3/31/2009 11:47:00 AM
Putting Whychus Creek back on course
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| Guides and docents were briefed on the Deschutes Land Trust’s project to restore Whychus Creek’s “meander” in a tour last week. photo provided
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March 23 was a big day for the Deschutes Land Trust's Camp Polk Preserve; tour leaders and docents met at the preserve to learn the details of the restoration of Whychus Creek, a project that will be kicking into high gear this spring and summer. Crews are slated to begin breaking ground to restore the historical meandering creek channel, after which the meadow will be hopping with activity throughout the summer and fall.
Back in 1964, over Christmastime, Whychus, then known as Squaw Creek, went on a rampage when warm rain fell on a wet snow pack, resulting in the creek going over its banks, flooding Sisters, killing seven people and costing around $157 million to repair the damages.
The following year, the US Army Corps of Engineers, in a well-meaning effort to get the creek out of town as fast as possible and "correct" the Camp Polk Flood Plain, eliminated the natural meandering route by channelizing Whychus Creek, turning it into a virtual fire hose. As a result, fish habitat was destroyed, the meadow dried out, along with much of the stream-side vegetation (riparian zone), and the general health of the creek was destroyed.
Now - in a colossal and costly effort - the Land Trust, Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and other partners are planning to restore the health, fish habitat, wildlife values and beauty of Whychus Creek. The projected creek bed restoration project was mapped out from historical aerial photos, taken in 1941, and other sources.
The special restoration tour last Monday was led by Ryan Houston, executive director of the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council and Amanda Egertson, steward director, who presented an update on the project and let everyone know how and when it will move forward.
As coordinator of the tour leaders, Sarah Mowry, Land Trust outreach manager, said to the participants, "It is imperative that we catch you all up on the restoration project plans and schedule, as it will impact your efforts to utilize the preserve on your bird counts, guided tours, and other volunteer projects."
According to Houston and Edgetson, the restoration project will begin in May of this year and be completed by summer of 2012. The 2009 phase will commence with almost 5,000 feet of six-inch irrigation pipe laid out across the meadow, following the old creek bed. A fish screen will be installed in the temporary irrigation pipe upstream of the meadow. Where the pipe crosses the historical meanderings, a valve will be opened to begin soaking the meadow prior to reconstructing the creek bed.
Volunteers will be pulling weeds often in an effort to manage the many invasive plant species now present in the meadow. On May 13, from 10 a.m. to noon, the Land Trust will offer another tour for those wanting to witness the restoration project and learn more about it in detail.
Once the actual excavating begins in June, no one- not even guided tours - will be allowed near that phase of the project for safety considerations. The last thing the equipment operators need is to have someone suddenly appear in front of their bulldozer.
"And this is especially true for those who have been visiting the preserve with dogs and allowing them to run loose," Edgetson added. "All dogs must be on a leash, and they are not allowed in meadow at all."
By July of this year, the reconstructed creek bed should be completed and the alien plant removal well underway. The irrigation line will continue soaking the meadow over the new stream bed and fencing will be put up to keep deer out of the native plantings that will be introduced in the rehydrated meadow.
All the plantings will require a huge volunteer work force, so if you want to pitch in, please call the Land Trust office at 330-0017 and let them know you want to take part in this exciting project. By October there will be a need to plant approximately 130,000 seedlings on the banks of the newly introduced creek bed.
If all goes as planned, work will continue into 2010-11 and the final introduction of Whychus into it's historical bed will take place in 2012.
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