Carli Creek Water Quality Project

The Carli Creek facility ensures a cleaner Clackamas River, protection for endangered wildlife and proves that a balance between nature and industry is possible. 

Assessing Water Quality Improvement at the Carli Creek Water Quality Project (2022)

2020 Carli Creek Water Quality Project Update

2018 Carli Creek Water Quality Project Unveiling

Clackamas360 Virtual Watershed Tour

Since December 18, 2018, the innovative Carli Creek Water Quality Project has been filtering harmful pollutants from stormwater runoff from surrounding industrial properties before it reaches Carli Creek and the Clackamas River, the drinking water source for nearly 400,000 people in Clackamas County. 

In 2012, we recognized the importance of the property to river water quality and acquired the former farmland to establish the facility. In 2013–14, water quality monitoring showed pollution levels exceeded standards for:

  • E. coli
  • copper
  • lead
  • zinc

threatening water quality, fish and other wildlife. An elaborate fish rescue operation was performed before construction began.

Project Features

  • a meandering channel with pools along nearly 1,700 linear feet of Carli Creek
  • 61 large wood habitat structures for fish and other aquatic wildlife
  • a backwater channel
  • floodplain enhancements through grading, invasive, and non-native species removal, and planting a diversity of native species
  • enhanced wetlands and an additional 1.36 acre of wetland

Project Funding

The total project budget including land acquisition was $4 million. WES was supported by key partnerships, such as Portland General Electric (PGE) who awarded WES $380,000 for the stream restoration elements of the project. In addition to the PGE grant, funding for the project came from surface water fees paid by property owners within the WES service area.

Photos

Aerial of Project Aerial of the project
step pool From one of the outfalls to step pools
Habitat Structures Habitat structures for wildlife
Ground Breaking Project’s wetland groundbreaking
Birdseye View of Site Birdseye view of project site
Site Preperation Site preparation to protect from erosion
Project's proximity to the river Project's proximity to the river
Working on naturalize creek channel Work to naturalize creek channel
Native fish protected Native fish protected during construction
Extensive restoration Extensive restoration efforts to improve habitat
WES staff WES staff helping to protect wildlife
Carli Creek Large wood installation stabilizes streambanks
Fish salvage protected Fish salvage protected existing species
Stream Small schools of fish have returned post instream work
Evidence of Beaver activity Evidence of recent beaver activity at the site

Phone:503-742-4567
Fax:503-742-4565

150 Beavercreek Road #430, Oregon City, OR 97045

Office Hours:

Lobby hours
Monday to Thursday
7:30 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.

Phone hours
Monday to Thursday
7:30 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.

Email:
Customer service
wescustomerservice@clackamas.us

Development services and permits
wes-permitservices@clackamas.us

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