2025 River Cleanups: Volunteers Remove Over 3,500 lbs of Trash from the Clackamas

This fall, our community showed once again what’s possible when people come together to care for the river we all love. Between the Down the River Cleanup and the Upper Clackamas Cleanup, a combined 214 volunteers removed more than 3,500 pounds of trash from the Clackamas River and its surrounding forests.

These cleanups protect wildlife, safeguard drinking water, and keep our recreation areas safe and beautiful — and none of it would be possible without our volunteers.

Down the River Cleanup – September 7, 2025

This year’s Down the River Cleanup was our largest since 2018 — and one of our most impactful.

With 179 incredible volunteers, we cleaned a 22-mile stretch of the Clackamas River, removing an impressive 2,760 pounds of trash. From Milo McIver to Barton, Barton to Carver, and Riverside to Clackamette, all three sections saw more trash removed than in the past six years.

What we found

Volunteers pulled all kinds of unusual items from the river, including:

• Two shopping carts

• Cell phones

• Tires

• Sunglasses and flip flops

• Vape pens

• Popped floaties
  … and countless smaller items that don’t belong in the river.

Why it matters

Every piece of trash removed helps protect water quality, fish habitat, and the thousands of people who rely on the Clackamas for drinking water and recreation.

Photos

View and share images in the Down the River Cleanup 2025 album.

Thank you, sponsors!

This huge effort was made possible thanks to support from Metro, Clackamas County Water Environment Services, Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, Tigard Water District, Portland General Electric, Northwest Steelheaders, eNRG Kayaking, Clackamas River Water Providers, Warn Employee Community Impact Program, and SOLVE.

Upper Clackamas Cleanup – September 27, 2025 (National Public Lands Day)

Later in the month, 35 dedicated volunteers headed into the Wild and Scenic Upper Clackamas and Collawash Rivers to restore heavily used dispersed campsites. In just three hours, they removed 760 pounds of trash and recycling from 34 forest campsites.

What volunteers found

Unfortunately, forest dumping continues to be a major problem. This year’s haul included:

• Ammunition

• Mattresses

• Broken furniture

• Dumped waste

• Hazardous materials such as oil and batteries

Removing these items prevents harmful pollutants from entering the Clackamas River — critical habitat for salmon and steelhead — and keeps recreation sites safe and welcoming.

What volunteers said

Every volunteer who filled out the survey rated the event a perfect score, and 100% said they plan to return next year. Here were some favorite moments:

“Being out on the Clackamas again while cleaning it up so others can enjoy it.”
“Seeing how many people showed up to help was lovely and being helpful, part of the solution, feels good in and of itself!”
“Collecting trash with such congenial people and working with two retired forest service people.”
“Walking through the woods, working with others to make the campsites more enjoyable.”

Photos

View and share images in the Upper Clackamas Cleanup 2025 Album.

Thank You, Volunteers

To every volunteer who showed up — whether on the water or deep in the forest — thank you. Your time, energy, and care make a real and lasting difference for the river, for wildlife, and for the communities that depend on the Clackamas every single day.

We can’t wait to see you again in 2026.

Restoring the Tickle Creek Greenspace in Sandy: A Multi-Year Community Effort

We’ve started an exciting multi-year restoration project with the City of Sandy to help bring new life to the Tickle Creek greenspace. To help mitigate past water quality impacts from the city’s wastewater treatment plant, the Clackamas River Basin Council (CRBC) is partnering with AntFarm Youth Services and community volunteers to clear noxious weeds, plant native trees and shrubs, and repair off-trail impacts in this lush riparian forest along the southern edge of Sandy.

With the help of contractors, youth crews, and dedicated volunteers, we’ve already installed more than 10,000 native plants along Tickle Creek. Where thickets of blackberry once choked the streamside, visitors to this beloved natural area now enjoy young trees, shrubs, and reemerging wildflowers.

Why This Project Matters

Tickle Creek is a treasured green corridor winding through Sandy—home to large trees, vine maple understory, carpets of native ferns and oxalis, and abundant wildlife. Coyotes, songbirds, and even the occasional bear or cougar move through this habitat. But in recent years, the corridor has experienced:

• Expanding invasive plants like blackberry, ivy, holly, and knotweed

• Tree loss accelerated by climate stress and adjacent land use

• Erosion and soil compaction from unofficial trails

• Reductions in shade and bank stability, affecting water quality

Because this stretch of creek is located just upstream of Sandy’s wastewater treatment plant, improving riparian health here provides meaningful water quality benefits.

