WILLAMETTE RIVER GREENWAY
History
The initial Willamette River Greenway legislation was established in 1967 as a system to acquire lands for scenic and recreational purposes along the river. It was called the Willamette River Park System.
In 1973 the State Legislature enacted the present law, ORS 390.310 to 390.368, establishing the Willamette River Greenway. This law required the State Department of Transportation (DOT), in cooperation with units of local government, to prepare a plan for the development and management of the Greenway. The State Parks Division contracted with a planning firm from San Francisco to develop the Greenway Plan. Public hearings were held and advisory committees were formed. As a result, a book was prepared entitled “Preliminary Willamette River Greenway.” The document contained a good deal of inventory and analysis and other background data, as well as a plan section. The DOT staff then revised and edited the plan portion and produced a second document entitled the “Willamette River Greenway.” This plan was then adopted by the Oregon Transportation Commission in April, 1975.
The State Law also required the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) to review the Plan and give approval before implementation. The LCDC determined that the Plan was not consistent with the Greenway law and adopted the Greenway Goal No. 15, as well as an Interim Greenway Order controlling land use within the Greenway boundary. The program was then sent back to the DOT and local government to revise the boundary and to develop management and land use plans for the Greenway, consistent with the State Goals and Guidelines. The County is responsible for implementing the controls required by the Greenway Order until replaced by the Greenway Plan and implementing ordinances.
The Greenway program is made up of the following elements:
1. Greeenway law – ORS 390.310 to 390.368.
2. LCDC Greenway Goal.
3. LCDC Interim Order.
4. DOT Greenway Plan.
5. Local Comprehensive Plans.
6. Implementing Management Program.
All of these elements come together at the County Comprehensive Plan level, where the State Goals and Guidelines must meet in compliance.
Greenway Law
Before the Willamette Greenway can be accomplished, it is necessary to understand the basic provisions of law. ORS 390.310 through 390.368 is the legislation, which provides the authority for the Greenway program. The 1973 State Legislature found that there was a need to establish a program of riverlands control that would “...protect and preserve the natural, scenic and recreational qualities of lands along the Willamette River...” as well as significant historical sites. The legislature made the following findings and policies regarding the intent of the Greenway.
1. The existing development shall continue but that some limitation be placed upon future intensification and change of land use to ensure compatibility with the existing qualities of the river.
2. Farming is compatible with the intent of the Greenway and should not be restricted.
3. There is no need for public ownership of all lands along the river.
4. There is a need for coordinated planning for such Greenway through the cooperation of the State DOT and local government.
The law requires that a Greenway boundary be drawn which shall include “...all lands situated within 150 feet from ordinary low waterline on each side of each channel of the Willamette River and such other lands along the Willamette River as the Department and units of local governments consider necessary for the development of such Greenway; however, the total area...shall not exceed, on the average, 320 acres per river mile...”
The Department of Transportation, in cooperation with units of local government, is required to develop a Greenway plan that shows the Greenway boundary. The DOT is also required to show those lands presently acquired for parks and recreation purposes, or where the State has an interest in acquiring the lands for the Greenway. The Plan shall also show those areas where the acquisition of scenic easements would be sufficient to accomplish the Greenway.
The acquisition of lands within the Greenway boundary is limited by the law. The use of the powers of eminent domain or condemnation is limited to the five State parks identified by the Legislature in Section 8A, Chapter 558, Oregon Law, 1973, and for scenic easements on nonfarm lands. Willamette Mission is the only area within Marion County where condemnation for State ownership can legally occur within the Greenway. Any other lands that the State or County may wish to acquire in fee title must be negotiated with a willing seller.
A majority of land is presently in private ownership and the policies of the Legislature indicate that it should remain that way. The Greenway law specifies that the following information be included as a part of the Greenway Plan:
“(2) The Plan shall depict, through the use of descriptions, maps, charts and other explanatory materials:
(a) The boundaries of the Willamette River Greenway.
