Splashes from the Molalla River

Splashes from the

Molalla River Watch is Molalla River dedicated to the enhancement, restoration, protection, Summer 2020 beautification, and preservation of the Molalla River Watershed Check Out Our Remodeled Website!

molallariverwatch.org

Board of Directors Bill Taylor– Board Chair Melissa Gentry– Sec./Treas. Becky Wolf Terre Rogers

Staff Asako Yamamuro– o you know how more information about Mo- resources on how to attract Executive Director you think some- lalla River Watch (who we wildlife to your backyard. D thing is going to go are, what we do, and how to smoothly and quickly, but it join us) and also learn more One of our newest additions ends up getting complicated about the Molalla River Wa- to the website is a video and taking way more time to tershed. tour of geologic formations finish? Well, that was our of the Molalla Recreation experience with revamping We also have a section that Corridor by longtime resi- our website, molallariver- we hope to be of use to dent, Bob Oblack. watch.org. landowners, under Landown- er Resources. There, we What would be interesting & Regardless of the hurdles, provide links to: general local informative to add to the we are very proud to share resources to assist with con- website? Please feel free to our website with you all. We servation goals on your land, let us know if you have sug- wanted the website to be a gardening resources specific gestions for additional web- place where you all can get to the Pacific Northwest, & site content. Contact molal- Inside this issue: [email protected]. Molalla R. State Park 2 COVID-19 & Our Watershed Council Woodcock Creek 2 The donation response to changes include canceling to all & are now virtual. Water Conservation 3 our board’s ask for dona- our spring & fall river clean- From the comfort of your Side Channel 3 tions has been heartwarming. ups (this would have been home, you can learn about We greatly appreciate the our 28th year) & changing our current work. Please see Elks Park 4 support. our monthly meeting format. our Events Calendar for dates, times, & how to par- Frog Survey 4 A few COVID-19 related Our meetings are still open ticipate.

Beaver teeth 5 Page 2 Splashes from the Molalla River

Molalla River State Park Project Updates & Next Steps

f you haven’t visited 1) The Park is home to However, there are a Molalla River State young Pacific lamprey & few spots that are cool I Park yet, it’s worth the at least two species of year round. visit. The Park is located in freshwater mussels, 6) The Park has a 25.5 Canby at the confluence of which are important to acre knotweed patch. It the Molalla, Pudding, & Native American tribes is a highly invasive plant Willamette Rivers & has 450 of Oregon. that degrades habitat acres of floodplain habitat. 2) There is evidence of 53 suitability for wildlife & great blue heron nests floodplain forest health. Molalla River Watch is in a group called a working with landowner heron rookery. We have also started de- Oregon Parks & Recreation 3) The most common fish signing a restoration project Department to improve were largemouth bass, to increase habitat suitability water quality, fish & wildlife small mouth bass, & & complexity for multiple habitat, & forest ecosystem banded killifish, which species of fish & wildlife. “When one health. Funders Oregon are all non-native spe- Recently, we have applied tugs at a Watershed Enhancement cies. for funding to implement single thing Board, Bonneville Power 4) The Willamette River instream restoration. Since in nature, he Administration, & backwaters into the we found existing important finds it Willamette Water Supply Molalla. This means that habitats like those for young attached to Program have made this at especially high flows lamprey, freshwater mus- work possible. Work com- the Willamette River sels, the heron rookery, & the rest of pleted so far includes: wild- water level gets high cold water sites, all work the world.” life surveys, water tempera- enough to push water will seek a “do no harm” —John Muir ture & hydrologic monitor- up the Molalla River & approach while incorporat- ing & analyses, and managing overspill onto the ing structures of natural invasive weeds. floodplain. materials to help the river 5) Generally, water tem- recover natural processes. New things we have learned peratures are warm & about Molalla River State unsuitable for sensitive Park: fish like salmon & trout.

What we found at Molalla River State Park: young Pacific lamprey (above), west- ern pearlshell mussel (right), great blue heron nests (far right). Photos, BioSurveys

TRIVIA: What is special about beaver teeth? (A) Contain iron, (B) Grow continuously, (C) Can chew down a 5-inch diameter willow tree in 3 minutes, or (D) All of the Above. Answer on page 5. Summer 2020 Page 3

Students Discuss the Importance of Water Conservation

• Where does the water In December 2019, Molalla special. Lastly, we brain- that comes out of your River Watch asked students stormed ideas of how to faucet come from? about the importance of “make every drop count” • Why are flushing toilets freshwater & the water cy- to conserve water. so great? cle, differences between • If we need fresh water so water demand & availability, badly, why is it difficult to and how water is moved create? from a source to a treat- ment facility to water stor- Two classes at Molalla River age & distribution. We also Academy got to discuss discussed what makes the these thoughtful questions. Molalla River Watershed National Water Quality Initiative in the Molalla Watershed

ur partners, Clacka- tee. arise. The project also as- O mas Soil & Water sesses where investment of Conservation District, are The project is an effort to resources will bring the working on a Molalla River better understand issues greatest return for drinking Drinking Water National affecting drinking water water source quality protec- Water Quality Initiative quality for the approximate- tion & improvement. project, which is funded by ly 26,000 of us who have Natural Resources Conser- drinking water that comes To learn more about the vation Service. Molalla River directly from the Molalla project & provide feedback, Watch is a member of their River. A second objective is visit molallariverdrinking- technical advisory commit- to predict where issues may water.com Side Channel Project to Protect Juvenile Fish

