My standard creek-crawling kit - waterproof camera bag, black coffee, good gloves, and crackers.
I went down to the creek this afternoon and put in a little sweat-equity pulling ivy and archangel. In the process I took the time to remember the legacy of Sandy Diedrich, an environmental advocate who lead the charge against vast stands of English ivy that were enveloping large areas of her beloved SW neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon. I never knew her personally; she passed away a year or so before I got involved with the advocacy side of Fanno Creek issues. But she made a huge difference by recruiting, training, and inspiring a generation of wetland warriors. Her work goes on today and her legacy is celebrated annually in the form of Portland’s Environmental Stewardship awards. She – and all the other Watershed Folk back in Portland were much on my mind as I teased out stems and runners from the roots of ferns and the general detritus covering the banks of Beatty Creek.
Below, before and after photos of a small area (roughly 35 sq. ft.) covered with young English ivy. I suspect it washed down here from higher elevations just a couple months ago – the main part of its root system was mired in a mix of silt and gravel right at the edge of the embankment.
Next, a bit further downstream, before and after shots of one of the ubiquitous stands of archangel that crop up every 300 feet or so along the bulk of the stream. I know for a fact that it can be found as far upstream as the 500’ level about 1.5 miles from this site, which lies at 180’.
I haven’t completely finished work on this patch – still have a dozen square feet to work through. Archangel is way more time consuming to pull than English ivy; but like the ivy, it can propagate from mere pieces of stem or leaves.
I re-photographed the hogweed stand. It is thick on both sides of the stream in this area, and also well established a scant 100 feet further down the bank. If and when it is possible to round up some protective gear, I will try my hand at cutting it down and hauling out the remains. That will at least slow it down until a professional crew can come in and do a number on it.
Except for the hogweed infestation, the other two I worked on today were quite "minor," in the sense that the vegetation involved was both relatively sparse, and not yet deeply rooted - precisely the kind you most want to tackle. It's slow going because the goal is to tease out as many segments of root material as possible - have to work a strand at a time. If you try your hand at this sort of thing, make sure to pack along a couple hand warmers.
Below, one of the reasons why fighting back against invaders like ivy and archangel and hogweed and all the rest is so important. I don’t know just how these little stream violas figure in the overall scheme of things –what benefits they bring to the ecosystem and all that; but for now I’ll just work to preserve their place at the table. Maybe a little further downstream enlightenment will come….
Roughly 2.8 stream-miles (Smi) lie between Beatty Creek’s headwaters in the Capitol State Forest and its confluence with McLane Creek. A few days ago I performed a quick survey of 6 viewpoints located at easily-accessed locations on the stream’s corridor. All but two of these were at places where a roadway crossed the main body of the creek. Designated and ranked by elevation, these included:
VP 1130’ / Headwaters – no direct access, not visited
Above, a view upstream, at VP 374’. A nearby sign identified this area as being part of a nature trail under the jurisdiction of the Alpine Hills HOA. Note the English ivy on the young alders. Other highly invasive plant species in abundance at this site include Archangel (lamium) and Herb-Robert.
Similar infestations of the same invasive plant species appear at VP 302’, both up and down the stream corridor. I was unable to access the area where the light colored material is concentrated, but my best guess is it is sawdust.
At VP 240’ the view upstream (above) is typical; however, the culvert itself appears to be failing (below). Why this culvert has begun to fail isn’t clear from the site itself. One way or the other, it is potentially very bad news for the home-owners further to the north in this part of the neighborhood.
Below, an upstream view of VP 200’. This portion of the stream was clearly once bridged; but there remains no sign of the single lane structure that used to be here. Furthermore, the “road” leading to the sight shows signs of not being maintained for many years – perhaps decades.
My brief survey wasn't scientific, but it anecdotally confirms details of previous studies of this creek and its environs. It clearly shows the Urban Stream Syndrome at work; and while some of the views I've presented here may appear to show a stream in good health, nothing could be further from the truth. (1) Tree cover, the all-important variable in stream temperature control, is steadily decreasing over large areas of the stream, thanks in part to ongoing development in the non-Capital State Forest areas, but also in part to infestations of English ivy. (2) Corridors in the upper elevations are unstable; the products of attendant landslides contribute significantly to overall turbidity. (3) Some of the most destructive and persistent invasive plant species are abundant. I've only commented on the ones shown in the photos, but others are known to be present and abundant in the environment. I'll detail those more fully in future posts.
(Note: Photos of VP 155" and VP 148' were shown in the previous post.)
The two photographs below require a bit of explanation: The first was taken at the confluence of Beatty and McLane Creeks. I was standing at water's edge of McLane, and the view is directly into the mouth of Beatty Creek. For the second shot, I stepped over all that debris and pointed the camera directly upstream. What's important here is what's NOT to be seen, specifically the dark, sinuous motion of several large chum salmon fighting their way up Beatty Creek to their natural spawning grounds.