(b) The boundaries of lands acquired or to be acquired as State parks and recreation areas under ORS 390.338.
(c) The lands and interests in lands acquired or to be acquired by units of local government under ORS 390.330 to 390.360.
(d) Lands within the Willamette River Greenway for which the acquisition of a scenic easement, as provided in ORS 390.332, is sufficient for the purpose of such Greenway.
(3) The plan shall include the location of all known subsurface mineral aggregate deposits situated on lands within the boundaries of the Willamette River Greenway.”
The Greenway law establishes clear policy direction on the intent of the Greenway, but provides little explanation of how the plan and management program should be accomplished.
LCDC Goal
Because of the insufficiency of the law to fully explain the jurisdictional interests in the Plan and how it should be accomplished, the LCDC adopted a Greenway Goal. The Goal is similar to the other 19 State Goals and Guidelines, and will help coordinate planning effects of the nine counties and 19 cities along the 255-mile length of the Greenway, as required by ORS 197. This goal sets up the framework for establishing the Willamette River Greenway through property comprehensive planning programs at both the State and local levels. This will assure that all planning efforts will be consistent with each other and the Greenway law. The State DOT has developed a State interest Greenway plan while Marion County will incorporate the Greenway into the Marion County Comprehensive Plan.
The overall LCDC goal statement is “To protect, conserve, enhance, and maintain the natural, scenic historic, agricultural, economic and recreational qualities of lands along the Willamette River as the Willamette River Greenway.” The goal requires extensive inventories of resources, uses, and rights associated with the Greenway area, as well as an extensive list of considerations and requirements that must be addressed in planning for the Greenway.
The goal requires that Greenway planning be consistent with all of the State Goals and Guidelines and that the program shall include:
“a. Boundaries within which special Greenway considerations shall be taken into account;
b. Management of uses on lands within and near the Greenway to maintain the qualities of the Greenway;
c. Acquisition of lands or interests in lands from the donor or willing seller or as otherwise provided by law in areas where the public’s need can be met by public ownership.”
The goal further outlines the required contents of the DOT Greenway plan and the comprehensive plans of cities and counties. Implementation measures are also required as a part of the planning process. The “Greenway Compatibility Review” process must be established by County ordinance for the review of intensification, change of use or developments within the Greenway boundary.
The Greenway goal is the mechanism for clarifying the various State and local interests in the Greenway, while providing a central objective for achieving the intent of the legislation.
DOT Greenway Plan
To help clarify the State’s interest in the Greenway, the LCDC goal specifies what the DOT plan should contain:
“1. The boundaries of the Willamette River Greenway;
2. The boundaries of the areas in which interests in property may be acquired. These shall be depicted clearly on maps or photographs together with the nature of the acquisition such as fee title or scenic easement; the general public purposes of each such area, and the conditions under which such acquisition may occur.
3. Use Intensity Classifications for the area acquired by the State for Greenway purposes; and
4. The locations of public access, either already existing or to be acquired.”
The Department of Transportation, through its State Parks Branch, has developed a proposal for the State’s interest in the Willamette River Greenway. It is not a comprehensive plan of the Greenway, but is an explanation of the State’s acquisition and development desires.
The DOT proposed Greenway boundary and possible acquisition areas are shown on one inch equals 400 feet aerial photos. The proposed acquisition areas are also classified according to their intended use intensity by number. The Class numbers 1 through 6 are explained as follows:
“Class (Position in this list does not imply priority)
1. Land with legal access from the river and/or trails which offer opportunities for public day use such as picnicking, fishing and hunting and convenience facilities (sanitation, potable water, etc.).
2. Land with legal access from the river and/or trails offering the above and in addition opportunities for limited overnight use such as primitive camping.
3. Land which could provide legal and physical access from the uplands to the river bank areas offering opportunities for public use as in (1) above.
4. Land which could provide legal and physical access from the uplands to the river bank for boat launching facilities and/or trail heads.