nered with Native Fish Soci- ety to work on two side channel restoration projects along the Molalla River between Highway 211 bridge and just upstream of the Feyrer Park bridge. The first project was completed in July 2019, & the second pro- Board chair, Bill Taylor, & restoration work by Trask Consulting. ject was completed in July 2020. Side channel habitats are mainstem Molalla River, ju- offshoots of a river that venile fish can find refuge in Restoration work entailed are generally slower- side channels where water adding wood to prevent too moving & more shallow temperatures tend to be much water from entering than the main river. Dur- cooler & more bearable. the side channel all at once ing the summer when water during high flows & risk temperatures are high in the Molalla River Watch part- blowing out & degrading the important habitat. Summer 2020 Page 4

Planting Trees for Future Generations at Elks Park

riverbanks & can reduce the rate of erosion. The Elks raised enough money to purchase native trees & shrubs that Lisa ordered from a native plant sale.

On March 14, 2020, a few Molalla River Watch members helped Troop Planting trees with Troop 257. The last event MRW participated in 257 plant 180 native trees before COVID. and shrubs! “Now I see the One summer day in 2019, teach the boy scouts, camp- secret of Molalla River Watch got a ers, and others that use Elks making the call from the manager of Park. She was also con- best person: it Elks Park, located west of cerned about bank erosion. is to grow in Mulino along the Molalla the open air River. Lisa, the park manag- We advised that planting and to eat and er, was interested in learn- native trees along the sleep with the ing more about riparian riverbank would provide The morning started off wet, but earth. ” zones (vegetated area along natural erosion control be- ended up being perfect for planting —Walt a river) and local wildlife to cause tree roots stabilize Whitman

Northern Red-Legged Frog 2020 Survey

As most of you know who One egg mass! read through our newslet- ters, we go out and survey for amphibian egg masses in Two egg mass! the ponds at Aquila Vista in the Molalla Recreation Cor- ridor. This year was our 6th year of gathering egg mass data.

On Feb. 21, 2020, we found 654 northern red-legged frog & 16 northwestern salamander egg masses. In comparison, last year, we found 270 northern red- For this 6th year of surveying egg masses at Aquila legged frog & 2 northwest- Vista, the crew found 384 more northern red- ern salamander egg masses. legged frog egg masses than last year! Summer 2020 Page 5

HELP ENHANCE AND PROTECT THE MOLALLA RIVER You can also become a member and make donations on our website: www.molallariverwatch.org

Please print  Volunteer  Donate services, equipment, or materials Date ______

Name ______$100 Steward Address ______ $20 Individual   $25 Family  $250 River Patron City/State/Zip ______ $50 Friend  $______Other Phone ______

Email (for event contact) ______ New Member Area of Interest ______ Membership Renewal

 I would like information on corporate/ Make Checks Payable, Molalla River Watch, Inc. business membership Detach, and Mail To: P.O. Box 867 Molalla, OR 97038-0867

Phone: 503-559-0885 Email: [email protected] Website: www.molallariverwatch.org All Contributions are Tax Deductible!

From Page 2 Beaver Teeth Trivia

If you picked (D) All of the teeth continue to grow Above, you are correct! for their entire lives. Bea- ver gnaw on wood, which Beaver Teeth (A) Con- wears down its teeth. If a tain iron. Their four beaver didn’t wear down front teeth (incisors) are its teeth, they would orange because they have grow up to 4 feet in a iron in their tooth enam- year! el. The iron makes teeth stronger & better able to Beaver Teeth (C) Can cut through wood. The chew down a 5-inch iron enamel is only on diameter willow tree the front of their teeth, in 3 minutes. Beaver while the teeth backs are known for chomping have exposed dentin wood and they can do it which wears away faster. quickly. By falling a tree, The uneven wear gives beavers can access the the incisor a chiseled food they couldn’t reach shape, which helps them like buds, leaves, & bark. chomp through wood. Learn more about bea- Beaver Teeth (B) Grow vers, Oregon’s State Ani- continuously. Since mal here. beaver are rodents their Molalla River Watch, Inc. P.O. Box 867 Molalla, OR 97038-0867

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Sept. 22—Molalla River Watch Board Meeting, 6:30-8:30pm. Molalla River Watch, Inc. Please see our Events Calendar on our website, molallariver- Purpose watch.org for info on how to join the virtual • To promote and encourage the enhance- Molalla River or to the Molalla Recreation meeting. ment, restoration, protection, beautification Corridor. and preservation of the Molalla River for the • To conduct meetings, seminars, events, out- educational, recreational and monetary bene- ings and educational activities for the purpose fit of the community and public and for the of fostering and promoting public interest in benefit of future generations. and knowledge of the Molalla River Water- • To promote and encourage interest in watershed. Molalla River Watch, Inc. shed preservation and ecological matters, P.O. Box 867 particularly as such matters pertain to the Molalla, OR 97038-0867

503-559-0885 [email protected] Mission Statement www.molallariverwatch.org To preserve, protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat and water quality of the Molalla River Watershed through education, conservation and restoration activities for present and future generations. Follow us on Facebook, too!