Project Goals

Funded through a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP), this restoration spans roughly 37 acres between 362nd Ave and Highway 211. CRBC and partners are working toward three primary goals:

1. Reduce Non-Native Invasive Plants

A combination of mechanical and chemical treatments began in 2023 and continues today. This includes the removal of blackberry, ivy, holly, and knotweed throughout the corridor. Spot treatments will continue into 2026 as needed.

2. Increase Native Trees and Shrubs

In winter 2025, we began planting new native species throughout the project area. Over the life of the project, we expect to install up to 18,500 native trees and shrubs, with a special emphasis on shade-providing conifers like Western redcedar and Douglas-fir. These plantings help stabilize streambanks, reduce summer stream temperatures, and restore long-term forest health.

3. Repair Off-Trail Disturbances

Unmarked side trails and trampled areas have contributed to erosion along the creek. These areas are being restored through mulching, soil rehabilitation, log and debris placement, and strategic planting. Closures and repairs began in fall 2023 and continue as community use evolves.

Project Timeline: How Tickle Creek Is Being Restored

2023 — Laying the Groundwork

We kicked off the project with site assessments, planning, and the first big push to remove invasive blackberry, ivy, holly, and knotweed. We also closed unofficial trails that were damaging the creekside habitat.

2024 — Clearing and Preparing

Invasive plant removal continued through the year, opening space for native plants to return and helping the forest floor recover. Community outreach and engagement grew during this phase.

2025 — Planting Begins

Winter 2025 brought the exciting part: planting thousands of native trees and shrubs along Tickle Creek. Follow-up care and maintenance started in spring and will continue through 2026 to help these young plants thrive.

2026 — Seeing the Results

By fall 2026, we’ll have our first full year of growth to look back on. Photo-point monitoring will show how the landscape is changing and where extra care may be needed.

2027–2028 — Long-Term Growth

We’ll continue monitoring and light maintenance as the young forest matures. In fall 2028, we’ll check our photo points again to document the transformation and measure long-term success.

A Healthier Future for Tickle Creek

This $200,000 SEP-funded effort is an investment in cleaner water, healthier habitat, and a more resilient greenspace for Sandy residents. CRBC manages restoration and early-stage maintenance, while the City of Sandy will continue long-term care after the project ends.

Together—with youth crews, volunteers, and partners—we’re helping Tickle Creek thrive again.

The Clackamas River, winding its way through the scenic landscapes of Oregon, is not just flowing water; it’s the lifeline for anadromous fish species like salmon and steelhead. These remarkable creatures embark on incredible journeys, traversing thousands of miles from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds. However, their survival hinges not just on the main river but also on the often overlooked but critically important side channel habitats. In this post, we delve into the significance of side channels for the well-being and sustainability of anadromous fish in the Clackamas River ecosystem.

The Diversity of Side Channel Habitat: Side channels are like hidden arteries branching off from the main river, providing refuge, spawning grounds, and nursery areas for fish. In the context of the Clackamas River, these side channels are diverse ecosystems themselves, ranging from shallow, slow-moving channels to deeper, faster-flowing ones. They offer a mosaic of habitats, each catering to different life stages of anadromous fish.

Nursery for Young Fry

For juvenile fish, side channels offer a safe haven from the strong currents of the main river. Here, they find calm waters and abundant food, allowing them to grow and develop without the constant threat of being swept away. Submerged vegetation and fallen logs in the side channles provide vital shelter shielding the fry from predators.

Spawning Grounds:

During the spawning season, adult salmon and steelhead return to these side channels to lay their eggs. The gravel beds in these channels provide the ideal substrate for spawning, with the gentle flow ensuring oxygenation of the eggs. This process is crucial for the continuation of the fish population, as successful spawning leads to the next generation of fry.

Escape from High Flows:

One of the most significant benefits of side channels becomes evident during periods of high flow in the main river. When water levels rise, side channels act as refuges, allowing fish to seek shelter from the swift currents and turbulent waters. This refuge is essential for the survival of both adult fish returning to spawn and juvenile fish navigating their way downstream.

