Latest Updates to Clack-A-Mole and the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project

Sept. 15 Update

The Latest overview of the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project.

Aug. 28 update
Getting ready to lower the diffusers down to the outfall. Outfall diffusers are a series of valves located on an outfall pipe that disperse the treated water, promoting rapid mixing with the river, minimizing the environmental impact, and protecting marine life.

Feb. 26 update

Take a quick virtual walk through the outfall pipe!

Feb. 7 update

After completing its job drilling the ½-mile-long, nine-foot-diameter tunnel, Clack-A-Mole emerged from the Willamette River.

Jan. 28 update

Taking a tour of inside the ½-mile-long, nine-foot-diameter tunnel for the Outfall!

Dec. 2 update

100%

Clack-A-Mole has completed its journey. Stay tuned as we prepare to retrieve it from the river!

Nov. 26 update

92%

Clack-A-Mole is now only 180 feet from it's final destination and is now tunneling below the Willamette River.

Nov. 13 update

80%

Clack-A-Mole has completed 80% of it's journey to the river.

Nov. 8 update

Did you know the pipe that is being installed for the new outfall is 9 feet in diameter? That can be tough to visualize, so we enlisted one of our engineers to stand next to the pipes and provide some scale. 

Oct. 16 update

66%

We have mined 1,575' and have 815' remaining. This puts us at 66% complete.

Oct. 10 update

62%

Clack-A-Mole is 1490' toward its destination in the Willamette River. This means our TBM has completed 62% of its journey thus far!

Oct. 7 update

53%

Approximately 1,262' has been mined. For every 10' we mine, we are removing 27 cubic yards of soil, or about 2 dump trucks worth.

Oct. 1 update

WES Advisory Committee members recently toured the TBM launch site.

Sept. 30 update

44%

Approximately 1,040' has been mined.

Sept. 26 update

35%

We're now about 35% of the way to the river. The average mole is 5"-11". Clack-A-Mole is 51 feet long!

Sept. 24 update

32%

Clack-A-Mole has now mined 770' of the total tunnel length of 2,370'. We're now about 32% of the way to the river. The average mole can dig at a rate of up to 18 feet per hour. Clack-A-Mole is a little slower, averaging about 32 feet a day.

Sept. 19 update

24%

Clack-A-Mole has now mined 560' of the total tunnel length of 2,370'. We're now about 24% of the way to the river. Clack-a-Mole isn't a typical Oregon mole, weighing in at 225,000 lbs. The most common mole in Oregon, the Townsend's Mole, weighs under 5 ounces. 

Sept. 16 update

Check out the news package from ClackCo TV as staff and guests celebrated the launch of the Clack-A-Mole tunnel boring machine.

Sept. 12 update

12%

Clack-A-Mole has mined 280 of the total 2,370 feet. We're now about 12% of the way to the river.

Aug. 28 update

Learn more about tunnel boring machines

Aug. 27 update

Clack-A-Mole getting lowered in to the shaft

Aug. 19 update

Milwaukie Review News Article: Clackamas County’s tunnel boring machine, Clack-A-Mole, begins work

 

Aug. 15 update
Staff and guests got to meet Clack-A-Mole as it gets ready to begin it's journey.

Aug. 1 update
Construction continues on the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project. Learn more about the project at Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project.

Video from July 25, 2024

July 29 update

Clackamas Water Environment Services (WES) is starting the construction phase of the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility Outfall Project. In the next seven months, the team will focus on building a ½-mile-long, nine-foot-diameter tunnel using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM.) This tunnel will house a new outfall pipeline designed to safely transport treated water from the Tri-City Water Resource Recovery Facility in Oregon City to the Willamette River. WES invited the community to submit names for the TBM and after considering numerous suggestions, the name "Clack-A-Mole" was chosen. 

Follow along on this page for the latest updates.

Video from July 3, 2024