It is nearly mid-December. In a typical year I would not be able to stand on dry land at this spot along McLane Creek, even if I might want to - the stream would be so deep and the current so strong it might knock me down. Only a few salmon would be entering Beatty Creek, only a handful sweeping away at their redds further upstream. The peak of the run would have passed. The scene along the way would be mostly one of carnage, the stream and its lower banks littered with rotting carcasses - the bleak aftermath of a successful spawn. Instead, today only a paste of rotting leaves remains on the damp gravel. The heavy and steady rains of November have yet to arrive, and purge the creek. Furthermore, the forecast for the rest of December suggests they may not arrive until 2020, well paste the time for spawning.
This is not the first time late or otherwise insufficient rain has wrecked an annual run on Beatty Creek. It is an ephemeral stream to begin with, and even in a good year its bottom is dry as a bone by June. In the fall that bottom will be covered in a thick mix of leaves and other detritus offered up by the surrounding deciduous trees and shrubs.
Then, usually in the first week or two of November, a series of wet warm fronts will blow into the area from the Pacific coast, one right after another. They usually come through only a day or so behind each other, creating a kind of wet pulse which soon translates itself into surging crests of stream flow in the creeks.
Then comes the surge - the full force removes virtually anything in its pathway. It’s wonderful to watch the cleaning process; even more wonderful to see what happens when the cycle settles long enough for the chum to run up stream and lay their eggs.
Sitting (or sometimes lying) quietly along the banks of Beatty Creek, just a few feet away from the chum, can be a deeply moving experience. I will miss it this year, it appears. But that won’t diminish my love for Beatty Creek, nor will it keep me from studying and recording its ways. I will not, however, write a book about the experience – been there and done that with Up Fanno Creek. Instead I’ll simply journal my efforts on this blog from time to time. I may also pull a weed or two, and pick up the occasional bits of litter I happen across. If you are a wetlands lover, as I am, stay tuned.
The chum run in Beatty Creek struggles. November’s rains came too late, and in quantities too small to provide much traction for fish intent on spawning in the mid-to-upper reaches of the creek’s three-mile channel. We are well into December now, and it's been over a week since the last meaningful rainfall. Water levels in the stream have been dropping steadily, to the point that the future of late arrivals is seriously in doubt.
Here – at an elevation of 160 feet above sea level – long stretches of the stream are so shallow that the tops of the gravel beds are nearly dry. These mid-elevation shallows are potential deathtraps for fish attempting to swim further upstream. Those making a run for it risk being stranded high and dry.
Between these dangerous shallows lie pools of deeper water, each of them crowded with dead and dying salmon, as well as with those still attempting to spawn. As the water levels drop, the desperate plight of the fish in these pool intensifies - the overcrowding, combined with shrinking surface areas and the processes of decay, will soon rob the pools of what little oxygen remains. Only a good rain can forestall the inevitable long enough for these stranded populations to make it up stream to fulfil their destinies. The next rain is still several days away. Nature can be so hard...
It is a terrible time on Beatty Creek, but better days are ahead. The Solstice fast approaches…the Wheel goes ‘round…the Buddha smiles...
A 3.3 acre wetland located in the South Cooper Mountain area of Beaverton, Oregon.
THE GOOD
In April of 2014 the Beaverton City Council approved a planning document that describes the wetland shown above as having the "highest preservation priority." The document is titled "South Cooper Mountain Concept & Community Plan." It has this to say about the area in which the wetland lies:
Tier 2 habitat conservation priority areas may have a greater level of human disturbance or play a less crucial role in wildlife movement than Tier 1 areas, but they include valuable upland habitats, riparian habitats, or both that provide important ecosystem services. Some limited degree of disturbance should be allowed, but the fundamental habitat value and ecosystem services should not be lost or excessively compromised. (Bolded Italics mine)
THE BAD
In March of 2015 The Beaverton School District applied to the Corps of Engineers for a permit to fill 2.5 acres of this wetland with 77,000 cubic yards of rock, sand and gravel. This is necessary, the District maintains, in order to "construct mixed use athletic fields" for a new high school. These fields are in addition to a football/track/lacrosse stadium complex and a baseball field also designed to support soccer that will be constructed in other portions of the site.
How much will 77,000 cubic yards of rock, gravel and sand "disturb" 2.5 acres of wetlands? Here are a few mental images that might give you a sense for how utterly destroyed that wetland and every living thing in it would be:
If the acreage were the base of a box, the sides of that box would have to be 20 feet tall to contain the material.
Envision 2600 double trailer dump trucks lined up hood-ornament to tail-light on Scholls Ferry Road, all moving slowly towards that wetland.
Imagine trying to get into the nearest Costco warehouse only to find it filled up to the five foot level with rocks, gravel and sand.
The public comment period for the District's application expired on April 8th. Now the Corps will review both the application and the comments received. Regardless the outcome of that process, the District and its architects must look forward to other permitting challenges. Significant wetlands are involved, so multiple agencies will have to be convinced that the District's desire for mixed-use athletic fields justifies the virtual destruction of significant wetlands. Included in that mix will be the Oregon Department of State Lands, the Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Water Services, and the City of Beaverton itself, just to name a few.
