Portland State University PDXScholar Master of Environmental Management Project Reports Environmental Science and Management 12-17-2019 Watershed Assessment of Tryon Creek of Oregon Danielle Goodrich Portland State University Follow this and additional works at: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/mem_gradprojects Part of the Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, and the Environmental Monitoring Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Goodrich, Danielle, "Watershed Assessment of Tryon Creek of Oregon" (2019). Master of Environmental Management Project Reports. 57. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/mem_gradprojects/57 https://doi.org/10.15760/mem.59 This Project is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Environmental Management Project Reports by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. Please contact us if we can make this document more accessible: [email protected]. (Source: Barton, A. (2019). Tryon Creek Watershed Council) Watershed Assessment of Tryon Creek of Oregon This document was written in cooperation with the Tryon Creek Watershed Council by Danielle Goodrich as a master’s project for the Professional Science Master of Environmental Science and Management degree at Portland State University, Oregon. 1 Watershed Assessment of Tryon Creek of Oregon Tryon Creek Watershed Council December 17, 2019 Acknowledgements Thank you to all of the board members and partners of the Tryon Creek Watershed Council for providing this project opportunity and for your dedication to stewardship of the watershed. Glen Leverich, Dusty Day, Terri Preeg Riggsby, Alexis Barton, Sharon Keast, Carl Axelsen, Megan Hill, Jennifer Jones, Hannah Machiorlete, and Torrey Lindbo have contributed incomparable efforts to this watershed assessment and Tryon Creek as a whole. Thank you, Dr. Joseph Maser, very much for guiding this project and providing key insight. Thank you, Dr. Patrick Edwards, for being a member of my review committee and serving as a role model for me during my graduate work. A final thank you goes to all of the folks who provided resources and guidance throughout this process, including Jim Cathcart and colleagues at West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Colleen Mitchell and colleagues at the City of Portland, Bureau of Environmental Services, Sonja Johnson and colleagues at City of Lake Oswego, Erin Cathcart, Gabe Sheoships, and colleagues at Friends of Tryon Creek, Andrea Berkley and colleagues at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Andrea Matzke and colleagues at Oregon Department of Environmental Services, Brook Silver and colleagues at United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Adam Stonewall and colleagues at United States Geological Survey, Monica Blanchard and colleagues at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Lori Hennings and colleagues at Metro. 1 2 LIST OF COMPONENTS Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 1 Acronyms and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................... 6 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 7 I. Introduction of the Watershed Assessment ............................................................................... 11 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Watershed Issues ............................................................................................................................. 13 The Watershed in Oregon ............................................................................................................... 15 Land Use and Ownership ................................................................................................................ 16 Ecoregions and Vegetation .............................................................................................................. 19 Geology and Soils ............................................................................................................................. 21 References ....................................................................................................................................... 25 II. Historical Conditions Assessment ............................................................................................. 27 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 27 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 27 Timeline ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Historical Narrative ......................................................................................................................... 29 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 35 Data Gaps ........................................................................................................................................ 35 References ....................................................................................................................................... 36 III. Channel Habitat Type Assessment ............................................................................................ 37 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 37 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 38 Results ............................................................................................................................................. 40 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 49 Data Gaps ......................................................................................................................................... 51 References ........................................................................................................................................ 51 IV. Hydrology and Water Use Assessment ...................................................................................... 52 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 52 Hydrologic Condition Assessment ................................................................................................. 54 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 57 Data Gaps ........................................................................................................................................ 58 References ....................................................................................................................................... 58 V. Riparian and Wetlands Assessment ........................................................................................... 59 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 59 3 Riparian Conditions Assessment .................................................................................................... 60 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 60 Results .......................................................................................................................................... 61 Wetland Assessment ....................................................................................................................... 64 Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 64 Results ......................................................................................................................................... 64 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 67 Data Gaps ........................................................................................................................................ 67 References ....................................................................................................................................... 68 VI. Sediment Sources Assessment ................................................................................................... 69 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 69 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................