Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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U.S. District Court Judge Marco Hernandez outlined in a draft order last Wednesday actions that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must take to protect threatened wild spring chinook and winter steelhead at its Willamette Valley dams. The case has been in the courts for three years. Plaintiffs in the case consider the draft order a win, although after years of delay they say the two populations of fish listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act have declined even further. “It’s with mixed emotions that we read this draft ord...
In August, Lane Transit District (LTD) will offer a boost with a Vaxpass free bus pass for people who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Federal regulations require all passengers and members of the public to continue wearing a face mask over the nose and mouth when on LTD property and on its buses. “LTD’s August Vaxpass is one way the district can thank community members who are vaccinated and encourages those who aren’t to consider getting vaccinated so Oregonians can continue to keep the spread of COVID-19 at a minimum,” said Aurora Jackson...
Oregonians will soon have a choice about how they display their support for salmon habitat. A new salmon license plate design will be available September 1st, or Oregonians can opt for the classic salmon license plate until August. Lowest-numbered new plates will be available through a special auction in cooperation with Oregon nonprofits that support salmon habitat restoration. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department first debuted the salmon...
FINN ROCK: "It is important that the restoration work be completed before the salmon arrive from the Pacific Ocean in early September," according to Daniel Dietz, the McKenzie River Trust's Conservation Director. "When completed, the restoration will improve salmon spawning and rearing habitat, including for juvenile Spring Chinook, and increase nesting habitat for Western Pond Turtles, as well as address Elk Creek bank erosion and flood mitigation." Project details include a temporary water div...
COUGAR RESERVOIR: Willamette National Forest officials report Drive (Forest Service Road 19) remains closed to through traffic near milepost 52 due to continued safety hazards. Inspections have shown the cliff face adjacent to the road is still unstable, with rocks and other debris continuing to break loose. Contractors are continuing work that includes rock bolting and installing a rockfall mesh screen before it is safe to reopen the roadway. Estimates are that work will be completed by the...
The Willamette National Forest is looking for contractors to operate campgrounds and other government-owned recreation fac-ilities. Sites include campgrounds, day use areas and boat launches divided into two packages. The north package is for 28 facilities on the Detroit, Sweet Home and McKenzie River Ranger Districts; which have an average annual revenue of $650,000 from 2016-2020. The south package is for 38 facilities on the McKenzie River and Middle Fork Ranger Districts; where average annual revenue was almost $785,000 from 2016-2020. The...
RAINBOW: Over 65 people showed up for the July 5th ribbon cutting ceremony at the Upper McKenzie Community Center. What they found was a large selection of books, audiobooks, and DVD's to borrow, as well as new free books for children and adults to keep. Other features of the O'Brien Library's temporary quarters inside the Center included a new children's area, refreshments, a treasure hunt and free use of computers and on-site WiFi access. Over $1,000 in donations to help build the permanent...
WALTERVILLE: Started over 20 years ago, the student garden at the Walterville Elementary School has been traditionally tended by the 5th-grade class. This year, when classes resumed after the pandemic restrictions, all six classes were involved in tending the plot behind the building. Besides the greenery, the garden featured a functional pond with fish and frogs. "We have six garden beds set up with veggies growing in four of the six and flowers in the other two," notes 5th-grade teacher...
On July2, 1971, Governor Tom McCall signed into law the nation's first bottle and can redemption system, which has helped keep Oregon clean and pretty litter free for 50 years. Not only was it the first, but it remains among the best, with Oregon regularly seeing some of the top redemption and recycling rates in the nation. To mark the 50th Anniversary of the Bottle Bill, the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC), parent company to BottleDrop, is hosting a treasure hunt by hiding six...
Human-caused wildfire ignitions in Oregon are expected to remain steady over the next four decades and lightning-caused ignitions are expected to decline, but the average size of a blaze from either cause is expected to rise, Oregon State University modeling suggests. Scientists including Meg Krawchuk of the OSU College of Forestry and former OSU research associate Ana Barros, now of the Washington Department of Natural Resources, said the findings can help local decision-makers understand how a changing climate might affect natural and...
Over the holiday weekend, Eugene Water & Electric Board reports it has received multiple reports of scam attempts targeting customers. The scammers threaten people by telling them that that their electric and/or water services would be shut off if the customer did not submit payment within 30 minutes. EWEB is reaching out to remind customers to be suspicious of any emails and/or phone calls that claim to be urgent and require immediate action to prevent shut-off of any of their utility services. Officials say that if your account is past due,...
The McKenzie River Valley is world-renowned for its cold, clear water, uniquely emerging from volcanic lava beds, which provide natural filtering and a relatively constant flow and temperature. Past US Presidents and other notable dignitaries have vacationed and fished on the McKenzie for its prized Rainbow Trout, guided by iconic local guide families rowing the no less iconic McKenzie River Boat. This is also Big Timber country and the drive up the McKenzie Highway has always held as one of the most beautiful trips through both remnant...
