Tualatin River Watershed Council Projects

Community volunteers mulch plants during the April 2008 SOLV-IT workday.

Rippling Waters

Rippling Waters is a 19-acre riparian and upland area located along the left and right banks of Gales Creek. The site is located between Highway 6 and Gales Creek and has been modified by human impacts (camping, trash dumping, and vandalism) and invasive weed infestations.

This Gales Creek stream reach is affected by high stream temperatures because non-native plant species have excluded native vegetation (native species provide a greater canopy) and low summertime stream flows due to water rights for irrigation. Non-native plants, especially Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, Japanese Knotweed, and garlic mustard, have dominated significant portions of the riparian and adjacent upland habitats in Rippling Waters.

The project site is owned by Washington County. A nature trail in the project site has been the only developed amenity on the site, but due to vandalism, etc., it has been closed for the last ten years and received no maintenance. To combat these impacts, the site has received ongoing attention through the work of numerous efforts sponsored by TRWC, SOLV, and Clean Water Services (CWS).

Cub Scouts and other volunteers dig into the mulch for native plants during the April 2007 SOLV-IT workday.

Starting in 2003, TRWC partnered with SOLV for a biannual effort to remove intensive English Ivy and other non-native vegetation that has dominated the under story of the riparian forest at the north end of the project area (1 acre).

In 2005, TRWC and Clean Water Services began a pilot project to treat Japanese Knotweed (approximately 1000 feet stream edge up to 50 feet wide equaling about 1.1 acres). As a result, non-native weed coverage has been reduced to the point where native plant enhancement can begin across the two areas totaling 2.1 acres.

In 2006, garlic mustard, a recent invasive and aggressive weed, was found on site and was treated by Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District contractors.

Because of the December 3, 2007 storm, high water flooded much of this property and deposited 2-6 inches of sediment. This new sediment also brought seeds of invasive Japanese knotweed and garlic mustard. Community volunteers, Washington County Parks’ personnel and contracted Clean Water Services crews are working on invasive weed treatment.

Planting native plants in March 2008. Note the silt that resulted from the December '07 storms.

Over the past two years, community volunteers such as Cub Scout troops, Pacific University and Forest Grove High School Key Club and Earth Club students and Council members have planted and mulched over 1,800 native shrubs and trees on a portion of the property.

To join a workparty for this project, contact trwc@easystreet.net.