HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/20/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
January 20, 2011
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
AFTER 50 YEARS THE WILLAMETTE RIVER AND DELTA PONDS NATURAL AREA ARE RECONNECTED
IVY REMOVAL AT ALTON BAKER PARK MAKES ROOM FOR NATIVE PLANTS
EPARK LAUNCHES PARKING SURVEY FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES
CITY HOME SHOW BOOTH PROMOTES FAMILY AND FOOD FRIENDLY LANDSCAPES
AROUND THE CITY
After 50 Years the Willamette River and Delta Ponds Natural Area are Reconnected
Over five decades ago, gravel mining cut off what is now the Delta Ponds natural area from the flow of water from the
Willamette River. Today, after 10 years of planning and phased implementation, water is once again flowing from the
Willamette through the Delta Ponds – creating 2.2 miles of valuable side-channel habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon
and a wide variety of other species.
To make this happen, the City of Eugene has led a large-scale
effort over the past 10 years to remove barriers and create new
paths for water to flow through the ponds. The primary goals of
this floodplain restoration project are to provide backwater
overwintering habitat for juvenile salmon, Western pond turtles,
neotropical migratory song birds, native riparian plant
communities, and other species. Now juvenile Chinook salmon
can spend time growing in the safety of this side-channel before
returning to the river.
The City has balanced these goals with risks of flooding and
protection of roadways, utilities, and other infrastructure. To
provide for public safety, the project was designed with gated
culverts that can be closed if river flows reach levels high enough
to cause potential damage. A large culvert installed under
Water flowing from Willamette River into Delta Ponds
Goodpasture Island Road this summer provided the final
connection.
Now that water is flowing through the system, City of Eugene staff are verifying pre-project hydraulic models to
determine how best to operate the culverts in order to provide the maximum benefit for fish without causing any
damage or flooding downstream. To monitor changes to water levels, staff installed several gauges in the ponds and
sloughs and are using photo documentation to record water levels at each of the culverts and at various locations
throughout the ponds so that they can better understand how changes to the flows through the culverts impact water
levels throughout the pond system.
As Willamette River levels ebb and flow throughout the coming months, City staff will continue to make adjustments
to how they operate the culverts based on the observed results. Over time staff will be able to learn how the
hydrology of this new system functions and will be better able to meet the goals of providing fish and wildlife habitat
without causing flooding or other damage to key infrastructure.
For more information, contact Natural Resource Enhancement Coordinator Lauri Holts at 541-682-4925 or
lauri.j.holts@ci.eugene.or.us
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
January 20, 2011
Ivy Removal at Alton Baker Park Makes Room for Native Plants
The Public Works Parks and Open Space Division is employing a contractor to continue with the challenging task of
hand-pulling English ivy along the Willamette River in portions of Alton Baker Park. English ivy is not native to this
area, though it has become quite widespread in Western Oregon due to its frost hardiness, bird-dispersed seeds,
and ability to “out compete” native vegetation and form a monoculture. Not only can this evergreen vine climb old
buildings, but it also climbs – and eventually can topple – very tall
trees.
Currently, the ivy removal along the Willamette River is focused on
the north bank near the Frohnmayer Bridge (formerly the Autzen
Footbridge). This is an area of huge trees typical of a riparian forest
in the area, including cottonwoods, maples and incense-cedars. The
understory is a variety of native flowering shrubs and boasts a lush
display of wildflowers in the spring. All of the vegetation and habitat
in this area is being overgrown with English ivy, and if no actions
were taken, most of this valuable community asset would be lost.
The Parks and Open Space Division has undertaken significant
English ivy removal in other locations, such as Skinner Butte,
Contracted crew pulls ivy along Willamette River
Hendricks Park, and Wayne Morse Family Farm, and has
discovered that in the seasons immediately following removal, the native vegetation that had been suppressed by the
blanket of ivy quickly recolonizes the area. This method of ivy removal has been the most efficient, cost effective, and
safe way to reclaim these areas.
For more information, please contact Ryan Turner, natural resources maintenance specialist, at 541-682-4843.
Epark Launches Parking Survey for Downtown Businesses
The City of Eugene is seeking input from local business owners about how
the expanded downtown free parking program is working. The City is
partnering with the University of Oregon’s Community Planning Workshop
to administer a series of business perception surveys during the two-year
program. Postcards inviting businesses to participate will go out this week.
Downtown business owners in businesses next to the new on-street free
parking program area who are interested in providing feedback can
www.Surveymonkey.com/s/EugeneParking
register at .
The Community Planning Workshop will send the registrant an online
survey within a month.
Epark manages downtown, campus, and neighborhood parking, including the operation of off-street parking facilities,
code enforcement, and Municipal Court services. For more information, please call 541-682-5729 or go to
parking@ci.eugene.or.us.
City Home Show Booth Promotes Family and Food Friendly Landscapes
“Recipes for Healthy Living” is the focus of a City of Eugene information booth at this
year's Good Earth Home, Garden and Living Show, scheduled at the Lane County
Fairgrounds, Jan. 21 - 23. Attendees who stop by booth 510 will find tips on how to
create a healthy landscape for families, prepare backyard compost, grow vegetables
and tend chickens in the urban environment, plus information on participating in the
Climate Masters at Home Program.
Visitors who participate in a short survey can enter a drawing for practical prizes.
Staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide handouts. The booth is a
collaborative effort between the Public Works Stormwater Management Program and
Planning and Development’s Waste Prevention and Green Building Program. For
more information, contact Stormwater Information Specialist Kathy Eva, in Public
Works Administration, at 541-682-2739 or kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
January 20, 2011