Accessible document
Linn/Benton WSEP, Mid-Willamette Watershed
Watershed Stewardship Education Program, Class of 2001
A group of Master Watershed Stewards decided to pool their energy, resources,
and talents to work on and complete an urban riparian restoration project in
Albany.
Periwinkle Creek drains a 6.8 mile, low-relief watershed that lies between the South Santiam and Calapooia watersheds in the mid-Willamette Valley. The creek flows into the Willamette River in Albany. Most of the Periwinkle watershed is within the Albany city limits, with the remainder in rural agriculture land. The city-owned site is located in the City of Albany, between Queen Avenue and 9th Street, and involves the west bank of Periwinkle Creek.
Recent study of this creek shows that it is home to more than 23 species of fish, including spring Chinook, which is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Under favorable conditions, small tributaries to the Willamette, such as Periwinkle Creek, are used for juvenile salmonid rearing.
The City of Albany built fish passage devices past two barriers in lower Periwinkle Creek, which opened access to possible upstream habitats. However, upstream from these devices, habitat is less than desirable. In the 1970's several miles of the creek were straightened and channelized to reduce flooding and improve flow. In these areas, the creek lacks in-stream and near-stream habitat complexity necessary to support juvenile salmonids (see photo at above). WSEP Master Watershed Stewards Shaun Cooper, Glenn Dolphin, Pat Hogan, Randy Silbernagle, and Jon Lund, decided to team up with project coordinator Cheryl Hummon (also a Master) of the City of Albany to restore a channelized portion of the creek.
The group chose to work on a portion of the creek that was easily accessible, publicly visible, and that when finished, would provide continuity with other known downstream habitat. The project site is located just upstream from the city's fish passage barriers. They figured this would provide a longer stream length of more suitable habitat in the future. The Masters' main goal was to establish some in-stream and near-stream conditions and functions that would enhance habitat for resident and migrating fish and other aquatic organisms. Specifically, the group wanted to provide shade to this portion of Periwinkle Creek, thereby contributing to lowered warm-season water temperatures, and to provide cover and sources of food for aquatic organisms. They wanted to use native plant materials because native plants are more adapted to the local environment and therefore grow and survive well, plus they are less likely to compete with other species and become invasive. Other conditions and functions they wanted to restore were; pollutant filtering, increased habitat diversity for songbirds and other wildlife, and absorption and slowing of storm water runoff.
Planning/Collaborative Efforts
Several meetings were required to coordinate the project. The Masters created a project proposal which was presented to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and to the City of Albany. These two agencies have a legal agreement that restricts the use of the stream channel. NRCS, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Linn Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), and the City of Albany assisted in the creation of the plan by lending their technical assistance. Permission to access the site was obtained by the Masters from a church, which owns property adjacent to the site.
NRCS staff studied and made recommendations on the flow and channel capacity issues on this section of stream. SWCD and city staff came up with a planting plan. Staff from NRCS, the City of Albany, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recommended plant species to be planted. Pacific willow (Salix lucida lasiandra), redosier dogwood (Cornus sericea sericea), and Douglas' (rose) spiraea (Spiraea douglasii) were chosen. They used mostly plant cuttings for their ease of planting, and to save money. They used cut willows and dogwood, and purchased rooted dogwood and spiraea. ODFW provided instruction to the Masters on cutting the willows. The Masters developed a written protocol to present information on the project and instruct volunteers on cutting willows. Group leaders were assigned written instructions for leading groups of volunteers on planting day. A demonstration planting area was created as an example for the planters. A planting plan and planting protocols were also created by the Masters.
The last week of November 2001 Masters led volunteer groups to Albany city parks along the Willamette River and together cut 5-foot-long willow branches and shorter dogwood branches to be planted later. Over three days 225 high school and middle school student and teacher volunteers cut the branches and prepared them for planting. Each stake was cut horizontally at one end, and at a 45° angle at the other. The following Saturday, the Masters and 40 community volunteers (including a few Watershed Stewards and the OSU Riverwatch group) planted them at the project site, along with the purchased dogwood and spiraea. On that very rainy December morning they planted 1,350 feet of the creek with 300 willow cuttings, 150 dogwood cuttings, 200 rooted dogwoods, and 100 rooted spiraea.