Biodiversity Hotspots:

Beyond their importance for anadromous fish, side channels support a rich array of flora and fauna. From aquatic plants to insects and small invertebrates, these habitats contribute to the overall biodiversity of the river ecosystem. They also serve as foraging grounds for birds and other wildlife, highlighting their interconnectedness with the broader environment.

Improved Water Quality:

When water from the river flows through the side channels some of the water enters the ground where suspended sediments are filtered out, microorganisms remove pollutants like nitrates and the water is cooled before returning to the stream. With over 300,000 people getting their drinking water from the Clackamas River the improved water quality benefits more than just the fish.   

Conservation Efforts and Challenges:

Despite their significance, side channels face numerous threats, including habitat degradation, pollution, and altered flow regimes due to human activities such as dams, water withdrawls and urban development. Conservation efforts aimed at restoring and preserving these side channel habitats are therefore crucial for the long-term health of anadromous fish populations in the Clackamas River.

The Clackamas River Basin Council is actively working on side channel restoration work throughout the lower Clackamas River. Please click here to see our current restoration projects.

The Clackamas River Basin Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of fostering partnerships for clean water and to improve fish and wildlife habitat and the quality of life for those who live, work and recreate in the watershed.  Please support this work!

Let’s Get Bonatical Together!

It’s Pride Month and we hope you’ll be part of our iNaturalist group called Let’s Get Botanical Together! Please join and share your botanical observations.

Why celebrate Pride Month in nature?

Nature is a sanctuary, but not all experiences in the outdoors are not created equally; assurances of safety and lack of gender neutral bathrooms and are obstacles that many face. Join us in this month of Pride observance to appreciate and respect the Queer experience

What is iNaturalist?

iNaturalist is an online community that allows you to share observations to discuss, identify, and create research-quality citizen science data for science and conservation

Other ways to get involved:

Please also visit other iNaturalist groups such as LGBTQ+ Naturalist when making observations – this group welcomes LGBTQ+ individuals to share observations and connect with others who have a passion for nature:

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/lgbtq-naturalists

Nestled within the green understory of the Clackamas Watershed lies a humble yet crucial native plant: the Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus). While its name might conjure images of winter wonderlands, the snowberry is an important native plant all year round. As an integral component of the local ecosystem, the Snowberry plays a multifaceted role in promoting biodiversity, supporting wildlife, and enhancing ecological resilience.

The Snowberry’s Ecological Role:

1. Habitat and Shelter: Within the Clackamas Watershed, the Snowberry serves as a vital habitat and shelter for numerous species of birds, mammals, and insects. Its dense, bushy growth provides refuge from predators, nesting sites for birds, and protection for small mammals during harsh weather conditions.

2. Soil Stabilization and Water Quality: With its extensive root system, the Snowberry aids in soil stabilization along riverbanks and slopes, mitigating erosion and reducing the risk of sedimentation in waterways. The Clackamas River is a drinking water source for over 300,000 Oregonians, therefor, maintaining water quality is essential for drinking water quality.

3. Pollinator Support: The Snowberry’s small, bell-shaped flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. By providing nectar and pollen, it contributes to the overall health and diversity of pollinator populations in the area, essential for the reproduction of numerous plant species.

Cultural and Historical Significance:

Beyond its ecological contributions, the Snowberry holds cultural and historical significance for Indigenous communities in the region. Traditionally, various parts of the plant were utilized for medicinal purposes, ceremonial rituals, and crafting. Its presence in the landscape is a reminder of the deep connection between Native peoples and the land, as well as the importance of preserving traditional ecological knowledge.

Conservation Challenges and Efforts:

Invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry and English ivy can outcompete native vegetation, including the Snowberry, leading to a decline in its abundance and distribution.

The Clackamas River Basin Council is actively restoring habitats in the watershed and we include Snowberry in our revegetation plans. Our restoration efforts include invasive species removal, planting, and educational outreach to raise awareness about the importance of native plants in maintaining ecosystem health.

