Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
Sorted by date Results 401 - 425 of 1812
RAINBOW: The judge at this year’s Ice Cream Social at the Upper McKenzie Community Center was Steve Severin, who had a chance to sample a table full of entries before naming his favorite. Over 100 people attended the event last Saturday and had the opportunity to see plans for future improvements for the historic structure while tasting some of the cobblers themselves. Other crowd pleasers were the shelves of books and other offerings at the temporary site of the O’Brien Memorial Library and...
FINN ROCK: Work on Elk Creek in the Finn Rock Reach restoration area is showing results. Contractors working for the McKenzie River Trust have built log jams and transplanted willows as well as reintroduced spawning gravels to the area in anticipation of the creek being re-routed into its original channel. Last Friday night, the restoration team removed the first of three sections of berm built to armor the area against the McKenzie River. As the water began to move across the floodplain for...
Fire investigators with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service are seeking the public’s assistance with any tips or information pertinent to the start of the Bedrock Fire. Reported on July 22nd, the wildfire is located in the Willamette National Forest’s Middle Fork Ranger District, approximately 36 miles east of Springfield. The fire started near the Bedrock Campground, off of Forest Road 18 in the Fall Creek area, This week over 720 emergency responders have supported sup...
MCKENZIE BRIDGE: The 40-year operating license at Carmen Smith, issued in 2019, includes 10 natural resource and recreation management plans and over 300 individual commitments. Part of the Eugene Water and Electric Board’s license agreement calls for providing passage for federally threatened bull trout and Chinook salmon so they can move safely past the Trail Bridge Dam. In that area, populations of native trout are being monitored, along with a focus on returning historic fish spawning and f...
BLUE RIVER: The Bottle Boys have stepped up to provide a generous donation to support the much-needed maintenance and mowing of the Blue River Park grounds. As soon as the fire restrictions ease up, the park will be mowed and weeded, thanks to the kind contribution from the Bottles Boys. Over the past year, the park district has been working on a Wildfire Recovery Master Plan, taking into account feedback gathered from surveys. The Overall Plan, with assistance from the National Park Service...
Scientists analyzed more than 650 dam removal projects over 55 years in the United States totaling $1.52 billion inflation-adjusted dollars to develop a tool to better estimate the cost of future dam removals. The analysis arrives at a time of increasing awareness of the disruptive impact dams can have on ecosystems, while thousands of dams are increasingly being removed because they are aging, unsafe, no longer serving their original purpose, or in need of costly repairs and maintenance. “We ar...
Scientists analyzed more than 650 dam removal projects over 55 years in the United States totaling $1.52 billion inflation-adjusted dollars to develop a tool to better estimate the cost of future dam removals. The analysis arrives at a time of increasing awareness of the disruptive impact dams can have on ecosystems, while thousands of dams are increasingly being removed because they are aging, unsafe, no longer serving their original purpose, or in need of costly repairs and maintenance. “We are transitioning from a period of building dams to...
NORTH SISTER: Hope turned to sorrow following a 12:18 p.m. report on July 17th that a woman’s boyfriend had fallen approximately 300 to 500 feet down a Cascade peak and was severely injured. According to Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Fiona Curley was unable to see where Joel Tranby had fallen and couldn’t reach him due to the extremely steep and rocky terrain of that section of the North Sister. A Lane County Sheriff’s Office SAR Coordinator and a Mountain Rescue volunteer arrived in the area vi...
The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) extended the air quality advisory on Thursday for Eastern Lane County. LRAPA expects intermittent smoke in the following areas through at least Monday night. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on the weather. Check current conditions on the Oregon Smoke Information Blog, or by visiting the EPA’s Fire & Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/ Smoke can irritate the eyes and lungs and worsen some medical conditions. People most at risk include i...
COUGAR DAM: Crews from advanced American Construction of Portland have been busy while traffic has been blocked from crossing over the top of Cougar Dam. Details of the $6,650,000 in upgrades include the placement of a 480v electrical line across the Cougar Dam crest, concrete work, and repainting. The work closure of Road NF-1993 will extend through this fall. It will reopen on September 29th. Visitors may need to plan alternate routes to access these trailheads: Lower Echo/East Fork, Upper...
"Chimneys were all that was left of our Blue River home Sounding the sirens and calling out names Leave everything that you own and your Blue River home..." Those words can stand alone - but put to music in a new recording - they can convey much more to listeners. Singers and songwriters Mike and Carleen McCornack are Oregon/Willamette Valley natives with a 50-plus-year history as folk musicians. As the couple recalls some shared experiences over the past few years, their thoughts have often...
The Lane County Board of County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing regarding proposed code amendments that would allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in rural residential zones. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 1st, at 1:30 p.m. People can attend in-person in Harris Hall at the Lane County Public Service Building (125 E 8th Ave., Eugene) or visit www.LaneCountyOR.gov/BoardAgendas for more information about participating virtually. The code amendments would authorize accessory dwelling units on properties zoned...
Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering are developing technology to convert wastewater into a product that would simultaneously irrigate and fertilize crops. The three-year project led by Xue Jin, assistant professor of environmental engineering, will be supported by $750,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will involve partnerships with farmers, wastewater treatment plants and USDA scientists. “Agricultural activity accounts for 70% of all a...
The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) wants to remind Oregonians to stay vigilant this fire season. Over the last several weeks, the department has recognized an uptick in human-caused wildfires. ODF hopes that with understanding and cooperation, human-caused fires do not continue progressing. With dry fuels, higher temperatures, and low humidity, now is the time for Oregonians to actively practice wildfire prevention. “We all need to do our part to prevent wildfires from starting throughout the year, but right now everyone needs to be e...
EUGENE: “Focusing on operational readiness and honing in on our research and development” was how Jeannine Parisi characterized the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s plans for counteracting weather-related fire dangers. The utility’s strategic planning manager’s presentation to the utility commissioners last week also noted that “communication is the most important part of PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoffs).” Last year EWEB had planned to increase the sensitivity of powerline shutoffs when...
FINN ROCK: Phase II of the Floodplain Enhancement Project in the Finn Rock Reach is now underway. It is designed to enhance habitat conditions across more than 80 acres adjacent to the McKenzie River by restoring historic floodplain connections between the main stem stream and Elk Creek. The new project adds to Phase I work completed in 2021 that reconnected more than 50 acres of floodplain. Beginning around Thursday, contractors will temporarily reroute a section of Elk Creek into a diversion...
In a report distributed last week, the Oregon Department of Transportation has come up with proposals to address a half dozen problem areas along the McKenzie Hwy. Those sites - from Walterville to Leaburg - were developed as a result of input from a February 9th public meeting, as well as online and other submissions. The first stretches from Milepoint 12.9 to 13.15. It includes the Walterville Canal Bridge and the Page Lane intersection. Between 2016 and 2020, there were seven reported crashes...
Under a grant program administered by the Eugene Water & Electric Board, eligible landowners may qualify for up to $35,000 for septic system upgrades or repairs. People do not need to be an EWEB customer to receive a grant because the utility is administering the program for the entire fire-affected area. Applicants must be the current owner of a property located within the Holiday Farm Fire perimeter and that sustained structural damage or destruction. If the property owner can’t do the work, septic system repairs or installation must be c...
Public safety partners in Lane County are updating their emergency alerting service to the statewide alerting system OR-Alert, which will be called Lane Alerts locally, to send emergency alerts – including evacuation notifications – to residents and visitors. Residents should go to www.LaneAlerts.org to create a free Lane Alerts account and select where and how they would like to receive emergency alerts. Residents can also text their ZIP code to 888777. Lane Alerts allows people to opt-in to...
The Oregon Department of Transportation continues to expand its road usage charge program, OReGO, by offering customers a new commercial account manager option, Ferrovial’s NextMove by Cintra. Nearly 900 drivers participate in OReGO, the nation’s first road usage charge program, where participants pay a per-mile fee based on the miles they drive and can receive credit for the fuel taxes they pay. ODOT’s new partner, NextMove by Cintra will collect and report the mileage driven by parti...
Residents who experienced direct harm from Oregon’s 2020 wildfires are more likely to take steps to mitigate their fire risk in the future, an Oregon State University study found. They’re also more apt to participate in community-helping activities like donating to and volunteering with emergency response groups after wildfires. Disaster preparedness actions for wildfire risk may include preparing an evacuation plan, replacing flammable building materials, assembling an evacuation kit, imp...
WALTERVILLE: A local event with a unique aroma opened last Friday for a three-day run in Walterville. From July 7th to 10th, the McKenzie River Lavender Bloom drew a steady flow of the namesake flower’s fans who enthusiasts got to enjoy the intoxicating “herb of relaxation,” essential scented soaps, oils, and sprays; while also exploring culinary treats, crafts, music, and more. All were on the grounds of the McKenzie River Lavender Farm which was created, and nurtured, by a remarkable lady...
The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a red flag warning due to a high fire danger forecast from 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturday for the central and southern Willamette Valley. Temperatures that could reach the 100s, winds that could gust up to 25 mph, and low relative humidity will mean fires can start and spread rapidly. "Conditions may be favorable for rapid fire spread which may threaten life and property. Use extra caution with potential ignition sources, especially in grassy areas,"...
Starting today, the Willamette National Forest will change from ‘high to ‘very high’ Fire Danger. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) remains as IFPL II. Additionally, fire restrictions will go into effect on the Willamette National Forest on July 15th. The fire restrictions apply to all lands within the forest except the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas. The recent heat wave has accelerated the drying of fuels across the forest. The dry conditions are susceptible to new ignit...
The Holiday Farm Fire Recovery PIER Funding Selection Committee will hold a public meeting with an opportunity for public testimony on Monday, July 17, at the McKenzie River Community School, 51187 Blue River Driveat 1:00 PM. This meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person and remote call-in options from 1-4 p.m. Call or email the staff contact below for the meeting link. Federal funding in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, will soon become available to support recovery from the H...
