Each year the Clackamas River Water Providers implement a number of projects that benefit the watershed and promote source water protection efforts. Below is a description of some of the work we have completed. For a more detailed look at what we accomplished this past year check out our Annual Report! CRWP Annual Report for FY 2010-11
CE-QUAL-W2 Modeling of the Lower Clackamas River
The Clackamas River Water Providers continue to work with Portland State University (PSU) to develop and maintain a sophisticated hydrodynamic model of stream flows in the lower Clackamas River. The objective of these efforts is to assess the impacts of increased municipal demand has on river flows to balance domestic needs with the flow needed for endangered salmon. We continue to enhance the current CE-QUAL-W2 model to incorporate predictive capabilities into the model so that we can better estimate when impacts to the river might occur over short time periods, therefore facilitating better water supply planning and management of the water resources in the basin.
Pesticide Study
The Clackamas River Water Providers worked with USGS through a Joint Funding Agreement to conduct a second pesticide study on the Clackamas River. The report for this study was released to the public in March, 2008. The purpose of this joint study was to 1) provide additional data within sub-basins to better identify pesticide sources areas, 2) verify and contrast results found during the 2000 USGS Phase I study, 3) obtain data from smaller tributary streams that were not tested during the 2000 study, and 4) provide a comparison with the data collection by ODEQ that can be used to direct future data collection. The report is available online by going to: http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5027/
Pesticide Reduction Program
The Clackamas River Water Providers continue to work with Clackamas River Basin Council to coordinate a pesticide reduction outreach program to address the findings found in the USGS Pesticide Study. The program has two primary components: 1) Landowner outreach through mailings, email and printed media and 2) Pesticide Consultations with landowners. For more information about the pesticide program being implemented by the Clackamas River Basin Council for the Clackamas River Water Providers, click on the following link http://clackamasriver.org/pesticide/
DEQ 319 Grant for Pesticide Round Up Events
In 2010 the Clackamas River Water Providers in partnership with the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Clackamas River Basin Council received a $44,000 319 grant to hold two Pesticide Round Up Evetns in 2011. The first event took place on Saturday, March 12, 2011. The second event took place on Saturday, October 22, 2011. The purpose of these events was to collect unwanted agricultural pesticides and chemicals so that they could be disposed of correctly before getting into the Clackamas River and other waterways degrading water quality. These events allowed farmers, nursery owners, and other users a non-threatening anonymous opportunity to dispose of harmful pesticides and herbicides for free and with no questions asked. Combined, both events collected over 56,000 pounds of pesticide waste, exceeding our 40,000 pound goal by 16,000 lbs. In addition approximately 1,500 pounds of empty plastic containers were also collected for recycling. To learn more about these events click here to see the final report.
CRBC Financial Support
The Clackamas River Water Providers provide funding for operation support each year to the Clackamas River Basin Council. This funding support helps enable the Clackamas River Basin Council to continue to work on project that protect and improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat in the Clackamas River basin.
Flow Balance/Seepage Study
The overall purpose of this study with USGS is to provide a better understanding of the hydrologic relationship between the lower Clackamas River surface water and the associated ground-water system. By constructing a streamflow balance for the lower Clackamas River from streamflow data collected during peak water use; and by identifying locations and the magnitudes of streamflow gains and losses due to ground water/surface water interactions; the water providers will be able to better understand the relationship of ground-water inflow with water use, geology, and geomorphology of the lower river. This report can be downloaded by clicking here.
Other Water Resource Activities
PGE FERC Relicensing
The Clackamas River Water Providers have been an active participant in PGE's FERC relicensing process and Settlement Agreement. It is anticipated that PGE will receive its new license before the end of 2010. In addition the Water Providers are an active participant of PGE's Blue Green Algae Team which oversees PGE's Blue Green Algae Sampling Program for the Clackamas River.
Stored Water Agreement
PGE and the Clackamas River Water Providers have a Stored Water Agreement which allows the water providers the option to call for water stored in Timothy Lake to be released certain times of the year to preserve minimum stream flows or to enhance in-stream flows. This agreement is the process of being revised and will be tied to the new FERC license. The purpose of this agreement is to give the water providers more flexibility to manage for flows variations in the lower river.
Annual Watershed Tour
Each year the CRWP host a watershed tour for CRWP members elected officials and intereted citizens. The purpose of this tour is to connect our citizens to the watershed where their drinking water comes from and to highlight some of the issues and partners that we work with to protect our source.
For more information about this program please contact the
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