Conclusion:

In the intricate web of life within the Clackamas Watershed, every species, no matter how small, plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance. The Snowberry, with its unassuming presence and invaluable contributions, exemplifies the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of preserving native biodiversity. By recognizing and celebrating the significance of the Snowberry, we honor not only the natural world but also the rich cultural heritage of the land and its original inhabitants. Let us embrace and protect this humble yet indispensable native plant, ensuring a vibrant and resilient future for the Clackamas Watershed and all who call it home.

Another round of Shade Our Streams in the Clackamas Watershed

Clackamas River Basin Council is launching a new riparian restoration effort in the Deep Creek watershed, supported by Portland General Electric’s Clackamas Habitat Fund.

The 50 square mile Deep Creek watershed in the lower Clackamas River basin, which includes parts of the communities of Barton, Boring, Sandy, and Eagle Creek, has both important natural resources and unique environmental challenges. Deep Creek and its tributaries (including Tickle Creek, North Fork Deep Creek, Noyer Creek, and Goose Creek) provide over 30 miles of potential habitat for Coho salmon and winter steelhead, create ecologically diverse habitat corridors linking the Cascades foothills to the Clackamas River, and discharge above the drinking water intakes for nearly 300,000 customers in the Portland metro area. These streams also face serious pressures from wastewater discharge, noxious weeds, legacy pesticides, and ongoing agricultural and urban development.

In recognition of these issues, and building upon past and ongoing investments in water quality monitoring, noxious weed management, fish passage, and riparian revegetation, CRBC is making a major investment in the Deep Creek watershed through the latest incarnation of our Shade Our Streams program.

With funding including over $150,000 from Portland General Electric’s Clackamas Habitat Fund, we plan to restore at least 10 acres of riparian habitat along at least 2.5 miles of Deep Creek and its tributaries, with the first round of planting to occur in early 2025. This builds upon the 10.7 stream miles CRBC has restored in this watershed since Shade Our Streams began in 2010.

While the cooperation of willing landowners will ultimately decide which projects go forward, CRBC is taking a data-driven approach to identifying potential restoration sites. We will use an updated model of riparian shade, current results from a first-of-its-kind stream temperature study, fish habitat assessments, and new regional habitat connectivity data to help maximize the ecological uplift gained from every acre we replant. We also are taking steps to account for a changing climate, in which the risks of heat, drought, wildfire, flooding, and invasive species are all magnified—and the need for ambitious yet careful ecosystem restoration is ever more urgent.

How to participate in Shade Our Streams

If you live on a stream in the Deep Creek watershed, or anywhere else in the Clackamas River basin, and would like assistance with noxious weed management and/or riparian restoration, please contact Eric Butler, CRBC Riparian Specialist, at eric@clackamasriver.org or 503-303-4372 x104. You can learn more about the Shade Our Streams program on our website here:

By Bill Monroe

The jury may still be out, but the evidence is mounting.

Partnerships on the Clackamas River are resulting in significant successes for wild fish, defying perceptions of fish-killing dams.

The secret is in partnerships.

Witness this excerpted 2023 report from PGE’s Clackamas Project at North Fork Dam, from senior scientist Nick Ackerman:

“A record wild return of spring Chinook has now effectively concluded, with 4,770 adults back to the trap which is 172% of the 10-year average. This record return surpassed the next two best years of 2004 and 2020 when approximately 4100 wild spring Chinook were passed upstream of North Fork Dam.”

And even better…

“The early-run (wild) coho return to the Clackamas is mostly complete. With 15,081 adults returned to North Fork through October, the tally far surpasses not only the previous early-run record of 9,454 (2021), but also has already exceeded the total coho return record (early and late run combined) of 13,136 set in 2022. The late-run component has just begun and we expect to see approximately 2,500 of these fish return over the next few months.

“Notably, for the first time since North Fork Dam was built and counts began, the total number of winter steelhead, spring Chinook, and coho salmon passed upstream of North Fork Dam in a calendar year has exceeded 20,000 fish. For these three species combined, the average total number of adults passed upstream over the past 10-years has been 9,756 and this year 21,424 adults have already been passed upstream of North Fork.”

Much, if not most, of the early credit is due to PGE and its steadfast commitment to maintaining wild salmon and steelhead runs alongside state and federal hatcheries.

PGE invested millions in both a state-of-the-art fish passage facility at the dam and substantive habitat rehabilitation above and below its important hydro-electric showcase.