5. Land suitable for trail corridors between upland access points and/or other land in public ownership.
6. Land which should be acquired in fee to assure adequate protection of natural, scenic, historic, archaeologic and scientific (biologic, geologic, etc.) values.
Classes 1 through 5 identify lands that have potential for the public recreational uses shown, should acquisition occur through negotiation with a willing seller. These five classes might, in some cases, be found suitable for acquisition of easements (not scenic easements) allowing restricted public use. Such use easements, again, could be acquired only by negotiation with willing sellers.
Areas within the proposed Greenway boundary not covered by one of these six classifications are considered to be lands on which acquisition of a scenic easement, not providing for any public use, would be sufficient for Greenway purposes (ORS 390.318 (2) (d)).”
The DOT has identified 19 sites totaling approximately 970 acres in Marion County for potential purchase. These purchase proposals are qualified on “...whether the owner is willing to sell and whether the State has funds available for purchase. Also, the areas shown on the photos and described in the text here are those areas the Parks branch is interested in purchasing given today’s land use patterns and mixes of ownership. As these conditions change, so may the desirability of a listed parcel. If no other land has been purchased near a particular parcel, purchase of that parcel may be of high priority. But if successful purchases are negotiated near a listed parcel, the need for purchase of that parcel too may be reduced or eliminated.”
The written text boundary shown on the DOT proposal was reviewed by LCDC and approved in October 1977 with only slight modifications. The approved DOT Greenway Plan is included as part of this Plan and is on file with the Marion County Planning Department and with the County Recorder.
Marion County Greenway Program
The LCDC goal clarified the County’s role in planning the Greenway by indicating that it should be a part of the Comprehensive Plan and should include the following:
“1. Boundaries: Boundaries of the approved Willamette River Greenway shall be shown on every comprehensive plan.
2. Uses: Each comprehensive plan shall designate the uses to be permitted for the rural and urban areas of each jurisdiction which uses shall be consistent with the approved DOT Greenway Plan, the Greenway Statutes and this Goal.
3. Acquisition Areas: Each comprehensive plan shall designate areas identified for possible public acquisition and conditions under which such acquisition may occur as set forth in the approved DOT Willamette Greenway Plan and any other area which the City or County intends to acquire.”
The Comprehensive Plan is a policy guide in determining appropriate land use controls to achieve the County and State land use goals. The Willamette Greenway program has important land use implications that need to be understood and dealt with in the Plan. As specified in ORS 197, not only are the citizens and local jurisdictions required to comply with adopted comprehensive plans, it also provides a guide that the State agencies must follow. Therefore, the County Comprehensive Plan provides a key role in establishing, coordinating and implementing the Willamette River Greenway.
Purpose and Intent of the Greenway
The Greenway law and LCDC goal indicate that the purpose of the Willamette River Greenway is to protect, preserve, and maintain the natural, scenic, historical, agricultural, economic, and recreational qualities of the lands along the Willamette River. These qualities presently exist along the river in Marion County, and it is the intent of the program to control the adverse impact of changes of use or development on lands that make up the river environment. The control of these lands will be exercised through County land use control programs and by public acquisition of certain properties that can meet the needs of the Greenway. To identify the area of concern and needed control, a Greenway boundary must be established as a line on the map. It is also necessary to identify the type and extent of controls necessary, as well as those areas proposed for public ownership. With the affected lands, control measures, and acquisition areas identified, the implications of the affects of the Greenway on individual properties can be better determined.
Greenway Land Use Control
The County’s main role in the Greenway is to control land use activities to be compatible with the intent of the Greenway program and be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Control will be exercised through the planning process, starting with the Comprehensive Plan and being implemented through zoning and subdivision review, floodplain ordinances and other management tools.
