If you live along one of our rivers, you can expect some company.

Fish biologists from the Portland Water Bureau are walking local waterways
measuring the amount of shade, gravel and cobble amounts, the slope of the
stream, and gathering other habitat information to determine the overall
watershed health.

The bureau is encouraging local riverfront property owners to engage the
biologists.

“It’s super important to respect the landowners,” said Steve Kucas, the senior
environmental program manager. “We want them to experience what we’re
doing. And we want to hear their issues.”

The bureau is conducting the work in the Sandy River basin to comply with
federal and state environmental regulations as they apply to Portland’s water
supply – the Bull Run watershed. The 50-year goal is to recreate habitat
conditions that will improve runs of fall and spring Chinook salmon, winter
steelhead, coho salmon and cutthroat trout populations, according to the
bureau’s Terry Black.

The work began in 2010, but the 50-year plan is front loaded in the first 15
years, so the activity is stepped up this year.

Biologists can be seen now on the Salmon River, with work soon to begin on
the upper Sandy River and Zigzag River.

According to Kucas, the riparian zones will be getting special attention and the
bureau has the ability to grant easements for landowners.

“We have foresters who will work with riverfront residents to avoid cutting
important trees along the banks,” Kucas said. “We can pay for the trees not to
be cut.”