The Clackamas River Basin Council (CRBC) is working with a mix of private and public landowners on this project to reconnect 5,000’ of side channel and enhance stream adjacent wetlands in a low river terrace. The side channel, once the mainstem of the river, was abandoned during the 1996 floods by the river after headcuts promulgated by a downstream gravel pit capture tore through this reach of the river, straightening, shorting and incising the river. The project will excavate the upper end of the side channel to increase hydrologic connection and sculpt portions of the side channel to create additional habitat.
Large wood will be incorporated to drive geomorphic changes, create localized scour and provide complex cover. Includes significant enhancement of adjacent floodplain wetlands through grading, invasive plant treatments and replanting with wetland plants. The entire 72 arce project area will be treated for invasive plant species (treatment of invasive plants on portions of the project area are currently underway), replanted with native vegetation and vegetation maintained for at least three years post planting. All landowners in the project area are supportive of the project and all landowners needed to complete the project have signed agreements with the CRBC.