At present the County is exercising land use controls that limit the kinds of activities that can take place along the river. A large majority of the lands along the Willamette River are designated in the Comprehensive Plan as Primary Agriculture and Floodplain Management. These lands are also zoned for farm use and are located within a floodplain overlay zone. These ordinances, along with County rural land use policies, are helping to maintain the lands along the river in an open and undeveloped condition. This indicates that minimal or very limited additional control should accomplish the Greenway program in Marion County.
There do exist, however, certain limited development activities, such as land divisions and conditional uses for nonfarm homesites and the administrative review of building in the floodplain, that could have a negative impact on the natural and scenic qualities of the river. These limited, potential activities would be controlled by the establishment of a compatibility review process. This process would determine the compatibility of any change of use or development within the Greenway Boundary. The County has developed a Greenway Compatibility Review Ordinance that will apply to all lands within the Greenway Boundary. The procedure requires a review of proposed development or change of use, and the imposing of conditions necessary to assure compatibility with the intent of the Greenway. This review is accomplished simultaneously with other conditional use procedures presently required. The compatibility review made for each application will include a determination of compliance with the Greenway Goal, policies of the Comprehensive Plan and use management considerations contained in the Greenway Ordinance.
Acquisition Proposals
One of the most direct methods of controlling and determining the use of land is by outright purchase. The State Parks and Recreation Branch of the Department of Transportation has identified several areas along the river in Marion County that the State would like to acquire and manage for the Greenway purposes.
The location of these areas is indicated in the proposed DOT Greenway Plan. These parcels are classified in the Greenway Plan for a variety of uses. The majority of these lands are proposed for some form of public recreation at various intensities. There are also acquisition areas proposed for special protection of scenic or natural qualities. The County does not at this time propose to acquire any additional land for Greenway purposes.
Any land that is purchased within the Greenway must be negotiated with a willing seller. The only acquisition allowed by condemnation is for scenic easements that are necessary to accomplish the intent of the Greenway. The use and development acquisition areas must be in compliance with the County Comprehensive Plan and are subject to zoning control.
It is not the intent of the Greenway, nor is it necessary, to acquire all of the land adjacent to the Willamette River for public ownership. Continuous trails or other extensive public use of the lands would be detrimental not only to the Greenway program but would have serious effects on agricultural activities. It is also unnecessary to place a majority of the riverbank in public ownership simply to keep it in a natural or scenic condition. The Willamette River is presently being managed throughout its length primarily by private property owners. The majority of farmers along the river know and understand the nature and power of the river and respect it. Much of the present day vegetation is there either as a result of selection from removal, or due to intentional planting to maintain bank stabilization. It is a controlled and managed river that exhibits intrinsic natural and scenic characteristics.
Greenway Boundary
It is necessary to identify the lands on which the Greenway considerations, controls, and acquisition will occur. These areas are included within a Greenway boundary drawn on a photo map for easy identification on the ground. The location of the boundary is based upon the purpose and intent of the Greenway, and upon the need to establish Greenway compatibility controls.
The State Law (ORS 390.318) requires that all lands within 150 feet of the ordinary low waterline, on each side of the Willamette River, be included in the Willamette Greenway. In addition, other lands will be included that accomplish the purpose of the Willamette Greenway, with the maximum area being 320 acres per river-mile.
So that we may better identify those lands along the river that should be included within the boundary beyond the 150-foot minimum, criteria were developed to evaluate specific areas. The following criteria should provide the necessary standard of evaluation to determine which lands should be included in the boundary.
1. Areas of riverine vegetation bordering the river channel.
2. Areas of historical, archeological and cultural significance directly relating to the river.
3. Significant natural and scenic areas, to include fish and wildlife habitat associated with the river.
4. Lands with the potential for public recreational use and access to the river, where the potential for vandalism and trespass on private lands can be minimized.
5. Areas presently acquired for public parks.
6. Farmland should be excluded from the Greenway where there are assurances that it will remain in farming.
7. Other areas that do not meet the above criteria but are necessary to carry out the purpose and intent of the Willamette River Greenway Goal.
