Molalla-area landowners Jim and Mary Toops were recognized by the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) as their statewide Cooperator of the Year in the less-than-50-acres category. The award recognizes individuals for their […]
Archive | Water quality & quantity
The Water Quality and Quantity category covers protecting and restoring the quality of surface and ground water. District programs include water quality monitoring and many conservation practices. Rain gardens and bioswales help clean water before it infiltrates into ground water. Livestock exclusion fencing keeps animals out of surface water.
Activities focusing on water quality are about assuring future supplies of water for people, plants, and animals. Rainwater harvesting and irrigation system improvements are good examples of water quantity practices.
Milk Creek Project: Greening Up Before Fall Rains Arrive
A quick inspection of the Milk Creek Project log structures shows grasses and willows sprouting, even though fall rains have not yet arrived. Milk Creek water is clear as it flows past the […]
ODA Delivers Agricultural Water Quality Report
September 26, 2012 — A lot has happened since the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 1010 in 1993, giving birth to the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Water Quality Management Program. A new report […]
Milk Creek Project: Water is Flowing in the Restored Channel
The contractor and engineers worked closely today to return Milk Creek to the old channel. Stream riffles that existed before the project were restored. Great progress was made on engineered log jams downstream […]
Milk Creek Project: Surface Seeded and Bank Shaping Underway
What a difference a day makes! Topsoil was spread today and raked to provide good soil-to-seed contact. Straw mulch was placed to help with germination of the seed. The opposite bank is being […]
Milk Creek Project: Final Grade Achieved Today
The remainder of backfilling the structure was completed today, topsoil was replaced, and smoothing of the restored upper bank was started. Tomorrow, the surface will be smoothed, cobbles will be picked and raked, […]
Milk Creek Project: Upstream End Finished to Final Grade
Now we can see what the finished log jam system will look like! Contractors finished packing soil on the upstream end and graded the surface back to the original grade. Add some biodegradable […]
Milk Creek Project: We See How It Will Look
More logs, more slash, more boulders, more rock, more soil! Excellent progress was made today on the log jam. The upstream end is just about completed with soil compacted up to grade. Photos […]
Milk Creek Project: Adding Materials to the Engineered Log Jam
We abbreviate “engineered log jam” as ELJ. The photos collected today show the final length of the structure, and the progression of work as slash, cobbles, and boulders are used to fill in […]