THE LAND IN BETWEEN
What made this particular wetlands so clearly "significant" to planners working on the South Cooper Mountain land use plan in the first place? Several possible factors come to mind.
The lay of the land looking north towards the summit of Cooper Mountain; SW 175th on the right.
The full extent of the largest of the two wetlands involved is visible in the upper third of the shot. While invasive species of vegetation are beginning to overtake parts of the surrounding area, the wetlands itself is remarkably free of blackberry, English ivy, reed canary grass and the other noxious weeds so prevalent in many other parts of the Tualatin Basin. Stormwater runoff enters this high-quality wetland from the north, east, and the south. To the west (photo left) stretches a series of wetlands that channels runoff from the southwest slopes of Cooper Mountain into the Tualatin river.
Soluble salts collect on top of drying clods of soil pushed up by a mole.
The soils in this area are generally comprised of remnant materials from the Missoula Flood that inundated the Tualatin Basin 12,000 years ago. They are inherently unstable and highly prone to large scale erosion, which is one reason why the Tualatin River's lower reaches are so silt laden. Disturbing existing vegetation and drainage patterns, even a little, can lead to rapid and catastrophic soil loss.
Part of the drainage system that sends runoff from SW 175th towards the wetland.
In an average year, between 150 and 200 million gallons of stormwater runoff begin their journey to the Tualatin River in this area. The vast majority of that runoff passes through this stretch of wetlands. Ecosystem services related to the treatment of runoff provided by the wetlands include bioiltration, phytoremediation, infiltration, and physical retention of sediments.
OPTIONS
Given the madness that sometimes takes hold of critical land use decisions, it's possible that the District will be able to secure all the permits and win the potential legal battles that may be encountered before a valuable wetland resource is forever lost. All that could take a very long time and cost a bundle of money. But I hope that long before that happens, the District itself will look for optional approaches to dealing with the wetlands and other natural resources on the property. There's a pedagogical gold mine lying at the north end of that property, if the administration and its planners can step away from their current plan long enough to recognize it.
Crimson clover, useful in organic farming and pollinator enhancement, is plentiful on the property.
There's not room in this post for even a short exposition on STEM, Place based Learning, Integrated Curriculum, and Service Learning. Suffice it to say, for now at least, any and all these important pedagogical approaches to the learning/teaching process could benefit tremendously from having a good sized, fully-functional, thriving wetland at its disposal. Several Portland Metropolitan area schools have been able to harness the resources that streams and wetlands can bring to a curriculum. But few enjoy the luxuries of size, potential, proximity and inherent quality that this one could provide for a future high school.
The wetland is already a critical component of the South Cooper Mountain community's physical stormwater infrastructure. By using it for a living classroom and work-study area the school could help grow it into an enduring community hallmark. Multiple organizations - Tualatin Parks and Recreation Department, Clean Water Services and Tualatin Riverkeepers, just to name a few - are already working towards the goal of enhancing the county's inventory of natural resources, and almost certainly could be counted on to help support the process. Here's hoping the Beaverton School District will reach out to these resourceful organizations, as well as to the community, for help in finding an alternative to destroying a genuinely irreplaceable resource. Here's a link to the Beaverton School Board. I'm sure they would love to hear from folks interested in this matter.
Looking west down Beaverton Creek from the Bridge on Hocken Avenue.
The view above was taken at the approximate starting point for a new trail proposed by Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District. If I have my facts straight the pathway will run down the right bank (viewer's right). Washington County is hosting an open house at the Beaverton Public Library on August 13th, 2013, and encourages the public to review and comment on this proposal, as well as others that are being recommended for funding through Metros Regional Flexible Funds program. The open house will take place between 5 and 7 PM. Additional details may be found using the following links:
Washington County - Information on the open house and the Regional Flexible Funds Program (RFFP)
Metro - Additional information on the event, the proposal, and others like it.
I'm currently reviewing documents related to the proposal and will attend the meeting. However, I feel obliged to note I'm generally not in favor of developing such narrow and degraded urban stream corridors for any reason, baring a direct threat to human safety. But I'll wait until I have a more complete grasp of the facts and figures associated with the plan before I form my final opinion. I strongly urge any other interested individuals to do likewise and hope to see them (you?) there.
Al Smith and Warren Aney looking for mussels in Fanno Creek.
USGS Study Looks At Impacts Of Urbanization On Stream Ecosystems, Includes Portland (Forwarded by Al Smith)
The loss of sensitive species in streams begins to occur at the initial stages of urban development, according to a new study by the USGS. The study found that streams are more sensitive to development than previously understood.
"We tend not to think of waterways as fragile organisms, and yet that is exactly what the results of this scientific investigation appear to be telling us," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Streams are more than water, but rather communities of interdependent aquatic life...."