ODFW has implemented emergency fishing regulations throughout the state to help protect fish during hot, dry weather. Fishing tips for beating the heat Get up early. Fish early in the morning when water temperatures are cooler and fish are more active. You might also beat the swimmers, kayakers, paddle boarders, sailors, water skiers and others that might get in your way. Go higher. Lakes at higher elevations should be cooler than those on the valley floors. This is a great time of year to fish some of the hike-in lakes. Fish the headwaters....
Open fire restrictions are now in effect on the Willamette National Forest as of Friday, July 2, at 12:01 a.m. This spring was significantly drier than normal with long-term drought persisting across much of the western Cascades. The recent heatwave has accelerated the drying of fuels across the forest. The critically dry conditions are receptive to new ignitions and are conducive to rapid fire spread. The predicted weather forecast calls for continued warm and dry conditions with no precipitation expected in the foreseeable future. This...
THe Tokatee Golf Club issued this statement today: After much thought, we have made the decision to cancel the Firework Show tonight. We still will be celebrating! Come on out for food trucks, a beer garden and live music from @benruemusic...
RAINBOW: Readers and library supporters are invited for a ceremony when the ribbon for a temporary replacement for the O’Brien Memorial Library is cut on July 5th, at 1 p.m. People are invited for a tour of the newly remodeled space, and sample light refreshments, There will also be opportunities to choose from extra books to keep, check out other volumes from the library and learn how to use the computers to access books for personal use or making copies. Organizers say there will be a small b...
A group of private timberland owners decided on Monday to close public access to their lands. Seneca, Lone Rock Resources, Giustina Resources, Campbell Global, and Giustina Land & Timber Company combined own around 600,000 acres, in Western Oregon. With drought conditions and above-average temperatures, Oregon is already experiencing a bad fire season. The number of fires so far this year is already 1.5 times higher than the 10-year average, and the acreage affected has been more than four times greater than the ten year average. The landowners...
Five federal closure areas were announced this week by the U.S. Forest Service, that include all developed recreation sites, roads, and trails within the areas, except: Forest Roads 15, 19, 1900410, 2618, 2618305, and 1510, as well as the Bruckart Bridge Boat landing. The boundary for Closure Area 1 begins at mile marker 40 of Highway 126, south of the McKenzie River. It follows the National Forest System (NFS) land boundary south, then east, then south, then northeast then back south. The...
The Willamette National Forest is moving to HIGH fire danger level today. Unattended campfires are likely to escape and fires may spread rapidly. Please use extreme caution with fire and extinguish all fires with water until they are cold to the touch. Public use restrictions may change quickly....
A pair of unlikely partners agree on at least one thing: two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hydroelectric projects in the Willamette River basin should no longer generate power. The Native Fish Society and the Public Power Council now say that deauthorizing the dams' requirement to produce power would help restore fisheries in the basin and could reduce Bonneville Power Administration wholesale power rates. The PPC, which represents community-owned customers of the Bonneville Power Administration...
It’s going to be a scorcher out there, and fish will be feeling the heat, too. Fish early in the day when water temperatures are cooler. * Look for trout in deep, high elevation lakes or shaded streams near headwaters. These places are often cooler. More tips on the high lakes fishing * Warmwater fishing is also a good choice right now, see ODFW’s guide https://myodfw.com/articles/warmwater-fishing-oregon-introduction * Use your judgment. If conditions, where you want to fish, seem especially severe (low, hot water), consider fishing som...
Historic heat forecasted for Lane County this weekend may degrade air quality. The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) expects higher concentrations of ground-level ozone, or smog, around the Eugene/Springfield metro area. Air quality may reach levels of 'Moderate' and potentially 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups' on the Air Quality Index. "Lane County is fortunate we don't have the ozone concern that more densely populated portions of the Willamette Valley do," said LRAPA spokesperson...
The 2021 session of the Oregon legislature voted to approve more than $600 million for communities impacted by the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. In the McKenzie River area, six grant requests were endorsed for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and General Fund (GF) monies. They include: $903,520 GF to McKenzie Fire & Rescue for a Disaster Relief Logistics Center $2,100,000 GF to the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District for facility and equipment replacement $325,000 ARPA to the Eugene Water...
With a combined timberland acreage of around 600,000 acres, a group of private timberland owners consisting of Seneca, Lone Rock Resources, Giustina Resources, Campbell Global, and Giustina Land & Timber Company, closed public access to their lands today, June 28th. Due to drought conditions, and above-average temperatures, Oregon is already experiencing a bad fire season. The number of fires so far this year is already 1.5 times higher than the 10-year average, and the acreage affected has been more than four times greater than the 10-year...
LEABURG: Utility rates and the fate of a dewatered canal proved to be on the minds of people who showed up for last Wednesday's Eugene Water & Electric Board meeting. Answers to the questions they asked may take some time. Water was drained from the Leaburg canal in late 2018. According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it can't be refilled until safety-related leaks are repaired. "Based on cost estimates it's abundantly clear that the investment required in terms of canal...
