Stream Restoration Continues of south bank of Willamette River

We are excited to see that water is once again filling the stream on the south bank of the Willamette River even though its restoration will not be complete for another year.

Located between the south bank pedestrian path and the river, the stream restoration enhances habitat for fish and other wildlife while it filters and improves the quality of surface water runoff into the river.

After crews cleared the area of brush and other non-native vegetation, the stream has become more visible.

Our team will remove the old culvert pipes and plant native vegetation to safeguard the banks from erosion and enrich the habitat.

In addition to clearing the once-overgrown channel, workers placed large boulders along the streambed and banks that protect the new drainage and create a more natural habitat for fish and other stream life.

After removing the work bridge, crews will restore and reshape the remainder of the streambed that has been hidden in buried culverts west of the new bridges. Stream restoration will be complete after we finish building the new multi-use path viaduct in the same area.

While this is a long-term restoration project, we are happy to see the early signs of recovery.

This is a great example of ODOT’s pledge to leave the park landscape within our work zone in better shape after construction than before our work began.