A Yummy Fish-to-eat (Coho) comes in big this year
The Coho fish count at the Willamette Falls hits record last year and looking good this year, too!
It is reported that the Coho salmon is not native to the Willamette Basin, but it is increasingly taking to the slow water tributaries that feed the Willamette.
There has been talk in recent years of removing the eight dams that are on rivers that feed into the Willamette River, so as to boost the river's fish habitat for all fish.
But these dams are there primarily for flood control, and I don't see how we can go without flood control on the Willamette. The Willamette is prone to the infrequent major flood, such as the Christmas Day flood of 1968 which carried houses into the river.
Here's two related articles to the surge in Coho and the dams situated on the Willamette River Basin:
Coho salmon run opens new areas for fishing in Willamette River (statesmanjournal.com)
fs-201908-Power-from-the-Willamette-Basin-dams.pdf (bpa.gov)
(posted by Elvis Clark on September 21, 2024)
Long term plans are for the Grand Rhonde Tribe to eventually put up the old fashion planks used to catch fish at the Willamette Falls in Oregon City.
Wow! Won't that be a site - that of seeing these big cohos, like the one held by the man in the photo above, be pulled from the Willamette Falls by the native Indians.
Oregon City's Willamette Falls area -becoming heritage area?
The Willamette Falls Heritage study sent to Congress - hopes for gaining Heritage designation
Here is the Feasibility Study - conveying the unique history of the Willamette Falls and its Landings - its center being in Oregon City: WFNHA_FS_Final_Web.pdf - Google Drive
The history told in this feasibility study is quite interesting.
One day maybe there could be river boats stopping at Milwaukie Bay Park and taking people up the Willamette River past the Falls in Oregon city using the locks that were closed just only 13 years ago now, in 2011.
Or, one day the Trolley Trail maybe is enhanced and extended up into Oregon City, allowing bicycle tourists to ride and view the Falls from the deck of a proposed new tourist plaza near the Falls.
(posted by Elvis Clark on September 14, 2024)
Remaking of Willamette Falls in Oregon City progressing
The Grand Rhonde tribe is remaking the east bank of the Willamette River in Oregon City
This Spring and Summer (2024) the Grand Rhonde Tribe is demolishing the Great Heron paper mill administrative building (a century old like structure). Eventually, visitors to Willamette Falls in Oregon City will be able to get a much closer view of the Falls and the River because of the Grand Rhone Tribe's remake of this section of the Willamette once home to paper mill industry.
(posted by Elvis Clark on July 19, 2024)
The Arch Bridge just down from Willmate Falls -100 years old
Here's OPB's reporting of the architectural history of the Arch Bridge (Oregon City - West Linn)
Link to Oregon Public Broadcasting article on the Arch Bridge history:
(posted by Elvis Clark on December 30, 2022)
ARch Bridge betw oregon City - West Linn turns 100 years old
The Arch Bridge which runs over the Willamette connecting Oregon City and West Linn is now 100 years
(posted by Elvis Clark on September 16, 2022)
Linking Milwaukie Bay to Willamette Falls with tour boat?
One idea for taking Milwaukie's Sunday Farmers Market to higher level is linking to Willamette Falls
In the above photo, Lake Oswego is now using a floating tour boat of its Lake to point out the architecture of the houses on the Lake.
Which kind of relates to Milwaukie Farmers Market and Milwaukie Bay Park.
Picture if you will, Sunday in the hours of the Farmers Market in down town Milwaukie, a nice warm day. Then picture walking over a pedestrian bridge over McLoughlin Boulevard to Milwaukie Bay Park and there at a boat ramp; you and family being able to take a nice Sunday cruise up the Willamette to see the Willamette Locks and Fall (not to mention Elk Rock Island).
I think the idea is worth exploring.
(posted by Elvis Clark on July 11, 2022)
Plans afoot to build bike/pedestrian bridge- over Willamette
This Oregon Department of Transportation plan would keep the Arch Bridge for cars
This new proposed bicycle-pedestrian-only bridge lacks a funding source presently. (Sure would be nice if the money going to building more mostly failing light rail lines would instead go into building bike/electric bicycle transportation routes like this proposed bridge).
My thought is the new electric bicycle technologies might prove pretty practical mobility solutions - even across town...if only a network of dedicated pathways.
(posted by Elvis Clark on June 9, 2022)
Oak Grove - Trolley Trail celebrates on Saturday July 16
There will be all kinds of food at the Oak Grove United Methodist, 11 am-4 pm, Rupert Drive, 7/16/22
The Trolley Trail is a bicycle and walking trail which will one day connect Milwaukie to the Willamette Falls/Oregon City attraction, even more so than it does today.
