Stream Cleaning
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Program History and Focus
In 1996, extensive flooding caused damage across the City of Salem and the Willamette Valley. In 1998, the City added an annual Stream Cleaning Program into its existing stormwater management strategies to reduce the risk of flooding during high flows. The Program utilizes a crew of students with a focus in environmental sciences to identify and remove trash, debris, and restrictions to stream conveyance. The crew also conducts an annual stream restoration project to replace invasive vegetation with native plants. |
2011 Stream Cleaning Results
- Cleaned and inspected nearly 46 miles of streams within the City limits.
- Removed 12,405 pounds of trash.
- Recycled 3,135 pounds of the removed trash (25 percent).
- Removed 95 cubic yards of natural debris, which was then taken to a composting facility.
- Restored stream habitat along a reach of West Middle Fork of Pringle Creek.
Since 1998 the Program has removed more than 565,000 pounds of trash from Salem's streams!
Additional Projects
- Public outreach and education.
- Illicit discharge reporting.
- Stormwater Quality staff assistance.
- GPS/GIS mapping of streams and invasive plant distributions.
Program Annual Reports
For further information, questions, or comments regarding this program, please contact the Stormwater Program Coordinator at 503-588-6063, extension 7734.