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Sustainable Rivers

Willamette River, Oregon - Expanding efforts for holistic watershed management

Nearly 70 percent of all Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette River, making this waterway crucial to the social and economic well-being of the region. Corps dams in the basin provide numerous benefits such as flood risk management, hydropower generation and water supply. Environmental flow releases as part of the Sustainable Rivers Program activities are improving in-stream and side-channel habitats for salmon while maintaining important human uses of the river. Healthy habitats support increased recreation and help the salmon industry.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District operates 13 dams in the Willamette Basin that provide a range of human benefits, including flood risk management, hydropower, irrigation, recreation, and fish and wildlife. The Corps and The Nature Conservancy have worked together to determine environmental flow requirements downstream of the dams.
Lookout Point Dam, Willamette River Basin, Oregon - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District operates 13 dams in the Willamette Basin that provide a range of human benefits, including flood risk management, hydropower, irrigation, recreation, and fish and wildlife. The Corps and The Nature Conservancy have worked together to determine environmental flow requirements downstream of the dams (USACE photo).
Nearly 70 percent of all Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette River, making this waterway crucial to the social and economic well-being of the region. Environmental flow releases as part of the Sustainable Rivers Program activities are improving in-stream and side-channel habitats for salmon while maintaining important human uses of the river.
Willamette Falls Locks - Nearly 70 percent of all Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette River, making this waterway crucial to the social and economic well-being of the region. Environmental flow releases as part of the Sustainable Rivers Program activities are improving in-stream and side-channel habitats for salmon while maintaining important human uses of the river (USACE photo).
Oregon residents benefit from reservoir storage in a variety of ways. Considering all operating purposes in a way that maximizes benefits, including healthy aquatic and riparian ecosystems, is key to long-term sustainability.
Willamette River Valley, Oregon - Oregon residents benefit from reservoir storage in a variety of ways. Considering all operating purposes in a way that maximizes benefits, including healthy aquatic and riparian ecosystems, is key to long-term sustainability (USACE photo).
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts a drawdown of Fall Creek Reservoir to enable juvenile Chinook salmon passage. Drawdowns at Fall Creek have been highly successful in passing these fish. Studies indicate a 98-99% survival rate for out-migrating juveniles, which is an important step in meeting biological criteria for the Willamette Valley.
Fall Creek Reservoir draw down - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts a drawdown of Fall Creek Reservoir to enable juvenile Chinook salmon passage. Drawdowns at Fall Creek have been highly successful in passing these fish. Studies indicate a 98-99% survival rate for out-migrating juveniles, which is an important step in meeting biological criteria for the Willamette Valley (USACE photo).
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a temperature control tower (see structure to left in photo) in 2005 at Cougar Dam to allow for management of outflow temperatures for salmon and other aquatic species.
Cougar Dam, Willamette Valley, Oregon - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built a temperature control tower (see structure to left in photo) in 2005 at Cougar Dam to allow for management of outflow temperatures for salmon and other aquatic species (USACE photo).
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District operates 13 dams in the Willamette Basin that provide a range of human benefits, including flood risk management, hydropower, irrigation, recreation, and fish and wildlife. However, operation of these dams has changed the volume and timing of water flow in the river, resulting in reduced peak flows, lower spring flows, increased summer low flows, and infrequent bankfull events.   Read More

Partners
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • US Army Corps of Engineers
  • City of Salem, Oregon
  • US Geological Survey,
  • North Santiam Watershed Council
  • NOAA Fisheries
  • Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • North Santiam Water Control District
  • Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
  • South Santiam Watershed Council
  • Oregon State University
  • Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  • US Forest Service
  • US Forest Service PNW Research Station
  • GeoEngineers (consultant)
  • University of Oregon
  • Calapooia Watershed Council
  • Bonneville Power Administration
  • Eugene Water and Electric Board
  • McKenzie River Trust
  • Oregon Water Resources Department
  • McKenzie River Watershed Council
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Willamette Riverkeepers
  • Friends of Buford Park
  • David Evans and Associates (consultant)
  • Ecohydrology Northwest (consultant)
  • Jones and Stokes (consultant)
  • Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council
  • Coast Fork Watershed Council

Resources
  1. Bach L, Nuckols J, and Blevins E. 2013. Summary report: Environmental flows workshop for the Santiam River Basin, Oregon. The Nature Conservancy, Portland, Oregon.
  2. Gregory S, Ashkenas L, and Nygaard C. 2007a. Summary report to assist development of ecosystem flow recommendations for the Coast Fork and Middle Fork of the Willamette River, Oregon. Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
  3. Gregory S, Ashkenas L, and Nygaard C. 2007b. Summary report environmental flows workshop for the Middle Fork and Coast Fork of the Willamette River, Oregon. Oregon State University.
  4. Jones KL, Mangano JF, Wallick JR, Bervid HD, Olson M, Keith MK, and Bach L. In press. Summary of environmental flow monitoring done in 2014-2015 for the Sustainable Rivers Project on the Middle Fork Willamette and McKenzie Rivers, Oregon.
  5. McDowell PF, Marcus WA, and Walther S. 2012. Willamette Sustainable River Project Phase 1: Development of a monitoring plan for environmental flow recommendations on the Middle Fork Willamette River, Oregon Final Report. Eugene, Oregon.
  6. McDowell PF and Marcus DJ. 2013. Willamette Sustainable River Project Phase 2: Development of a monitoring plan for environmental flow recommendations on the Middle Fork Willamette River, Oregon. Eugene, Oregon.
  7. Risley JC, Wallick JR, Waite I, and Stonewall A. 2010a. Development of an environmental flow framework for the McKenzie River basin, Oregon. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010-5016, 94 p.
  8. Risley JC, Bach L, and Wallick JR. 2010b. Environmental flow recommendations workshop for the McKenzie River, Oregon. The Nature Conservancy, Portland, Oregon.
  9. Risley JC, Wallick JR, Mangano JF, and Jones KL. 2012. An environmental streamflow assessment for the Santiam River Basin, Oregon. U.S. Geological Survey. Open File Report 2012-1133, 60 p. plus appendixes.
  10. Risley JC, Wallick JR, Waite I, and Stonewall A. 2010. Development of an environmental flow framework for the McKenzie River basin, Oregon. U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2010-5016, 94 p.
  11. Wallick JR, Bach L, Olson M, Keith MK, Mangano JF, and Jones KL, 2017. Monitoring framework for evaluating hydrogeomorphic and vegetation responses to environmental flow releases in the Middle Fork Willamette, McKenzie and Santiam River Basins, Oregon. USGS Open File Report
  12. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2013. Final Report Sustainable River Project evaluation of e-flow implementation and effects in the Willamette Basin using HEC-ResSim modeling. Portland District, Portland, OR
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