Be wary of people who want to annex or incorporate Oak Grove into a City. Believe me: City Government would add another layer and risk to the personal freedom and liberties of those living in Oak Grove. Not to mention more taxes and fees.
I plan to bicycle the Trolley Trail from Milwaukie Bay Park out to this festival out on Oak Grove Boulevard, July 16, 2022, 11 am to 4 pm.
(posted by Elvis Clark on May 28, 2022)
Willamette Fall Locks in Oregon City is shut since year 2011
When Oregon City's Blue Heron paper mill closed permanently in the year 2011 the locks also close
This is one of those government programs which is appealing. Willamette Falls are fun to watch. Re-opening the Locks will permit boats to go upstream from the Falls, with maybe someday boat trips beginning in Milwaukie or even Portland and going to Willamette Falls and farther upstream. There is also the Trolley Trail in Milwaukie which one day may connect all the way to the Falls without also having to use McLoughlin Blvd in certain sections. Then I can vision like a red double decker bus (top row open air) cruising from Milwaukie's Sunday afternoon Farmers Market all the way to Oregon City and taking the view of Willamette Falls. This dream has a long ways to go, but its do able.
(posted by Elvis Clark on May 21, 21)
Willamette Falls Native Fishing becoming feature
posted by Elvis Clark on May 14, 2021)
Willamette Falls Project - post 4/25/21 (part 1 of 2, chronological)
The Grand Ronde Confederated Tribe owns the old vacant paper mill (now called Blue Heron) on the east bank in Oregon City just downstream from the Willamette Falls. Grand Ronde is planning to remake the east bank of the Falls area into a public venue and attraction. Grand Ronde presentation this Tuesday afternoon 4/27): https://www.clackamas.us/meetings/bcc/presentation/2021-04-27-0
Willamette Falls photo to your right. Boats ply in the lagoon just downstream from Willamette Falls.
Kayakers have a pool to play in on the west side across from Grand Ronde's Blue Heron property in the Willamette Falls project area.
This is I think is part of a special paper fiber manufacturing facility bought and managed by a former Aluminum Smelter entrepreneur. It is just across from the Grand Ronde Blue Heron property, this facility being on the west bank in the Willamette Falls project area.
This is back in the day when manufacturing is getting up and running in the down town area of Oregon City.
This is Grand Ronde Tribe's preliminary plan for making their Blue Heron property, east bank of Willamette Falls area, a marque destination type public venue with commerce activity also. Notice a pedestrian bridge across McLoughlin and out to see the Falls. Also, the tribe is also cleared to allow the re-establishment of native fishing in the Falls area (the old plank and netting Indian fishing
Milwaukie Market Place is "opportunity site" per city plans
Milwaukie Market pl opened 1989
Other retail gradually disappears from the north side of Market Place.
The old Albertson grocery store sits closed for some five years now.
But today, at the close of 2019, much of the north side of the market place is vacant retail space. This Market Place encompasses a land area not unlike the size of down town Milwaukie. It is unlikely the Market Place could occur again today, because it is built on marsh like land (across from Mint Park..think it is).
The old Albertson grocery store sits closed for some five years now.
Other retail gradually disappears from the north side of Market Place.
The old Albertson grocery store sits closed for some five years now.
Super Cuts is gone from Market Place this last year or so, too. But Liquor store, Subway, tanning salon, Chinese restaurant, and Starbucks still thrive in the northwest part of complex.
Other retail gradually disappears from the north side of Market Place.
Other retail gradually disappears from the north side of Market Place.
The martial arts studio also is up for lease, making for up to 7 retail vacancies on north wing.
Just this month December 2019, Xfinity (Comcast) local customer service branch moved out of the Market Place.
The martial arts studio also is up for lease, making for up to 7 retail vacancies on north wing.
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
The martial arts studio also is up for lease, making for up to 7 retail vacancies on north wing.
Rite Aid still exists in Market Place.
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
Rite Aid is somewhat amazing, as it is like a debt laden zombie corporation, and largely just grinds away with just enough margins to pay debt interest costs.
(posted by Elvis Clark, December 24 2019)
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
Sources report the City planner wants to remake the Market Place into mixed use apartment/retail.
Sources say our City Planner is wanting maybe 500 new housing units on the Market Place property. The truth is the grocery business is in hard times with competition from Amazon home delivery even of groceries and Walmart big box stores. Redevelopment of the Market Place could be a plus in this case, as probably trees and greenery are put in place of some of the massive asphalt overlay; and you could get an upscale accessible Pearl like district.