In northern Oregon, the Willamette River meets the mighty Columbia River near Portland Harbor. Portland Harbor is a Superfund Site, a contaminated section of the Willamette River that is undergoing an extensive clean-up. It is also an area that provides important habitat for threatened, endangered, and sensitive fish and wildlife.
Portland Harbor, located just south of where the Willamette River meets the Columbia River.
Image of Juvenile Coho Salmon
Image of Bald Eagle
Image of a Mink
Image of Tree Frog
Image of Western Painted Turtle
Image of a Pacific Lamprey
Area wildlife include a variety of species, such as salmon, bald eagles, mink, tree frogs, western painted turtles, and lamprey.
Since time immemorial, Native peoples have been stewards of the Willamette River Valley. The Willamette River provides food and transportation, serving as an economic center for the people of this area for thousands of years. The river also supports strong cultural and spiritual connections. Fish and wildlife rely on the river for fresh water, food, and many types of habitat, making ecological restoration important in Portland Harbor.
Contamination History
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At the turn of the 20th century, industrialization and urbanization spread along the lower Willamette River. Many of the industries along the river released harmful contaminants into the river and the land surrounding it.
Image of Mayor Carson leading a youth protest for clean rivers in Portland, Oregon. November 5, 1938.
Contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, pesticides (e.g., DDT), dioxins, and furans can linger for decades, potentially causing harm to people, fish, and wildlife.
Historical image of Portland Lumber Mills in 1939
Due to contamination in the sediments of the Willamette River and the associated health risks, the area was designated a Superfund Site in 2000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In 2002, NOAA, federal and state agencies, and tribes formed the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council formed to assess and restore the natural resources injured by contamination in Portland Harbor.
Image of a Bulk Carrier Ship traveling up the Willamette River through Portland Harbor.
Historically, native peoples traveled to Portland Harbor from near and distant places to access the natural abundance in this area. Some of their descendants are now affiliated with the Five Tribes on the Trustee Council.
With the formation of the Trustee Council, a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) was initiated. Different from the EPA's Superfund clean-up process, the NRDA process allows the Trustee Council to assess and quantify natural resource injuries caused by contaminants, seek compensation from the parties responsible for the contaminants, and direct compensation funds to restore, rehabilitate, and/or replace injured natural resources.
Portland Harbor is an ecologically important area. The Trustee Council's efforts will improve habitat conditions along the lower Willamette River, its shorelines, floodplains, and aquatic habitats.
Habitat Restoration
The Trustee Council’s goal is to restore injured natural resources, such as fish and wildlife, as well as the services they provide.
The Trustee Council's Approach:
The Trustee Council selected Integrated HabitatRestoration as the approach most suited for fulfilling the goals of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment and restoration in Portland Harbor.
Restoration projects are implemented based on their ability to restore habitat with all of the above considerations.
The Integrated Habitat approach is designed to improve habitats to support multiple fish and wildlife species, as well as the food base for these species.
With this approach, ecological restoration projects enhance ecosystem processes, are integrated into the landscape, and are naturally sustainable. Priority habitats for ecological restoration include the river’s edge, side channels where fish can seek refuge from the main river’s flows, and riparian areas that connect aquatic and terrestrial habitats for wildlife.
Ecological restoration projects have already been built in line with the Integrated Habitat Restoration approach. These projects were built by independent project developers and are called restoration banks.
The project developers built large projects with the intent to sell natural resource "credits" to polluters who are participating in the cooperative phase of the Trustee Council's damage assessment. This will help those parties resolve their natural resource damages liability. The Trustee Council may also purchase credits from these projects using funds received from early settlements with potentially responsible parties. This process is called Restoration Banking.
Ecological Restoration Projects
To date, four ecological restoration projects have been built to provide broad, long-term ecosystem benefits concentrated within and around the area where the injuries to natural resources have taken place. Three of the projects have been constructed within the Portland Harbor Superfund Study Area, and one in the Trustee Council's broader focus area for restoration.
Alder Creek
The Alder Creek restoration project, located at the southern tip of Sauvie Island, began in 2014 and was completed in 2016 by the habitat development company Wildlands. The 52-acre project provides habitat for native fish and wildlife species including salmon, lamprey, mink, and bald eagle.
Saw mill structures that once stood on Alder Mill Site
Saw mill structures that were removed, 2012.
Use the legend in the lower left of the screen, or click on the different habitats to learn more.
Restoration included excavating a shallow side channel to provide resting and feeding areas for juvenile salmon and lamprey.
Image of Construction of Side Channel at Alder Creek
Channel Construction, 2015.
Image of Side Channel during Construction at Alder Creek
Channel Construction, 2015.
Beaches, mudflats, and marsh were created and improved to provide foraging access and water for birds and wildlife, and habitat for salmon during high water-level conditions.
Image of two deer on Alder Creek island
Deer overlooking the side channel, 2023.
On the property, 27 acres of riparian habitat were planted with thousands of native plants, and 13 acres of oak woodland were added with large snags where bald eagle, osprey, and other birds can perch and hunt.
Image of Native Plant Douglas Spiraea
Douglas Spiraea (Spiraea douglasii), 2023.
Image of young Willows growing in riparian area
Young Willows, 2018.
To learn more about Alder Creek, please visit the Portland Natural Resource Trustee Council website or the Wildlands website.
