Historically, the Willamette River and its tributaries in the Portland metropolitan region supported some of the most productive fish populations in the Columbia River Basin. Since then, fish populations in the area have diminished – some to the point of being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act – but the watershed still supports regionally significant fish runs.
In 2015, Johnson Creek Watershed Council joined with 14 organizations, including 3 watershed councils, 1 tribal nation, 9 public agencies, and 1 public utility, to share resources and collaboratively engage in restoration projects, funding efforts, monitoring, and community outreach in order to improve river and stream habitat and the environment that sustains native fish populations in the Clackamas, Abernethy, and Johnson Creek watersheds.
Guided by a comprehensive Strategic Restoration Action Plan, the Partnerhip is accelerating the restoriation of stream, river, riparian, and floodplain habitats that provide the largest ecological benefits to fish and wildlife. In 2019, OWEB awarded an $8.8 million, six-year grant to the Clackamas Partnership for native fish restoration. Recently, the Partnership was awarded a $3.8 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for 10 restoration projects that will improve habitat for salmon, steelhead, and lamprey.