The County’s intent in establishing the boundary is to include those lands that are necessary to accomplish the program while limiting the need to exercise additional land use controls to only those areas that have a potential to adversely effect the river scene.
Marion County recognizes the practical problems involved with using a measurement from “mean low water” to determine the minimum Greenway Boundary. The specific location of this initial point is difficult to find most of the year due to the erosional and depositional characteristics of the river during high water flows.
Therefore, the Greenway boundary attempts to follow terrain features or some other identifiable feature that can be located on the ground. Where a minimum boundary is indicated, the line is drawn as close as possible to 150 feet from mean low waterline while keying off of natural features. Since the Greenway program is aimed at maintaining the scenic qualities of the river, and the vegetation makes up a majority of this value, the inclusion of this vegetation is important to the Greenway. The specific location of the Greenway Boundary is shown on the Marion County Zoning Maps and on aerial photo maps on file with the Planning Department.
Greenway Resource Inventories
In conformance with Goal 15 of the Land Conservation and Development Commission, the following items have been inventoried as they relate to objectives of the Willamette River Greenway. It is the purpose of this information to determine the nature and extent of the resources, uses and rights associated directly with the Greenway. The inventories also aid in determining which lands are suitable or necessary to inclusion within the boundaries of the Willamette River Greenway and the policies adopted for Marion County’s Greenway Program. The inventories shall serve as a reference to ensure that future development and changes in land use can be limited and will be permitted only after considering the resources within the Greenway boundary that will be affected.
A series of 18 maps covering the entire 67 miles of Willamette River in Marion County have been produced and are on file in the Marion County Planning Department. These maps have been used to locate inventory items including land use, historic sites, river access, State acquisition area, public ownership, floodplain, aggregate sties and zoning.
Agricultural Land – Land in agricultural use has been identified and mapped using one inch equals 800 feet and one inch equals 400 feet aerial photos. Approximately 80 percent of the rural land along the river is in agricultural use. All the land along the river is comprised of Class I through IV agricultural soils and is dominated by Class II and III soils, as shown in the soils section of this report.
Timber Resources – Timber resources have been located and mapped with the aid of aerial photos and have been verified with the assistance of maps from the Timber Assessment and Appraisal Division of the Department of Revenue. A border of timber and brush stretches along the banks of a majority of the Willamette as it flows through Marion County. This vegetative cover serves as an important factor in bank and farmland stabilization. It is a major element in the scenic quality of the river and also serves as a primary wildlife habitat. A limited amount of this timber can be considered as marketable.
Aggregate Resources – All aggregate excavation and processing sites, and the known extractable aggregate sources, have been located and mapped. Information, including maps and lists of permit holders, was obtained from the Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association (OSAPA) and Montagne and Associates who serve as waterway resource consultants.
There are two types of gravel extraction within the Greenway: (1) upland, or land above the low waterline, including gravel bars; and (2) riverbed, or below the low waterline.
Historic Sites – There are 16 identified historic sites in close proximity to the river in Marion County. Ten of these sites are along one five-mile stretch in the Butteville/Champoeg vicinity.
During the colonial period, the Willamette River served as a transportation route for people as well as produce and supplies. Homes, missions, ferry crossings and towns were located along its banks. Some of the buildings, and sites where buildings stood, remain to remind us of those early days.
