News Release
| Release Number: | 01-106 |
| Dated: | 7/9/2001 |
| Contact: | Matt Rabe, 503-808-4510 |
Portland, Ore. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comment on its proposed plan to restore about two miles of a Willamette River side channel at Willamette Mission State Park in Marion County, Ore. The proposed action would reconnect Mission Lake, a historic channel of the Willamette River, to the existing river flow.
As part of its evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public comments on the proposed project prior to beginning work. The Corps has prepared a draft environmental assessment, which discusses how the proposed project complies with the Clean Water and Endangered Species acts, as well as numerous other federal regulations, and looks at the overall impact of the project on the affected area.
For a copy of the Corps' Public Notice CENWP-PM-E-01-08, draft environmental assessment, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-PM-E, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946.
Written comments should be mailed by Aug. 1, 2001, to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attn: CENWP-PM-E (Lynne Hamilton), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to lynne.d.hamilton@usace.army.mil.
The Corps, working with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, proposes modifying the lake's inlet and outlet, excavating the historic river channel, replacing culverts, and replacing a pedestrian bridge near the Wheatland Ferry.
This action involves removing 3,280 cubic yards of materials from the plug blocking flow from the historic channel. This material will be used to raise the height of the Beaver Island access road. In addition, about 23,100 cy of material will be excavated from the historic channel between the inlet and Mission Lake. This work would take place from June 2002 to November 2002.
Additionally, three 36-inch culverts will be replaced with a single culvert 60 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 7 1/2 feet high extended under the Beaver Island access road downstream of Mission Lake. Also, an existing 12-foot-wide, 31-foot-long pedestrian bridge will be replaced with one that is 70 feet long and 16 feet wide. About 1,976 cy of material would be excavated from this area to expand the channel and provide better water flow under the structure.
Materials excavated from this project would be spread over 10 acres of wildlife cropland that would be replanted with native grasses, shrubs and trees.
Willamette Mission State Park is located at river mile 72 of the Willamette River. Beginning in 1936, the Corps substantially modified the Willamette River to provide better flood protection to area residents. In 1948, the Corps developed a bank protection project near this site, thus contributing to a change in the hydrologic regime of Mission Lake.
By restoring the connection between the Willamette River and Mission Lake, the Corps would enhance about two miles of habitat for migratory salmon and improve water quality in the lake.
Threatened or endangered species known to inhabit the area include: bald eagle, upper Willamette River winter steelhead and chinook salmon. None are expected to be adversely impacted. Warm water fish found in Mission Lake include: white crappie, black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, brown bullhead, warmouth, sucker, northern pikeminnow, chiselmouth carp, rainbow trout, and yellow bullhead.
The Corps is soliciting comments from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Native American tribes, and other interested parties.