My winter term E-Portfolio project.

1. The Willamette River
Hayley Mackay
Sustainability
UNST 124g
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2. Located within the Willamette River Basin of Oregon, the Willamette River was first
noted in 1792 by Lt. William R. Broughton, a member of Captain George Vancouver’s
expedition. The 187-mile-long river begins in the Cascade Mountains and runs north
through Eugene, Corvallis and Salem, and ends in Portland where it merges with the
Columbia River. The river passes through 9 counties and 19 cities. The Willamette
inhabits 60 different species of fish, 30 of which are native to the area. Likewise, the river
plays an important role in agriculture and irrigation, as well as a mode of transport for
ships and barges. Throughout history, the Willamette River has become more heavily
polluted from the waste of industries and agricultural processes, as well as from runoff
from nearby cities. In 1930 the river was labeled as ‚biologically dead‛ as it became
heavily polluted and neglected. According to the Willamette Riverkeeper organization, in
the winter of 2000 the Portland Harbor, a highly industrialized section of the river,
became a Federal Superfund Site – a location set up by the government to clean up
uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Furthermore, in 2006 the river was even listed by the
American Rivers as the third most endangered river in the United States. While the river
has suffered pollution issues in the past and continues to today, the river has began to get
cleaned up in hopes of restoring it to a healthier condition as it once was prior to the
arrival of industries. The Lower Willamette area in Portland, Oregon is indeed the most
impacted area by pollution due to the large amount of industries that reside close by.
While the river will never return to its true natural state, the City of Portland and
environmental groups have been making large efforts to conserve and protect this water
system. With the development of the Big Pipe Project and other conservation groups
focusing on methods to make the Willamette safer for people and for its inhabitants,
Oregon has become more aware of the importance of ensuring that this water system is
healthy, as all people and the species who inhabit the waters have a right to a clean and
healthy river.
Summary

3. Route of the Willamette
River:
Flows northbound from Eugene,
OR to Portland, OR where it then
merges with the Columbia River.
Burdlck, Connie. (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/1019
Geographic Information

4. Lower Willamette River, Portland, Oregon
via Google Earth
Geographic Information

5. Lower Willamette, Portland, Oregon
via Project Vulcan
Geographic Information

6. Willamette River
via United States National Atlas
Geographic Information

7. How the Upper Willamette River channels have
been simplified between 1854-1967
Dunnette, A. D. & Laenen, A. (1997) River Quality: Dynamics and Restoration, 25.
Retrieved from http://books.google.com/
Geographic Information

8.  In “The Willamette River: Oregon’s Legacy‛ (2004), Oregon’s past governor Ted Kulongoski started the Willamette Legacy to
‚repair, restore, and recreate‛ the Willamette River: “ . . . the Willamette River plays an important role in all three areas.
It is a key environmental resource, providing fish and wildlife habitat. As a “working river,” the Willamette is also the
lifeblood of our economy in the Valley, supporting businesses, industries and communities. Finally, the Willamette
contributes to the quality of life that Oregonians enjoy and it is part of the legacy we will leave for our children” (p. 1).
 70% of Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette. The river passes through 9 counties and 19 cities. This
demonstrates how this river reaches many different locations along its 187-mile-long path, as well as shows how many
different areas could be impacting the health of the river.. (http://www.willamette-riverkeeper.org).
 Agriculturists rely on the Willamette as it provides water for irrigation purposes.
 The article ‚Willamette River OR Conservation Easement Paves Way For Long-Term Fish & Wildlife Conservation‛ (2011)
incorporates comments from the public regarding their use and relationship with the Willamette River : “’Our family has
worked and lived on the Willamette River for five generations, which is why we take such pride in showing we can
work around the river sustainably. We know the health of our crops depends on the health of the river system. Our
goal for restoration is to utilize important floodplain areas to improve water quality and protect the valuable farm land
that our family farm depends on,’ said landowner Gary Horning‛.
 The Willamette is home to 60 different species of fish, half of which are native to the Willamette. In the past few years,
some fish species have been listed by the ESA (Endangered Species Act) as endangered. The health of the fish clearly
depends on the water quality condition. In order to thrive they need to live in a healthy environment. This motivates
mankind to take better care of the water and what goes into the water.
Diversity of Human
Experience
Who uses this service and how does it affect their lives?

9. Use of the Willamette River

10. Beckett, M. (2001). Retrieved from oeoregonexplorer.into/WillametteExplorerClassic/publications/pdf/WRD_OVER.pdf
While the population increases, there will be a greater importance to
ensure that systems in the Willamette Basin, such as the Willamette
River do not suffer negative consequences from human impact;. Also,
humans should become more aware of sustainable actions they can take
to lessen the amount of waste that enters the water.
Diversity of Human Experience

11. ‚These purposeful modifications *of the Willamette+ have
led to a complex web of unintended secondary ecological
changes to this river system. The result is that the ecological
integrity of the system has been seriously compromised‛
(Laenen & Dunnette, 1997, p. 44-45).
Ethic and Social
Responsibility:
Who is/should be responsible for maintaining the Willamette River?
What are some ethical implications of the misuse of the Willamette?