|
River Mile |
Name of Site |
|
43.0 |
Butteville |
|
43.0 |
Alexis Aubichon House, Butteville |
|
44.6 |
Champoeg Cemetery, Champoeg Vicinity |
|
45.0 |
William Case House, Donald Vicinity |
|
45.0 |
Hauxhurst House, Champoeg |
|
45.2 |
Casper Zorn House, “Champoeg Farm,” Champoeg |
|
45.5 |
Donald Mason Farm Site, Champoeg |
|
45.8 |
Champoeg Townsite |
|
45.8 |
Robert Newell House, Champoeg |
|
48.4 |
Willamette Post Site, Newberg Bridge Vicinity |
|
55.5 |
St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, St. Paul |
|
55.5 |
St. Paul Cemetery, St. Paul |
|
67.4 |
Fairfield Landing Site |
|
72.0 |
Wheatland Landing and Ferry |
|
72.1 |
Willamette Mission Site, Wheatland Vicinity |
|
91.5 |
Halls Ferry and Land Site |
Areas of Flooding – The Floodplain Overlay zone has been mapped on Marion County’s Willamette River Inventory Maps. This zone consists of the 100-year floodplain, as identified and discussed in the development limitations section of this report.
Marion County has adopted a floodplain control ordinance that limits the placement of structures within the 100-year floodplain. The area subject to flooding covers approximately 90 percent of the lands along the river, thereby severely limiting the development potential of these lands.
Land Currently Committed to Industrial, Commercial and Residential Use – With the aid of aerial photos and a field survey of the land along the river, individual dwellings have been located on the Greenway maps. There are no commercial or industrial activities along the river in Marion County, other than gravel operations and farm related activities.
The Ownership of Land and Riparian Rights – The one inch equals 800 feet scale maps, used to map the resources inventoried along Marion County’s portion of the Greenway, were compared with current Assessor’s maps to show present property lines. The Assessor’s maps also identified property in public ownership.
Oregon recognizes the changing ownership of land along a river by accretion. A landowner may gain or lose land as a result of erosion or soil being deposited.
An 1874 act granted submersible land (that is the land between low and high-water marks) to the landowner. This ownership of land to the low water mark is still recognized for land that was in private ownership at the time of the 1874 grant. This includes 90 percent of the privately owned land along the river. The act was repealed shortly after it came into effect and land that was later sold by the State granted ownership only to the high waterline.
These riparian rights would affect a landowner only if he were to sell the gravel on his property. Royalties must be paid to the State for gravel removed from land it owns. The State owns the riverbed.
Current Public Recreation Sites, Access Points and Future Recreational Needs – An inventory of existing parks and recreation facilities within Marion County’s portion of the Greenway can be seen in Table No. 28. This includes a breakdown by park: listing the type of park, who administers it, the number of acres and facilities for each one.
There are presently seven parks within the Greenway, including five regional parks totaling 2,055 acres and two wayside parks totaling 23 acres. Six areas are being considered for expansion or development within Marion County’s portion of the Greenway. Points of public access to the river have been located on the Greenway inventory maps.
Hunting and Fishing Areas – According to Mr. Ives of the Northwest Regional Game Department, people can hunt and fish unprotected nongame species from a boat throughout the year. Hunting on private property along the river must be with the consent of the property owner.
Greenway land, purchased by the State Parks Division of the Department of Transportation, is open to hunting only with shotguns and bows and arrows.
Significant Natural and Ecologically Fragile Areas – The Nature Conservancy has identified 31 areas in Marion County which they feel represent the most significant unique natural features known in the County. Eleven of these sites are along the Willamette River. Some of the areas have not been verified by research or field study but are considered potentially significant. These areas, which include two protected areas, have been identified and mapped by the Nature Conservancy in the Marion County portion of the Oregon Natural Areas Report.
These sites have been located on Marion County’s Greenway Maps and protection of sites’ unique characteristics are important when considered in any land use decisions affecting the area.
