestations of Ludwigia in Mission Lake for 4 years now. Last year we were celebrating the fact that the Ludwigia in Mission Lake was reduced to the point where it could be largely removed by hand.
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As we observed this huge population brought in with the flooding, we noticed intact roots, fleshy stems over 3 feet long, and that some plants even held clusters of their green alternate leaves. This came as quite a shock because certain segments still looked viable. Ludwigia is a species that can reproduce via plant fragments. Meaning, if a piece of a stem breaks off and is carried into the right conditions, that small fragment can then develop roots and grow into a new plant.
After talking with multiple partners from Oregon Parks Recreation Department and Portland State University we decided to pool our resources and work together to remove and properly dispose any patch that would either remain in wet conditions until spring, or remain in areas where it could potentially be washed back into Mission Lake if waters rise again. So, we are calling all Willamette River supporters who want to get outside for a day and give back to our watershed.
Please join OPRD and Willamette Riverkeeper on February 5 to save Mission Lake from ludwigia spread and help with our efforts to improve water quality, control aquatic invasive species, and restore biodiversity within the lake. Visit our event page for more information, as well as registration. We hope to see you out there!
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Volunteer's Needed: Help Keep Discarded Line and Tackle Out of Our Waterways! |
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Thanks to our amazing partners across the Willamette Basin, Willamette Riverkeeper and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife launched a new effort in 2021 to help reduce the presence of discarded line and tackle in popular angling destinations. From the headwaters of the Middle Fork, to some of our favorite mainstem backchannels and tributaries, Keep Our River Clean (KORC) recycling stations were installed to help create a healthier and safer habitat for fish and wildlife and safe recreation.
But we need your help! We are seeking 2022 volunteers to help empty these stations as needed (typically once or twice a month, based on popularity of use) and report back findings. It’s a fun and easy task, and helps give folks some ownership in stewarding areas close to home. Please email michelle@willametteriverkeeper.org to volunteer today, including which location you’re interested in (see below).
KORC Recycling Station locations in need of volunteer monitors:
· Springfield / Clearwater Park
· Springfield / Island Park
· Springfield / Aspen St. Boat Ramp
· Eugene / Alton Baker Park (x3)
· Eugene / Beltline River Access
· Eugene / Alton Baker Boat Ramp
· Oakridge / Greenwaters Park
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Coffee! Warm up this winter season with Roast #187 from Pastor John's Blessed Beans. Roasted in Oregon City, this is a great way to support Willamette Riverkeeper and a local small business. Purchase 2lbs. (that's two bags!) of this amazing dark roast for just $35!
Paddle. Camp. Repeat. Tees! These tri-blend tees come in a women's or men's fit, with the option of blue or gray. Purchase yours today for just $25!
Maps! Starting to plan for your summer river trips? Grab a digital or paper (waterproof of course) copy of our Willamette River Maps on the Willamette Water Trail. Available for the Upper and Lower Willamette River.
Willamette Water Trail Patches, we're selling them for just $5!
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