Meghan Hodges
The Willamette River has faced a long history of pollution, with the river being severely polluted by the 1920s. One of the biggest polluters was the city's combined sewer and stormwater system, which resulted in sewage being dumped into the river. While the river's water quality has improved in recent years, it still faces issues such as agricultural and urban development, water quality violations for temperature, bacteria, and mercury, and contamination from historical industrial activities. The river also lacks shallow areas essential for supporting salmon recovery and wildlife. The City of Portland has implemented projects like the Big Pipe Project to address sewage overflow and improve water quality, and while the river is generally safe for swimming and recreation, warnings are issued in rare cases when it is not.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Water Quality Scores | 8 or higher out of 10 indicates healthy conditions. |
| Habitat Scores | Low due to loss of floodplain, riparian habitat, and river complexity from agricultural and urban development. |
| Tree Canopy Score | Low due to a lack of trees in the Central City and industrial areas. |
| Bacteria Counts | Tested by Environmental Services. |
| Algae | Monitored by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. |
| E. coli Bacteria | A key indicator of fecal matter. Sources include sewage, wildlife, and pets. |
| Mercury | High levels have led to consumption advisories. |
| Temperature | A key pollutant impacting the survival of cold-water fish. |
| Pollutants | Flame retardants, PCBs, heavy metals, oil-based products, DDT, and toxic waste. |
| Fish Species | 15 species of salmon and steelhead trout are federally listed as threatened. |
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What You'll Learn
- The Willamette River has a history of sewer overflows and stormwater runoff
- The river's water quality has improved, but the city still issues warnings
- Portland's urban development has resulted in the loss of floodplains and riparian habitats
- The river is polluted with mercury, bacteria, and other toxic chemicals
- Efforts to reduce pollution include the Big Pipe Project and tree-planting initiatives
The Willamette River has a history of sewer overflows and stormwater runoff
The Willamette River, which flows for almost 200 miles through the state, has a history of sewer overflows and stormwater runoff. The city of Portland, which the river passes through, has implemented several projects to address these issues and improve water quality.
Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur when the city's older neighbourhoods' pipes, which carry sewage and stormwater in the same pipes, fill up and overflow into the river during heavy rain or snowfall. While CSOs are now rare, they used to occur an average of 50 times a year before the Big Pipe Project was completed in 2011. The project has since eliminated 94% of overflows to the Willamette River.
When CSOs do occur, they can result in higher levels of bacteria and other contaminants in the water. The public is advised to stay out of the water for 48 hours following a CSO to ensure their safety.
In addition to CSOs, stormwater runoff from urban and rural areas also contributes to the pollution of the Willamette River. Environmental Services is working to manage stormwater and reduce runoff into the river through various projects, such as the Buckman-Kerns Green Street and Sewer Project, which aims to keep runoff from streets and sidewalks out of sewer pipes.
The river also faces other challenges, such as habitat loss due to development and agricultural runoff. Projects like those at Stephens and Tryon creeks and the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge aim to restore essential habitat for salmon recovery and other wildlife. Overall, the city of Portland is actively working to protect and improve the health of the Willamette River and the species that depend on it.
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The river's water quality has improved, but the city still issues warnings
The Willamette River has historically been contaminated by Portland's combined sewer and stormwater system, which funnelled sewage and rainwater through the same pipes, dumping it straight into the river. This, along with agricultural and urban development, has resulted in the loss of floodplain, riparian habitat, and river complexity. The river has also faced issues with water pollution from sources such as farming, logging, toxic waste dumping, and upstream dams.
However, the river's water quality has improved significantly in recent years, thanks to decades of infrastructure investments such as the Big Pipe Project, which has eliminated almost all combined sewer overflows (CSOs). With the reduction in sewage, there has been a decrease in E. coli bacteria, improving the health concerns associated with swimming and other recreational activities. The city continues to work on projects to capture rainwater, keep it out of the combined sewer system, and recharge groundwater.
Despite these improvements, the city still issues warnings in rare cases when the river is not safe. For example, there were three sewer overflow incidents in the winter of 2023. The river also faces ongoing challenges, such as the impact of upstream dams, riverfront development, and agricultural runoff, which are beyond the city's control. Additionally, the river has a long history of sewer infusions, giving rise to an understandable reluctance among some Portlanders to enter the water.
The Willamette River is home to many native fish and wildlife species, including fifteen species of salmon and steelhead trout that are federally listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Efforts to restore essential habitats, such as those at the confluences of Stephens and Tryon creeks and the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, are crucial for supporting the recovery of these species. However, the river still faces challenges with water quality violations for temperature, bacteria, and mercury, as well as an increase in emerging contaminants.
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Portland's urban development has resulted in the loss of floodplains and riparian habitats
Portland's urban development has included filling in the floodplain and hardening riverbanks with seawalls and riprap, which has led to the loss of off-channel habitat and impacted the river's ecosystem. The city's development has also resulted in the loss of shallow areas in the river, which are essential for young salmon to rest and feed. The river's habitat score is low due to these factors, and the loss of floodplains and riparian habitats has made it challenging to restore the ecosystem.