|
RIVER |
SITE NAME/DESCRIPTION |
LOCATION |
STATUS |
|||
|
MILE |
SEC., TOWN., RANGE |
S |
UV |
UU |
PA |
|
|
44-46 |
Champoeg State Park Natural Areas Wildlife habitat along stream bank; scenic, recreation, education values |
S2 T4S |
|
X |
|
X |
|
58 |
Candiani Island-Willamette River Great blue heron rookery; good old growth cottonwoods; island and slough habitat |
S E1/2 22 T4S R3W |
X |
|
|
|
|
64 |
Feasters Rocks Canyon; chasms; fairly wild bank along Willamette |
S1 T5S R3W |
|
|
X |
|
|
71 |
Wheatland Bar on Willamette River Riparian vegetation; great blue heron rookery |
S POR 27, 34 T5S |
|
X |
|
|
|
72-74 |
Willamette Mission Proposed Natural Areas |
S POR 3, 4, 9, 10 T6S R3W S26 27, 34 |
|
X |
|
|
|
78 |
Willow Lake Swan wintering area along Willamette River |
S33 T6S R3W |
|
X |
|
|
|
85 |
Minto Island Heronry (Willamette River) Great blue heron rookery; disturbed but good study area close to Salem |
S26, 32, 33 T7S R3W S5 |
|
|
X |
|
|
95 |
Independence Bend Geese wintering area and great blue heron rookery |
S22, 27 T8S R4W |
|
|
X |
|
|
99 |
Tyson Island-Willamette River Riparian vegetation; great blue heron rookery; birds of prey |
S35 T8S R4W |
|
|
X |
|
|
103-105 |
Ankeny Bottom Important waterfowl wintering area along Willamette River |
S16, 17, 20, 21 T9S R3W |
|
|
|
X |
|
Key: |
S = Surveyed |
|||||
|
UV = Not Surveyed, verified |
||||||
|
UU = Not Surveyed, unverified |
||||||
|
PA = Protected Area |
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Source: Oregon Nature Conservancy |
||||||
|
Program |
Name of Site |
Acres |
|
Federal Agency (U.S.) National Wildlife Refuge System |
Ankeny NWR |
2,796 |
|
State Agency (Oregon) Primary Resource Protection Areas |
Champoeg State Park Natural |
84 |
Fish and Wildlife Habitats – An inventory of significant fish and wildlife habitats along the Willamette River was done by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. These habitats are listed by river-mile for the length of the river. Furbearer and waterfowl nurseries and hunting areas are identified, as are sloughs, warm water fishing areas and spawning areas.
The Willamette River serves as a passageway for salmon and steelhead in reaching the tributaries where they spawn. Some fish spawn in the Willamette itself, including fall chinook that spawn near Wheatland Ferry.
Sloughs and backwaters in Marion County, as well as in other areas, serve as habitat for warm water fish such as bass, crappies and spine rays. Six heronries and one osprey nest have been identified along the Willamette River in Marion County as listed below.
The meandering course of the river through the County has created excellent wildlife habitats. Gravel bars, backwaters, islands, riparian vegetation, and especially sloughs are essential components of this unique ecosystem. Wherever these natural features remain they must be preserved or wildlife populations will vanish.
|
HERONRIES: |
River Mile |
|
Candiani Island |
58.3 |
|
Wheatland Bar |
71.1 |
|
Minto Island |
84.3 |
|
Independence Bend |
94.2 |
|
Tyson Island |
98.7 |
|
Ankeny Bottom |
104.3 |
|
|
|
|
OSPREY NEST |
|
|
|
|
|
Ankeny Bottom |
101.6 |
Hydrolics
The Willamette River formed by the confluence of the coast and middle forks near Springfield has a length of approximately 187 river miles. The Willamette is a mature river flowing through a relatively flat alluvial valley. The river meanders widely within its floodplain, which is marked by cutoff meanders, oxbow lakes, braided and distributary channels and sloughs. The gradient of the Willamette River flattens from six feet per mile to five feet per mile as it flows through Marion County. As the river approaches the County it slows down in velocity. This slowing in velocity results in the river being unable to carry the coarser materials it held upstream. It is only able to carry fine-grained sediments which are evidence of the rich bottom lands that are tributary to this reach. The river, being more stable, no longer moves about at random among braided channels. The channel is better established and more fully developed meanders appear. Below Salem these processes continue as the river flows between well-defined banks that are over topped only in the higher floods. The characteristics of a meandering river, such as oxbow cutoffs, become more pronounced.
