Upcoming Events

Spring Garden Fair
April 29 and May 1 @ the Clackamas County Fairgrounds

Come visit our booth at the Spring Garden Fair, take the Pesticide Pledge, and get a free yard sign to proudly display. We will be at the event all weekend long sharing how we can all keep our drinking water clean with a few simple steps. Want to see what the pledge is all about? Click below!

Restoration Project Update

Kingfisher Side Channel Reconnection Project
Milo McIver State Park

The photo above shows our newly completed Kingfisher Side-Channel Reconnection project at Milo McIver State Park. Pictured above is a once dry and disconnected side-channel which will now have water flowing even at low flow periods in the summer. Side-channels such as this improve juvenile rearing conditions for spring Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, and steelhead by providing them with a safe place to chill outside of the bustling Clackamas River mainstem. Planting for this project occurred in February. We will keep you up to date on growth progress!

Partners include the Oregon Water Enhancement Board, Portland General Electric, Warn Industries, and Oregon State Parks and the Clackamas Partnership (click here to see a video about the Clackamas Partnership and our work).

Eagle Creek Confluence
Bonnie Lure State Park

Next time you’re in the mood for a short hike, come check out the recently completed project at Bonnie Lure State Park. As you can see in the photo, large logs were placed on Eagle Creek near its confluence with the Clackamas providing wonderful habitat for threatened and endangered fish species. Some logs were even “recruited” after construction on their own. This project ensures complex habitat forming features are maintained in this dynamic confluence habitat. You can also volunteer and plant trees with us at Bonnie Lure on Sunday, April 10th at 10 am! See event details above.

Project partners include Portland General Electric, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department, Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, and the Clackamas Partnership.

What’s Happening in the Watershed

Rough-skinned Newts (left image)
Taricha granulosa

During March and April, you might encounter a rough-skinned newt while out near waterways. Typically these critters hide in and under soft logs, but during their mating season they will travel large distances (for their size) and may even be seen crossing roads. They are quite cute and beneficial in the watershed, but avoid touching as they also carry a neurological poison in their skin and eggs.

Osoberry (middle image)
Oemleria cerasiformis

One of the first blooms of the season is Osoberry (also known as Indian Plum). This shrub is fully leafed out and blooming right now and can be found in dry and moist streambanks. Its attractive flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds, butterflies and native bees, and in the fall it will produce edible, although not necessarily desirable, plum-like fruit.

Osprey (right image)
Pandion haliaetus

Osprey begin to arrive in Oregon in April and can be seen throughout the spring and summer until September. These skilled fisherman can be seen diving from heights of 30-100’ to catch unsuspecting fish below and are one of the only raptors who regularly dive into the water for prey. Osprey saw a large decline due to the pervasive use of DDT in the 1960’s. Since then they have recovered, but as a top of the food chain predator, they are still vulnerable to pesticides and other pollutants.

Introducing CRBC’s New Staff

Support Our Mission

CRBC has planted hundreds of thousands of trees and shrubs in the watershed and continues to work for clean water, healthy habitats, and improved quality of life for all of us who love and live in the Clackamas River.

But we can’t do this without support from our partners, and people like you! Your support helps us make a lasting difference right here in the Clackamas Basin. Thank you for all that you do.