Dixon Creek in Corvallis-water quality violation

[Bill Gerth]

Hi everyone,

While Dixon Creek has a lot of challenges and is not a pristine habitat, someone took actions yesterday (or perhaps a day of two before) that probably impacted the health of the organisms living in the water and on the stream bottom. On a normal day at this time of year, the water is clear and you can see to the bottom of the creek. But yesterday evening the water was an opaque light brown indicating that someone had discharged sediment-laden water or placed sediment into the creek. This is a clear violation of what is good and right, and may be a violation of environmental rules or laws. If we can figure out what happened and who is responsible, we should minimally make sure nothing like this happens again, and perhaps should hold the people liable for the violation.

If you have ideas about how to proceed, I'd be happy to be involved.

Yours,

Bill

[Joel Geier]

Hi Bill & All,

I'd suggest getting out as quick as possible to bridges/vantage points higher up Dixon Creek, to see where the turbidity starts. 

My initial hunch is that there might be some excavation starting on the new "Preserve" development, near the headwaters of Dixon Creek off of Arrowwood Circle (access via NW 29th north of Walnut).

After (or maybe before) that, could be good to check at the Walnut Blvd crossing just west of NW 29th.

Another possible source might be the school construction project along Circle Blvd (formerly Jefferson Elementary, now called Kathryn Jones Elementary though I hate to bring her name into it).

Too bad I missed this before I went to town this morning, or I could have checked a few of those spots myself!

Joel

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From: "Bill Gerth" <b_g...@comcast.net>
To: "David Eckert" <dec...@willamettewatershed.com>, "Mid-Valley Nature" <mid-vall...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 8:33:47 AM
Subject: [MidValleyNature:6676] Dixon Creek in Corvallis-water quality violation

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[Bill Gerth]

Thanks everyone! I checked the bridge at Corvallis High this morning (photo attached) and the water is still opaque, so looks like we still have an opportunity to identify the source area. I'll bike around to upstream access points this afternoon if nobody is going to tour around earlier in the day.

Cheers,

Bill

On 07/19/2022 9:21 AM David Eckert <dec...@willamettewatershed.com> wrote:

Bill and Joel –

Thank you.

My response could not go to the Google Group, as I am not a member.

Please forward Joel’s response to Ted Hart.

Dave Eckert

(541) 230-1237 (I Don't Text)

[Jamie S.]

I hiked up and back the Betty Griffiths trail yesterday. Yes, they have started excavating up there in the vicinity of NW Goldfinch Dr/NW Bunting Dr/end of 29th St. When I crossed Dixon Creek down the hill by Chepenafa Springs Park (where the Betty Griffiths trail starts), I noticed the muddy creek.

Jamie Simmons

Corvallis

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mid-valley-nature/722696852.81891799.1658246239513.JavaMail.zimbra%40peak.org.

[Bill Gerth]

Thanks for getting back in touch, Ted! Thought I'd bring Jamie's observation to your attention though in case there is an additional source. Could you get up there to check that out?

Thanks!

Cheers,

Bill

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mid-valley-nature/1322194459.1950185.1658249151428%40mail.yahoo.com.

[byrne4...@gmail.com]

maybe contact the county Soil and Water Conservation District.  

[Bill Gerth]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts and contributions!

I went to the upstream parts of Dixon Creek on late Tuesday afternoon and it seems like the development actions did not contribute to the recent influx of sediment into Dixon Creek. I walked the Betty Griffiths trail at Chepenafa Springs Park and checked out the headwaters of Dixon Creek at 2 bridges. At the upper bridge, the creek was completely dry and at the lower bridge, the creek was dried to isolated pools. So no sediment added up here would flow into the lower portions of Dixon Creek.

I also stopped by Dixon Creek where it flows under 29th Street north of Walnut. Slowly flowing water was present there so I dipped a glass full of it to get a good look at the water clarity. At this location, the water was perfectly clear (see attached photo).

So it seems likely that Ted Hart's assessment of the situation was correct. The water main break downstream of Timberhill must've caused erosion that led to a sediment plume in the parts of Dixon Creek further downstream.

Cheers,

Bill

On 07/19/2022 4:19 PM Jamie S. <woodpec...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Sorry, I did cross Dixon Creek twice yesterday, by Chepenafa Springs Park and also (that I had forgotten) on NW Elmwood, between Circcle and Walnut. It may have been the latter where I saw it orange and cloudy, though I'm not sure I would have been able to see the creek from my moving bike going east.

Thank you for your efforts to look into this.

Jamie Simmons

On Tuesday, July 19, 2022 at 04:07:01 PM PDT, Hart, Ted <ted....@corvallisoregon.gov> wrote:

Dave,

 

Thanks for forwarding the emails, our yesterday and today investigation showed a very slow moving plum of turbid water from Hidden Cr HOA (Sun water main break) from Kings to CHS, with no other sources identified, stream water north of Walnut Cr is clear, PW field staff are still investigating and they’ll let me know if they find any other sources.

 

Best.

 

Ted

 

From: David Eckert <dec...@willamettewatershed.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 1:00 PM
To: b_g...@comcast.net; Wolfe, Chad <Chad....@corvallisoregon.gov>; Hart, Ted <Ted....@corvallisoregon.gov>
Cc: woodpec...@yahoo.com
Subject: FW: [MidValleyNature:6677] Dixon Creek in Corvallis-water quality violation

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Hi Ted –

Thanks for your feedback.

I don’t think you received the following email from Jamie Simmons (copied).

Does Jamie’s observation of the excavation by Goldfinch and 29^th and the muddied creek where it crosses the Betty Griffiths trail correlate to your assessment of the water main break?

Have you gone up to observe and document where the sediment flow originates?

Thanks for looking into this issue that is impacting the whole length of Dixon Creek.

Dave Eckert

(541) 230-1237 (I Don't Text)

From: Jamie S. <woodpec...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 9:46 AM
To: Bill Gerth <b_g...@comcast.net>; Joel Geier <clear...@peak.org>
Cc: David Eckert <dec...@willamettewatershed.com>; Mid-Valley Nature <mid-vall...@googlegroups.com>

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[Bill Gerth]

Thanks much, Ted! Glad to hear the erosion prevention steps are working at the construction areas and that was not the cause for the turbidity increase in Dixon Creek.

Yours,

Bill

On 07/21/2022 12:50 PM Hart, Ted <ted....@corvallisoregon.gov> wrote:

Bill,

 

Good afternoon.

 

Thanks for letting us know, we investigated this area yesterday and found no evidence of discharge to Dixon Cr from construction activity, City erosion prevention and sediment control field staff regularly inspect these areas to ensure no discharge leaves construction sites.

 

Best.

 

Ted

 

From: Bill Gerth <b_g...@comcast.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 10:45 AM
To: Hart, Ted <Ted....@corvallisoregon.gov>; dec...@willamettewatershed.com; mid-vall...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Fwd: Re: [MidValleyNature:6679] Dixon Creek in Corvallis-water quality violation

CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.

Thanks for getting back in touch, Ted! Thought I'd bring Jamie's observation to your attention though in case there is an additional source. Could you get up there to check that out?