Flow in the Willamette River is controlled to some degree the year around by numerous reservoirs on its headwaters and tributaries. The major effect of this upstream control was to establish more stable flow conditions. This permits a higher flow in the river during the summer and allows water to be stored in peak runoff periods.
Since runoff peaks are stored in the reservoirs during the winter, these must be released after a storm in order to make room for the next one. Thus the flow is higher for a longer period of time than under nonregulated conditions. This limits the possibility of extremely high water to change the course of the river but the overall increased flow has increased bank erosion along low-lying areas near the river.
The average temperature of the river near Salem ranges from 43 to 44 degrees in January and February up to 68 degrees in the warm summer months. The temperature varies along the course of the river and is generally three to five degrees warmer at Salem than at the point where the Santiam joins the Willamette at Jefferson.
The average annual precipitation in the Willamette Basin is 63 inches. This results in a volume of more than 40 million acre-feet of water falling on the basin annually. A major portion of this water finds its way to the Willamette and its tributaries.
The regulated minimum flow of approximately 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) measured at Salem is needed to assimilate accumulated waste effluents even after a high degree of secondary treatment. This is the treatment level and flow combination currently in effect that meets water quality standards in the river.
The 6,000 cfs minimum flow in the Willamette River is now partially provided by storage reservoirs in the upper drainage basin. Without augmented flows, the river discharge would drop to approximately 3,500 cfs every summer. Without the augmented flow, secondary treatment of industrial and domestic wastes would not have been sufficient to bring the river up to standards. It must therefore be noted that adequate base flows are essential to the establishment and maintenance of an effective water quality management plan.
Turbidity, a measurement of particulate, is seasonally high from land runoff. This runoff results in exposure of new gravel areas and the movement of gravel down the river.
The Willamette River meets the State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality standards for levels of turbidity, BOD (biological oxygen demand) and DO (dissolved oxygen). BOD is the oxygen demanded to support life in the river and DO is the amount of dissolved oxygen actually in the river. PH is measured on a scale of one to 14, 7 being neutral, 14 completely alkaline and one completely acid.
BOD levels increase in areas where there are organic effluents released from industries and at times when bacterial levels are high due to land runoff. The BOD level varies between 8.5 and 11.5 MG/L (milligrams per liter). PH measured at Wheatland Ferry is generally neutral, 7.0, but may vary from 6.7 to 7.1.
Wildlife Summary
The meandering course of the river through the productive Willamette Valley has created excellent wildlife habitat. Gravel bars, backwaters, islands, riparian vegetation and especially sloughs are essential components of this unique ecosystem. Much of this important habitat has already been destroyed by man’s attempt to channelize the river.
A straight-running, even-banked waterway is orderly, but relatively unproductive biologically. Wherever these natural features remain, they must be preserved or wildlife populations will vanish.
Some species, such as mink and kingfishers, are found throughout the river system in fairly even distribution. Some, like beaver and wood ducks, appear in concentrations where habitat is favorable and only move through the less productive areas. Others, like turtles, occur only in limited small areas. Beaver and deer are representative of the 31 species of mammals found along the river, and provide more recreation than the others. Ninety-nine species of birds use the area, including upland game, waterfowl and a great variety of other birds, from eagles to hummingbirds. Twenty-five species of reptiles and amphibians live in or near the river.
Some of these wildlife species live out their lives here while others are seasonal visitors. All are a part of the river environment and add substantially to the quality of the outdoor experience of the human visitor, whether he is boating, fishing, hunting or trapping. The thousands of days of recreation these animals provide now will increase rapidly, hence their value will grow each year.
A study of the Willamette River was done by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Significant areas of interest are listed by river-mile. Information regarding Marion County’s portion of the Greenway was obtained from Joe Wetherbee, Fishery Biologist, and Jim Heines, Wildlife Biologist.