Kyle Spinks, Wildlife Biologist for Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District and TRWC Chair welcomes participant at the 2005 Watershed Event

by Debby DeCarlo

Storyteller Will Hornyak has the real story about the itsy bitsy spider. Sitting on a chair, facing a small group of young people, Honryak explained: “Daddy Long Legs said to Itsy Bitsy, ‘Get hip to the drip—use your head. We’re all living in a watershed.’”

Storytelling was just one program taking place at the Tualatin River Watershed Council’s Watershed Event 2005 on a Saturday in April.

Other partners at the event included Bridlemile Creek Stewards, the cities of Forest Grove and Hillsboro, Clean Water Services, Tualatin Riverkeepers, Trout Unlimited, Fisher Farms, Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Bottom Wetlands, Partners for Clean Water, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, Washington County…the list goes on.

Pam Maher, a Council member and property owner restoring Christensen Creek through an OWEB small grant, prepares to describe her project for the Council video filmed during the Watershed Event.  Copies of the video are available from the Council office.

Inside the Clean Water Services building next door, Pacific University students presented their work on a small stretch of Gales Creek on the east side of Highway 47 in Forest Grove, just before it joins the Tualatin River.

A site study done by Pacific students revealed this portion of the creek had been degraded by invasive plants, poor water quality and tons of trash. The result was a drastic decline in fish. The task of restoring this section of the creek was daunting. There was also a camp of transient people living along the creek.

Students started removing trash. On one day in February, they hauled out 4 tons of garbage. Once the transient camp residents realized the Pacific students were going to keep coming back, they vacated the area. Some accepted help from local social service agencies. Others chose to move into the foothills of the nearby mountains.

After removing Japanese knotweed, reed canary grass and the ubiquitous blackberries, students planted native shrubs and trees. With the removal of garbage and the coming of spring, trillium, camas and trout lilies emerged. The amount of dissolved oxygen in the water has increased, bringing fish back to the stream. Pacific students will continue to monitor and manage the site. Meanwhile, they’ve developed a little under one-and-a-half miles of trails for visitors and hikers to enjoy.

Frank Opila followed with a presentation on monitoring water quality at Jackson Bottom Wetlands.  Patt Opdyke talked about how to use native plants to conserve water and attract wildlife, and METRO's Jim Morgan discussed how volunteers are helping with restoration projects.

TRWC’s coordinator, April Olbrich, hopes this first time event wil become an annual event and participation in watershed stewardship across the basin will grow. As Daddy Long Legs said to Itsy Bitsy, “We’re all living in a watershed.”

Tacy Steele, City of Hillslboro Water Dept. and Joan Adamson, Tualatin Valley Water District, prepare for children's activities that allowed children to plant seeds into pots and transplant at home.

Bridlemile Creek Stewards, a volunteer group, spends its energies on restoring tributaries located on the headwaters of Fanno Creek, on the eastside of the Tualatin Basin.

The Farm Services Agency located in Hillsboro, provides information, programs and resources to farmers throughout the Tualatin Basin.

Numerous resources to assist with water quality, erosion and other issues are available to rural residents.

Student Watershed Research Projects works with high school teachers and students throughout the Tualatin Basin in conducting water quality monitoring and other testing of streams.  An annual summit highlighting the monitoring and other student research projects is held regionwide each May.

Oregon Dept. of Forestry provides assistance and resources to the forestry industry and private woodlot owners.  The Tillamook Forest Center will open in Spring 2006.

The watershed council provides a variety of information to watershed rseidents.

Trout Unlimited provides information on native trout in the west.

Washington County Small Woodlands Association provides information on small woodland owner resources.

Refreshments for the event sponsored by Tualatin Basin Partners for Clean Waters and furnished by Maggie's Buns were great!

Stacy Renfro, Patt Opdyke, April Olbrich and Jan Miller, catch up between presentations.

Patt Opdyke describes the advantages of using native plants in your home landscape and her presentation featured some plants as well.

Washington County Small Woodlands Association members demonstrated the use of the portable sawmill.

A finished board.

The beginning of the milling process.

The video filming crew taking in the watershed event.