Harborton
The Portland General Electric (PGE) Harborton restoration project began in 2020 and was completed in 2021 by PGE. The 53-acre restoration site consists of wetlands, forest, and a stream, and provides habitat to native fish and wildlife species.
View the legend in the lower left of the screen or click on the different habitats to learn more.
During construction of the restoration project, PGE built nearly 500 habitat structures including instream wood structures to provide cover for fish, snags where bald eagle and osprey can perch, and rock piles to provide shelter for mink. Additionally, the floodplain was enhanced with thousands of native plants and invasive species removal.
Image of Rock pile for mink.
Rock pile for Mink, 2022.
Image of Yarrow plant (Achillea millefolium)
Native Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), 2021.
The restoration project focused on preserving wetlands that serve as one of the largest known breeding and rearing areas for northern red-legged frogs - which are listed as "sensitive" at the state level and a "species of concern" at the federal level
Image of Northern Red Legged Frog
Northern Red Legged Frog (Rana aurora)
A stream channel was excavated to provide winter and spring rearing habitat for juvenile salmon and Pacific lamprey.
Image of Juvenile Chinook Salmon
Juvenile Chinook Salmon, 2022.
Image of floodplain during high water levels.
Connected floodplain during high water levels, suitable for salmon refuge, 2023.
To learn more about the PGE Harborton restoration site, please visit the Portland Natural Resource Trustee Council website or PGE Harborton website.
Linnton Mill
The Linnton Mill restoration project is a 27-acre property located on the west bank of the Willamette River in the Linnton neighborhood. In 2015, restoration company RestorCap purchased the property and completed restoration construction in 2019.
View the legend in the lower left of the screen or click on the different habitats to learn more.
In the late 1800s, the property was developed into a saw mill, then into a plywood mill until it closed in 2000. RestorCap removed multiple buildings, two docks, and more than 700 pilings.
Habitat construction involved adding wood structures for fish and wildlife, large rock piles for mink, snags where bald eagle and osprey can perch, and a large, cold-water, off-channel habitat for fish.
Image of cold water delivered by Linnton Creek
Linnton Creek provides cold-water habitat for salmon, lamprey, and other fish, 2022.
Image of fallen tree, chewed on by beaver
Fallen/chewed wood structures show signs that beavers have found habitat, 2020.
Image of Pacific Treefrog
Pacific Treefrog (Pseudacris regilla), 2022.
Thousands of native plant species were planted and invasive vegetation removed.
Image of flowering Lupine
Blooming Lupine (Lupinus perennis), 2023.
Image of Red Flowering Currant
Red Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum), 2023.
In addition to the ecological restoration, a walking path and viewing platform were added for public recreational use.
Image of interpretive signage on pathway
Interpretive signage of Linnton Mill's history, 2023.
To learn more about the Linnton Mill restoration site, please visit the Portland Natural Resource Trustee Council website or the RestorCap website.
Rinearson Natural Area
The Rinearson Natural Area restoration project can be found in Gladstone, Oregon. The 33-acre project includes part of Meldrum Bar Park (owned and managed by the city of Gladstone) and two privately owned properties.
The project was constructed by Falling Springs and is managed by Columbia Restoration Group. Restoration construction began in 2017 and ended in 2018.
Open the legend in the lower left of the screen or click on the different habitats to learn more.
The restoration project removed an earthen dam, decreasing the size of a pond to cool down water temperatures and allow salmon, lamprey, and other fish to swim up into Rinearson Creek.
Image of beaver dam and pond at Rinearson Natural Area
Looking upstream to a beaver dam, 2022.
Image of side channel at Rinearson Natural Area
Rinearson Side Channel, 2023.
Falling Springs added wood to Rinearson Creek for fish, rock piles for mink, and snags for bald eagles.
Image of Bald Eagle perched on tree branch
Bald Eagle, 2011.
Image of River Otter
River Otter, 2022.
To learn more Rinearson Natural Area restoration site, please visit the Portland Natural Resource Trustee Council website or the Falling Springs website.
Monitoring and Stewardship
The Trustee Council requires monitoring and long-term stewardship at each ecological restoration project.
Together, monitoring and long-term stewardship will ensure the Trustee Council's goal to restore, replace, or acquire the equivalent of natural resources injured by contamination in Portland Harbor and that full restoration value of the ecological restoration sites is achieved.
Monitoring and Stewardship is divided into four phases. The first, Baseline Monitoring, consists of analyzing pre-restoration habitat conditions before construction begins.
Monitoring and Stewardship Graphic
After project construction, Implementation Monitoring occurs to document that the site was built as designed. Performance criteria are established.
Monitoring and Stewardship Graphic
Between year 1 and year 10 after project construction, Effectiveness Monitoring takes place toensure that projects are meeting site-specific performance standards and developing as planned. Adaptive management is performed as needed to keep the sites on track for full habitat function.
Monitoring and Stewardship Graphic
The last phase, long-term stewardship, begins once a project has completed 10 years of monitoring and met its final performance criteria or has completed habitat development. Long-term stewardship involves regular site visit, maintenance, and ongoing effectiveness monitoring by a steward, such as a land trust or non-profit organization.
Portland Harbor ecological restoration projects will continue to benefit natural resources and the local community for generations