12. 1. Pollution within the river
 ‚Pollution in the Willamette River has brought attention to the people because
it highly influences fish, wildlife, human and environmental
sustainability‛(Willamette River, 2011).
 ‚There are many pollutants that plague the river today; these include
nutrients, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic
compounds (VOC's), temperature, bacteria, dioxins and metals‛(Willamette
River, 2011).
 Sources of pollutants: agricultural runoff; fertilizer runoff; improper disposal
of sewage waste; storm water runoff; etc.
2. Damming on the river
 Dams that were made after WWII were multi-purpose. For example: generate
power; control flooding; improve water quality, etc. The environmental
consequences from these dams were not understood at the time (The
Willamette Valley: Past and Present, 2007).
 Dams made by the US Army Corps of Engineers
 The flow of the Willamette River has been modified by a total of 13 dams.
 Dams create a physical barrier for migrating fish.
 Changes the temperature (increase/decrease) of the water depending on the
depth of the water, which overall negatively impacts the fish.
 Building dams destroys the vegetation along the riverbanks.
Misuse of the Willamette
River Retrieved from www.oeconline.org/our-work/rivers

13.  ‚Poor water quality affects the sustainability of all living organisms
and the environment that relies on the water resources provide by the
Willamette River‛ (Pollution of The Willamette River: Water Quality
Issues, 2011).
 With a polluted river, it negatively impacts the community from
safely using the river through activities such as swimming and
fishing, etcetera.
 In terms of the fish species that inhabit the Willamette, some are now
listed as endangered, as well as continuing to feel the negative
impacts of the pollution as their habitat is worsening. In order to
protect these species we must take care of the river system.
Ethical Implications Regarding the
Misuse of the Willamette

14.  Founded in 1996; is a non-profit organization
 Mission: ‚To protect and restore the Willamette River. We
believe that a river with good water quality and abundant
natural habitat is a basic public right .The Willamette
River belongs to all of us, and should be protected as
such.‛
 The only group dedicated solely to protecting and
restoring the Willamette River.
 Operates under the the principle of the Public Trust
Doctrine which is the belief that all rivers belong to every
one of us and should be protected as such.
 Group is apart of a network of riverkeeper organizations
that all have similar goals all around the country.
 ‚The public should be able to experience a clean river that
poses no threat to their health, or the health of wildlife.‛
Addressing Social Responsibility:
The Willamette Riverkeeper Organization

15. Retrieved from https://homespunwebsites.com/site/1228the/Willamette_Riverkeeper_Water_Quality.pdf
The Willamette Riverkeeper tests e. coli levels at six different sites along the
river, twice a month between the months of April and September. This effort
demonstrates how the organzation has taken the responsibility to ensure that
the river is safe for swimming and other river activities for those in the area.
Willamette Riverkeeper collects river samples
to monitor e. coli levels in the water

16.  Launched in 1991, project entirely finished in
2011.
 Cost: $1.4 billion.
 ‚It’s the biggest public works project ever done
by the city – and the most ambitious
environmental cleanup‛ (Law, 2011).
 Demonstrates the City of Portland and its leaders
are assuming responsibility for improving the
river’s health by going through with this project.
 ‚The program aims to reduce annual discharge
of sewage mixed with stormwater from an
estimated 6 billion gallons in 1991, to 250 million
gallons by 2011‛ (McFall, 2003, p.1).
 ‚‘Obviously, it needed to be done for the health
of the river,’ says Tom Fahey, human resources
and communications director for Siltronic Corp.,
the chipmaker that is the largest user of city water‛
(Law, 2011).
Social Responsibility
The Big Pipe Project Aguayo, D. (2011). The Oregonian.

17. ‚‘Portland is a river city, and the Big Pipe project
removes the ‘specter’ of bacterial contamination
that kept people from using the river, says Travis
Williams, executive director of Willamette
Riverkeeper. Public use and appreciation for the
river is going to be ‘orders of magnitude different,’
Williams says‛ (Law, 2011, p. 1).
Retrieved from www.oregonlive.com/portland
Social Responsibility:
The Big Pipe Project

18.  Clean Water Act (CWA)
 Passed by Congress in 1972.
 ‚The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of
pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for
surface waters‛ (2012, Restoring A River of Life).
 Willamette Restoration Strategy
 Published in 2001 by the Willamette River Initiative
 ‚The Willamette Restoration Initiative is overseen by a 26-member Board of Directors,
chaired by Oregon State University President Paul Risser. The board includes members
from businesses, local government, utilities, tribes, academia, watershed groups, soil and
water conservation districts, agriculture, forestry, environmental groups, and state and
federal government‛ (2012, Restoring a River of Life).
 Strategies in order to do more to fix the problems surrounding the Willamette River and
the Willamette Basin as a whole.
Other ways in which responsibility for the health
of the Willamette has been demonstrated

19. Looking at the Willamette Riverkeeper organization, which is a dynamic
force created by individuals who assume responsibility for the river’s well-
being, and also looking at past actions by individuals such as Tom McCall
(Oregon governor in 1967 who wrote/narrated ‛Pollution in Paradise‛) and
Ted Kulongoski (Willamette River Legacy project of 2004), and the Big Pipe
Project (completed in 2011), it is apparent that restoring the Willamette River
to a better condition is important to this state. While in the past the river was
neglected, throughout the current years the concept of improving the
Willamette has become a priority as many depend on the river system. As
individuals, I believe that it’s important that everyone becomes more aware of
issues that may be harming the river and the endangered fish species within
it, for instance. Also, individuals should have a better understanding
regarding how to do better job at not contributing to the runoff that may end
up in the river. Those who reside in the Willamette Valley all depend on the
river in some way, so we all should have a responsibility to treating in
correctly. While not all bodies of water can be pollutant-free, the Willamette
River, all 187 miles of it, contributes to many things so we should take
advantage of it. Again, each individual should be at least be aware of how to
lessen their impact on the river. We should help maintain the Willamette
River so each one of us has access to a healthy river in the Willamette Valley.
Social Responsibility

20. I chose to interview Travis Williams, the lead director of the Willamette Riverkeeper organization,
as he experiences the river first-hand and the issues currently at bay. Unfortunately, he was unable
to respond to my email and did not answer the questions I had, but the following are the questions
that I sent him regarding the Willamette River:
1. What are some concerns that are still present that may impact/are impacting
the overall health of the Willamette River?
2. Presently, do you consider the Willamette to be heavily polluted? Why or
why not?
3. What has had the biggest negative impact on the Willamette?
4. Who is responsible for maintaining the river?
5. Is the Big Pipe Project helping to improve the health of the river?
6. Is it safe to swim in the Willamette? Specifically along the lower Willamette
alongside Portland?
7. Are there portions of the Willamette River that are more polluted that other
portions? If so, why is that?
8. Has there been any recent controversies arising regarding the Willamette? If
so, please explain.
Interview
Travis Williams, Executive Director and Riverkeeper.

21.  Aguayo, D. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/11
portlands_14_billion_big_pipe.html
 Beckett, M. 2001. Retrieved from oeoregonexplorer.into/WillametteExplorerClassic/publications/pdf/
WRD_OVER.pdf
 Burdlck, C. (2012). Retrieved from www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/1019
 Dunnette, A. D. & Laenen, A. (1997). River Quality: Dynamics and Restoration. Retrieved from http://
books.google.com/
 Google Earth
 Johnson, Vivian. Retrieved from <http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/rivers/cleaner-rivers-for-oregon-
report/willamette-river>
 Law, S. River City’s Pipe Dream. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.portlandtribune.com/
news/story.php?story_id=132087821575266300
 McFall, K. (2003). Portland's 'Big Pipe Project' Gets Down to The Big Grind. ENR: Engineering News-Record,
251(18), 15.
 Restoring a River of Life. 2012. Retrieved from oe.oregonexplorer.info/WillametteExplorerClassic/
publications/pd/WRS_PVER.pdf
 Project Vulcan. Retrieved from http://vulcan.project.asu.edu/
 The Big Float. Retrieved from http://www.thebigfloat.com/about/willamette_river_water_quality
 The Willamette River: Oregon’s Legacy. (2004). Retriveved from http://archivedwebsites.sos.state.or.us/
Governor_Kulongoski_2011/governor.oregon.gov/Gov/willamette.shtml
 United States National Atlas. Retrieved from http://www.nationalatlas.gov
 Willamette Riverkeeper. Retrieved from http://www.willamette-riverkeeper.org/
 Willamette Riverkeeper. (2012). Retrieved from http://nwtoxiccommunities.org/members/oregon/willamette-
riverkeeper
 Willamette River OR Conservation Easement Paves Way For Long-Term Fish & Wildlife
Conservation. (2011). Retrieved from www.ammoland.com
 Willamette River. Retrieved from www.oeconline.org/our-work/rivers
References

22. Johnson, Vivian. Retrieved from http://www.oeconline.org/our-work/rivers/
cleaner-rivers-for-oregon-report/willamette-river>`
The end