Willamette Floodplain Evaluation

The Willamette Floodplain Evaluation committee is working on the first item in our 2019-21 Work Plan 1.

Task:

Evaluation and identification of restoration opportunities for the Willamette River and associated floodplain between the Willamette Mission/Windsor island and Hayden Island (Watershed Health)

Description:

Conduct an assessment of conditions and restoration opportunities for the Willamette River and floodplain between the Willamette Mission/Windsor Island and Hayden Island.

Connection to the Strategy:

This project will help GGWC to work toward the goal of watershed health by better understanding the current conditions of this area, project development and prioritization.

Partners:

Rickreall WSC: This is a potentially shared concern and task if Rickreall WC decides to extend this study to include its border with the Willamette River. City of Salem: This reach study includes the City’s waterfront and the Salem Willamette River Greenway. We hope the City will encourage and support this project. Polk County and Marion County: This reach study includes the Counties’ waterfronts and the Polk and Marion Willamette River Greenway. We will work with the Counties to encourage and support this project. Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation: This reach study includes the waterfronts of Mission Bottom State Park, Spring Valley Access, Spring Hill, McLane Island Landing, Doaks Ferry Access, Lincoln Access, and other small ownerships. Some of these parcels are important Willamette River Water Trail stops. ODPR will be a critical partner in this effort. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: This reach study has the potential to add to current data sets and to improve river and floodplain habitats. We hope ODFW will encourage and support this project.

Schedule:

Completion by June 30, 2021.

Apply for Funding from:

OWEB grant, Meyer Memorial Trust grant, City of Salem Watershed Stewardship grant.

Committee Chair:

Ken Bierly

Members:

E.M. Easterly

Project Status:

The committee is currently meeting with potential partners, reviewing existing information, working on budget. Products include a work scope and proposal from Cascade Environmental Group.

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Citizen Scientists

This committee makes observations at the Oak Savanna, working toward measuring the use of the habitat.

Partners:

Neighbors of the projects, instructors in monitoring techniques.

Activity:

Learning monitoring techniques including e Bird and iNaturalist to identify plants and animals.

Products:

Observations of existing conditions submitted at regular intervals on standardized forms including photographs and measurements.

Members:

Gretchen Jensen, Paul Rice, Jim Scott, Jim Heder

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Committee members on field trip to the Audubon Nature Preserve to look at a fencing installation done by GGWC to protect plantings on the slope that were being beaten to death by bikers and hikers going off the pathways.