2022 Project Highlights
2022 was Pudding River Watershed Council’s most successful year of project implementation in our history. For the first time we had two full time staff working on restoration projects, and that added capacity allowed us to follow through on the long-planned Abiqua Large Wood project as well as take on new work like 2020 fire recovery replanting.
Abiqua Large Wood Project, April – Dec 2022
After months of planning construction started in September as experienced contractors installed large wood logjams near the headwaters of Abiqua Creek. Logjams provide habitat for salmon by creating gravel beds for spawning and by providing cold water refugia.
Construction In Progress
Heavy equipment operators load large wood into Abiqua Creek
Abiqua Creek Logjam
One of the logjams constructed on abiqua creek as part of our large wood project
Channel spanning logjam
John D, Technical project lead, standing in front of the channel spanning logjam
Channel spanning logjam 2
Another look at channel spanning logjam
Channel spanning logjam 3
Another look
Channel spanning logjam 4
Gravels already accumulating behind channel spanning logjam
Another of the many logjams placed in the creek
The sun starts to set on one of the new logjams
Another look at channel spanning jam
Boulders and rebar drilled into logs and rock hold together the logjam so that it won’t be moved by floods or other logs coming downstream
In the News: Read the Our Town Article on Abiqua Large Wood Project – See Pages 8-9
2020 Fire Recovery Work, Sept 2022 – Ongoing
The 2020 wildfires devastated many forests in our area. We partnered with the Clackamas River Basin Council to apply for a grant to help three landowners with replating near sensitive creek and riparian areas. After months of planting and sourcing trees and shrubs, Planting started in Feb 2023 and we’re hoping to get an additional grant to cover three years of maintenance.
Picking up trees at PRT Hubbard
Co-Executive Director Kurt Berning picks up douglas firs for planting.
Photo Point Monitoring
Anna Ranking, Co-Executive Director, holds up a number as part of photo point monitoring on one of the burned areas.
Another photo point
Anna Rankin, another photo point.
Another burned area
A burned area replanted in Feb 2023. Stay tuned for photos of the properties as trees grow.
2023 Preview
We’re entering 2023 with strong momentum and have a large list of projects on the docket.
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Fire Recovery Work: Planting and maintenance for fire recovery work will happen in the first six months of 2023, and we’re also applying for additional maintenance funds to care for the trees and shrubs for the first three years
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Monitoring: We just got funding for a rapid bio assessment that will evaluate the habitat quality and fish populations in all of our local streams and creeks. That will be a major part of our 2023 work, look out for announcement and public awareness campaigns around that work.
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Fish Passage Barrier Removal: We’re still working to implement our awarded grant to remove the Scotts Mills Dam, and submitted a grant application to work out a solution for removing Aamodt Dam on Rock Creek.
All that and much more in on deck for 2023! Stay tuned for updates
Want to help? Don't wait!
We would love to share all the ways you can make a difference in your community and environment by volunteering, donating, or spreading the word!