The longer lengths of willow cuttings were placed at various locations along the bank and planted with at least 1/3 of the stake in the ground, shorter lengths were placed in or near the water and planted at least one foot deep. Some shorter/wider willow stakes were planted horizontally, 1-4 inches below the ground surface. The dogwood cuttings were planted so that most of the length was under ground. Rooted plants were planted into holes dug larger than the plant's root wad. (see planting plan)
All plant materials were planted within 0-10 feet of the water along the west bank of the project site. There will be no irrigation on-site, so plants were not placed above the 10-foot level, due to these particular plant species intolerance to lack of moisture. The Masters do not expect 100% planting survival, but they have hopes of at least an 80% survival rate. They concentrated their planting efforts near the creek, and steered clear of the possibility of obscuring the bike path with vegetation. With aesthetics in mind, the group placed plantings on the bank so the creek is visible in places, creating a scene to be enjoyed by those using the bike path.
Besides the logistics of coordinating and carrying out a plan that included so many volunteers, working on public land, accessing the site from private land, and working with several agencies, there were three main problems that had to be addressed:
Other challenges were; the presence of beaver in the watershed, competition from grasses, debris catching on plants during floods, public personal safety on the bike path, and lack of money for large numbers of plants. They dealt with these problems by monitoring for beaver, planting close enough to shade the grasses out, planting some plants in clumps and planting some 5 feet apart. It was determined that the plants chosen would not catch enough debris to create a flow restriction problem. For public safety, an area at least 10 feet wide along each side of the bike path will be mowed and kept free of trees and shrubs.
The social impacts of this project were twofold. People use this bike path daily for recreation, and there are many homes along this section on the creek that have full view of the site. When the new vegetation becomes well-established, there eventually should be increased opportunity for bird-watching. There will be a little more shade in the summer, and there will be more foliage. The other social impact is the fact that a local group of people created and worked on the project. The WSEP Master group was able to draw upon the skills and energy of local youth and adults on this project, creating a bond of sorts to the site.
The biological impacts of the project include increased local plant species diversity, increased use of the area by song birds, increased input of organic materials to the stream and riparian area, increased refuge and food for fish and other aquatic organisms, increased habitat for small animals, decreased stream temperature on-site, and decreased water flow rates locally during high stream levels.
The Masters applied for and received a cash grant from Earth Day Every Day, Oregon. Materials were donated by Safeway of Albany, Freres Lumber Company, and the City of Albany. The total cost, excluding the Master's, agency's, and volunteer's time, was $711. The cash was spent on plants and tools. Donated items used were; a shelter (it rained), hot drinks, snacks, a rented portable toilet, gloves, flags, postage, signs, and hand cleaner.
Over a period of 7 months from project conception to it's completion, the six Masters worked a total of 366 hours on a multitude of tasks, with community volunteers spending an additional 356 hours on cutting and planting plant materials.
The City of Albany will be monitoring the results of the project as part of their on-going annual maintenance plan for the area. The project was designed to minimize the need for maintenance. Mowing can be done between some of the plants for a few years, because they were planted further apart. If beaver or other animal damage is noted, mesh sleeves or wire will be installed to protect the plants. Some of the Masters will be continuing their involvement with this and other local watershed enhancement projects.
As with many restoration projects, this is an experiment. The Masters realize that, because any stream and it's riparian area is dynamic, there are many things that could change the look and function of this project over the course of time. They hope that their efforts will produce an aesthetically acceptable and better-functioning section of urban stream within a few years time.
The project activities were reported in the Albany Democrat-Herald in December, and in the Linn County Extension newsletter, the Update, in January 2002.
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