To address these issues, Portland has developed the Floodplain Resilience Plan, which aims to reduce the impacts of future flooding and degradation of floodplain habitats on endangered and threatened fish species. The plan includes proposals such as requiring floodplain development within 170 feet of the ordinary high-water mark, removing structures or riprap, and creating shallow water habitats. The plan also incorporates measures to improve fish habitats along the riverbank and bring city regulations into compliance with federal standards.
While the Floodplain Resilience Plan is a step towards mitigating the impacts of urban development on the Willamette River, it is essential to recognize that some damage may be hard to reverse. Restoring any habitat lost due to development is significant, and projects such as those at the confluences of Stephens and Tryon creeks or the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge are essential for supporting salmon recovery and wildlife conservation. Additionally, tree-planting projects in areas like the Central Eastside and Northwest Industrial areas can help improve the tree canopy cover, which is essential for habitat and ecological health.
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The river is polluted with mercury, bacteria, and other toxic chemicals
The Willamette River, a major tributary to the Columbia River, is heavily polluted. The river's basin contains the majority of Oregon's citizens, and the river is heavily used for agriculture. The pollution in the river can be traced back to the early 1960s when Governor Tom McCall reported on the river's polluted state in a documentary titled "Pollution in Paradise". As a result of his reporting, four pulp and paper mills on the Willamette were temporarily closed due to their waste lowering dissolved oxygen levels in the river, causing fish to die.
Despite this early progress, all efforts to improve the river's health came to a halt. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been criticised for ignoring powerful polluters, such as the City of Portland and farmers upstream. The river continues to be polluted by sewage and toxic chemicals, with high levels of mercury and E. coli bacteria posing significant risks to human health and the environment.
Mercury, a toxic pollutant, has been found in the Willamette River at levels high enough to prompt consumption advisories from the Oregon Health Authority. In 2008, the Oregon DEQ developed a clean-up plan for mercury pollution in the river basin, but this plan was criticised for lacking limits on mercury pollution sources. Despite these concerns, it was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It wasn't until 2017 that a federal court ordered the EPA and DEQ to prepare a new mercury clean-up plan for the Willamette River basin.
The Willamette River also faces bacterial pollution, with E. coli bacteria being a key concern for swimming and other direct-contact recreation. While efforts have been made to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and, by extension, E. coli levels, the river remains vulnerable to other sources of bacterial contamination, including wildlife and pet waste. Additionally, the river's habitat has been impacted by development, with the loss of off-channel habitat and urban development affecting the health of the watershed.
Overall, the Willamette River's pollution with mercury, bacteria, and other toxic chemicals poses a significant threat to both ecological and human health. Despite some efforts to address these issues, further action is needed to ensure the river's health and safety for all who depend on it.
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Efforts to reduce pollution include the Big Pipe Project and tree-planting initiatives
The Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, has been affected by pollution due to agricultural and urban development. Efforts to reduce pollution include the Big Pipe Project and tree-planting initiatives.
The Big Pipe Project, completed in 2011, aimed to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the Willamette River. Before the project, it didn't take much rain to cause an overflow—about one-tenth of an inch. Now, CSOs have been nearly eliminated, dropping by 94% in the Willamette River and 99% in the Columbia Slough, at a cost of $1.4 billion. The project included the construction of new storm sewers, pipelines, and the East Side and West Side Big Pipes, which collect, store, and send stormwater and sewage to the city's wastewater treatment plant.
Tree-planting initiatives are another effort to reduce pollution and improve the health of the Willamette River. Ecologists recommend restoring riparian habitats, which include trees and shrubs, to enhance the survival of plant and animal species. Fast-growing riparian tree species such as willow, cottonwood, and alder can quickly colonize disturbed areas after floods. The Oregon State University Extension Service provides guidance on riparian tree and shrub planting in the Willamette Valley, including species selection and site maintenance.
In Portland, the number of tree plantings has been impacted by bureaucratic infighting and competition between city bureaus. Despite this, tree-planting projects have taken place in the Central Eastside and Northwest Industrial areas of the city. These projects aim to increase the tree canopy cover, which can lower overall temperatures by adding moisture to the air and providing shade.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Willamette River has a history of pollution. The river became increasingly contaminated as Portland grew, and was severely polluted by the 1920s. One of the biggest pollution culprits was the city's combined sewer and stormwater system, which funnelled residential sewage and rainwater through the same pipes, dumping it straight into the river. The river has also been affected by agricultural and urban development, causing the loss of floodplain, riparian habitat, and river complexity.
The Willamette River's water quality has improved in recent years, and it is now considered safe for swimming and recreation. The city issues warnings in the rare cases when it is not safe. Environmental Services test the river for bacteria counts, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality monitors algae blooms, which can be hazardous.
The city of Portland has implemented projects such as the Big Pipe Project, which has helped to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sewage contamination in the river. The city has also worked to capture rainwater, keep it out of the combined sewer system, and recharge groundwater. There are also habitat restoration projects, such as those at the confluences of Stephens and Tryon creeks and the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, which aim to support salmon recovery and wildlife.