Tens of thousands of spring Chinook, steelhead and coho fry are seasonally intercepted and safely sent downriver, while returning adults are carefully sorted (see photo above). Wild fish are allowed upriver to spawn and hatchery fish are returned downriver.

But the downstream passage of juveniles and lower river wild spawning coho have also benefited from substantially improved habitat conditions throughout the Clackamas watershed.

The Clackamas River Basin Council, Clackamas Water Providers, the Soil and Water Conservation District, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Metro and numerous other partners, including a growing cadre of private landowners, are an umbrella of success for all fish – and wildlife, too, in the Clackamas River’s important riparian areas.

After PGE safely shepherds juvenile wild fry hatched in the Cascades through the dam’s safe chutes, those tiny fish still have to find someplace to survive the trek and rear themselves into sea-worthy migrants as they begin perilous journeys through a gauntlet of challenges.

There’s a period in the life of salmon and steelhead when their young brains tune in to imprinting, marking key chemicals and geographic impulses in their little neurons that will bring them home years later to spawn.

Hatchery fish – raised en masse in an orphanage environment – are purposely housed and fed to a point just before this period begins, then are either retained and released from their natal hatcheries or trucked to other streams and rivers so this important event will occur where they’re released.

They literally scoot quickly downriver on their way to the ocean.

Wild youngsters, however, are on their own.

None are inherently safe, there are no daily feedings, no trucks to safely shorten their bon voyage.

All wild fish can can do as fry is seek shelter somewhere and hope for the best – discover mother nature’s foster homes to feed, grow into pre-teens and then find their own paths downriver through a maize of pollution, predators and premonition.

And that’s where the Clackamas River Basin Council and its partners perform our best work.

We build it; the fish come.

Our state, local and federal biologists regularly monitor and report the presence of baby wild salmon and steelhead in the gamut of tributaries to the Clackamas River and beyond.

Yes, beyond.

Clackamas fish often leave the river to find refuge in small nearby tributaries of the Willamette River.

Accordingly, our official partners include: Greater Oregon City Watershed Council; North Clackamas Watersheds Council; Johnson Creek Watershed Council; Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District; Metro; US Forest Service (Mt Hood National Forest, Clackamas Ranger District); Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; North Clackamas Parks & Recreation District, and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

No rivulet, creek or stream is too small for tiny fingerlings, which shelter and rear wherever cool, clear water flows.

Witness this excerpted observation from our counterparts/peers at Rogue Riverkeeper:

“Rogue River is fed by dozens of important tributaries across the Rogue basin…there are many hidden tributaries that play an … important ecological role.

“These small waterways are often unnamed and maybe even lost behind thickets of blackberry or tucked in seldom-traveled parts of the valley. (They) provide essential cold water that many native fish rely on. They are even called “cold water refuges” for the critical role they play for summer steelhead and fall Chinook.

“When summer temperatures rise, so do water temperatures. Many native fish rely on cold temperatures to survive and thrive.

“Protecting these cold water refuges, even the tiny ones that may seem insignificant to us, is critical for the survival of migrating salmon and steelhead and the recovery of future native fish populations.”

So, too, for the Clackamas River Basin, comprised of not only upriver spawning beds, but also numerous rearing tributaries and even smaller, important rivulets throughout the watershed.

Witness also this 2023 video, produced by a landowner on a small feeder into Eagle Creek, a major wild and hatchery salmon and steelhead tributary of the Clackamas below North Fork Dam.

Yes, PGE is the hub…the core of resurrection for Clackamas salmon and steelhead, but the contributions of our partners are critical.

As pointed out in the Rogue River (and dozens of other watersheds across Oregon): Every planted shade tree; every placement of a soon-to-decay log; every new bend in a creek; truckload of spawning-size gravel, even (yes!) submerged Christmas tree – however small, they all contribute as key parts of the whole.

(This committed landowner and his family actually did all those things largely on their own nickels in their adopted creek.)

Private, non-profit, or public, our mutual effort is committed to a single goal – rebuild and restore this river and its environs using salmon as our key bellwethers.

Fact is, the growing successes reported by PGE in the Clackamas River are living proof that not only can hatchery and wild fish survive on a dammed river, both can thrive if given the key combination of support and partnerships.

If you would like to support the Clackamas River Basin Council’s mission, please donate here: