AUGUST 28, 2020, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A5
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Is Claggett Creek in trouble?
Sound lowlands.
By JIM PARR
The purpose of the study was to
With the continued dry weather
and back-to-back very dry years, you determine the impact of urban areas
may be wondering “what keeps Clag- and agriculture upon the water quality
gett Creek fl owing this time of year”? of these streams. Included in the study
was Claggett Creek which
If you take a look at the creek
was sampled numerous
now you will notice that
times at Lockhaven Drive
there is presently very little
and River Road. Stream
fl ow. You will also notice ex-
guest
water, bottom sediments,
tensive growth of stream side
and bank vegetation and mats
column and vegetation were sam-
pled and monitored for
of fl oating aquatic vegetation
contaminants that are in-
covering most of the surface.
dicators of stream health.
According to the Oregon
Water Resources Department, the When the sampling data was ana-
base fl ow of most of our urban area lyzed, Claggett Creek was found to
streams is maintained by ground water have scored poorly in comparison to
discharge. Water stored in the upper most of the other streams included in
soil profi le is replenished by annual the regional study. Here in general is
rainfall plus some transfer of ground some of what they found.
• High levels of salts and plant nutri-
water from deep aquifers to the sur-
face for domestic use and large and ents were found which is indicative of
small scale irrigation. Ground water is fertilizer runoff from yards and farms
released and drains into streams where that reaches the creek. The high lev-
the stream bed intersects the shallow els of plant nutrients in the water has
water table. This typically occurs in led to excessive growth of stream bank
gullies, at the base of bluffs, and where and in-stream plant growth. The thick
depressions occur that form wetlands. grass and vegetation along the creek
Claggett Creek encounters all of these may look attractive but it eventually
decomposes and the decomposition
geologic formations along its course.
The creek, which originates in Sa- process consumes oxygen. Measure-
lem just east of Interstate 5, winds its ments confi rmed low levels of avail-
way through north Salem and into able or dissolved oxygen in the water
and through Keizer to its terminus and sediments which, along with high
at Clear Lake. From there the water water temperatures during the warm
slowly makes its way to the Willamette season, make it diffi cult for aquatic life
River via a maze of sloughs, back- to thrive in the creek. The high water
waters, and bayous. During summer temperatures are mostly caused by the
weather, it may actually never reach lack of shade and low warm season
the river. During the wet season, the fl ow along most of the steam course.
• Several organic pesticides (in-
creek, directly and indirectly, meets
the river just upstream of the Wheat- secticides and herbicides) including
2,4-D and glyphosate at levels or con-
land Ferry landing.
During the spring months of 2015, centrations of concern were found in
the United States Geological Survey, the creek. Other toxins found in the
Water Quality Division, conducted stream bed sediments include heavy
comprehensive sampling and mon- metals such as elemental mercury and
itoring of urban streams and water low level radioactive nuclides which
ways at numerous sites throughout are found naturally in the valley sed-
the Willamette Valley and the Puget iments but could also be from runoff
from industrial sites and operations.
Runoff from roads and highways is
another possible source.
Why should anyone care about the
status of Claggett Creek since hardly
anyone expects to see trout and salm-
on living in the creek? As a drainage,
the creek receives what runs off of
the land that comprises the Claggett
Creek watershed. Thus it is a useful
indicator of the health of the environ-
ment through which the stream fl ows.
And what reaches the creek eventually
makes it to the river. Where the fl ow
slows and ponds, the water evaporates
and also percolates downward to the
water table with potentially negative
impacts to the shallow aquifer.
Thanks to the work of the Clag-
get Creek Watershed Enhancement
Council and the City of Keizer, water
quality has improved in recent times.
We can continue to improve the
health of Claggett Creek by using less
pesticide and fertilizer on our lawns,
gardens, farms and roadsides. Our en-
vironmental agencies can further assist
businesses and industries to minimize
industrial runoff. More native stream
side trees and shrubs can be planted to
provide shade to lower water tempera-
tures. Constructing artifi cial rapids or
enhancing existing rapids where the
gradient is suffi cient can agitate the
water which will increase dissolved
oxygen levels.
Working together, people in south-
east Portland and Salem brought salm-
on and trout back to once neglected
and polluted Johnson and Mill Creeks
and to sections of Pringle Creek.
With all of the limitations that exist,
Claggett Creek will probably never be
a fi shing stream but we should work
to ensure that it becomes and remains
safe for kids and pets to play in and for
wildlife to safely utilize.
(Jim Parr lives in Keizer.)
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Keizer Elks Lodge #2472 recently announced that the Elks National
Foundation Most Valuable Student Contest is available to high school se-
niors who are United States citizens. Applicants do not need to be related
to a member of the Elks. Applicants are judged on academics, leadership,
service and fi nancial need.
The application is completed online and must be submitted by the
Nov. 15 deadline. The 500 national winners will be announced in April,
after the top 20 fi nalists participate in the leadership weekend and inter-
view for the top awards.
The Elks National Foundation will award 20 top scholarships from
$20,000 to $50,000. The remaining 480 runners-up will receive $4,000
scholarships.
Keizer Lodge #2472 will judge locally and the top applicants will be
submitted to the district contest. The top applicants from the district
contest will be submitted to the state contest and the top applicants from
there will be submitted to the national contest.
Applications for the 2021 contest are available on the Elks Nation-
al Foundation website. For complete Most Valuable Student scholarship
contest details including the application, visit elks.org/scholars.
police scanner
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
12:01 a.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the
4000 block of Bailey Road NE.
12:48 a.m. - Criminal trespassing in the
4000 block of River Road N.
11:46 a.m. - Arrest for violation of re-
lease agreement in the 4000 block of
5th Place NE.
5:45 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 6000
block of Keizer Station Blvd.
6:26 p.m. - Criminal mischief in the
5000 block of Trail Avenue NE.
6:36 p.m. - Arrest for aggravated assault
at the intersection of 18th Avenue NE
and Verda Lane NE.
MONDAY, AUGUST 17
2:18 a.m. - Criminal trespassing in the
5000 block of River Road N.
3:42 a.m. - Fleeing a police offi cer in
the 3000 block of River Road N.
1:52 p.m. - Identity theft in the 1000
block of Northern Heights Loop NE.
3:37 p.m. - Physical harassment in the
600 block of Lockhaven Drive NE.
6:28 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 3000
block of River Road N.
10:30 p.m. - Fleeing a police offi cer at
the intersection of Sam Orcutt Way NE
and Cherry Avenue NE.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18
A most consequential presidency
in return for Bibi Netanyahu’s post-
By PATRICK J. BUCHANAN
Now that Donald Trump has ac- ponement of the annexation of the
cepted the nomination for a second 30% of the West Bank envisioned in
term, how his presidency has already Trump’s own “Deal of the Century.”
While Trump has not extracted this
altered the orientation of his party is
country from the forever wars of the
on display.
Under Trump, the GOP ceased to Middle East -- Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria
-- he routed ISIS and kept
be a party of small gov-
us out of Libya’s civil war.
ernment whose yardstick
Unlike his predecessors,
of success was how close it
Trump
has tabled the issue
came to a balanced budget.
other
of immigration, especial-
Trump signed on this
voices
ly mass illegal migration
spring to $3 trillion in
across the Southern border,
defi cit spending to rescue
and made progress on the
the economy from a de-
border wall he made a fea-
pression into which the
government had shoved it to control ture of his 2016 campaign.
A discredited NAFTA has been re-
the spread of the coronavirus. He is
prepared to spend a trillion dollars placed by a new trade deal, and a leftist
government in Mexico City is help-
more.
By opening new lands and seas to ing prevent migrants from entering
exploration, building pipelines, per- southern Mexico on their way to the
mitting fracking and slashing regula- United States.
Trump has done as much as Rea-
tions, Trump has brought the U.S. to
an energy independence which other gan to deregulate the U.S. economy
and reduce taxes on workers, produc-
presidents only promised.
The Trump GOP has abandoned ers, and investors. Before COVID-19
an ideological commitment to free hit in force in March, stock markets
trade that dates back to the Kenne- were hitting all-time highs and unem-
dy administration and reembraced ployment rates all-time lows.
He has nominated and elevated
the economic nationalism of the
19th-century Republicans who built two Supreme Court justices and hun-
the world’s greatest industrial and dreds of federal judges.
The horizon, however, does not
manufacturing power.
Globalism has been relegated to appear to be without perils.
Bellicosity toward Beijing is being
the ash heap of history as our popu-
list president trashed the Trans-Pacifi c reciprocated, and China appears ready
Partnership, the Iran nuclear deal and for confrontation to validate its claims
the Paris climate accords, and began to in the South and East China seas and
impose tariffs on countries that have Taiwan Strait.
What Beijing is doing to Ameri-
looted America’s manufacturing base.
While Trump has been prevented ca—espionage, intellectual property
by the Russophobia of our Beltway theft, forced technology transfers, run-
elites from seeking a detente with ning up $600 billion trade surpluses at
Vladimir Putin, he has managed to our expense—is Trump’s concern, not
what Beijing is doing to restrict de-
avoid a military collision.
Trump has also ended the de- mocracy in Hong Kong.
While his outreach to North Ko-
cades-long freeriding of NATO allies
on the U.S. defense budget, convinc- rean dictator Kim Jong Un failed to
ing many of them to contribute more. persuade Kim to surrender his nuclear
He has made the Republican Party arsenal in return for recognition, trade
the pro-Israel Party, recognizing Isra- and aid, even some of Trump’s ene-
el’s annexation of the occupied Golan mies applauded his effort.
If Trump loses in November, how-
Heights and East Jerusalem by moving
the U.S. embassy there. He effected ever, much of what he has done will
the recognition of Israel by the UAE be undone.
Students: Check out
Elks scholarships
The U.S. will agree anew to abide
by the Paris climate accords and the
Iran nuclear deal of John Kerry and
Barack Obama will be revived.
Joe Biden says that only those mak-
ing above $400,000 will pay higher
taxes. Yet, the Democrats’ economic
plan envisions higher payroll and per-
sonal income tax rates, higher capital
gains and corporate tax rates, and even
higher death taxes on estates.
Trump has also changed the char-
acter and composition of the GOP,
making it more of a working- and
middle-class party.
Where George H.W. Bush sought
to build a “New World Order” with
America as global hegemon and
George W. Bush peached a global
crusade for democracy “to end tyran-
ny in our world,” Trump is all-in on
“America fi rst.” Bush transnationalism
belongs to yesterday.
Even in confronting Xi Jinping’s
China, Trump’s primary concern is
not on how Beijing treats its people
but on how it treats us.
America has a history of such cold
realism.
FDR recognized Stalin’s regime
in the USSR in 1933, when Hitler
rose to power in Germany. Ike in-
vited Nikita Khrushchev to tour the
U.S. after the “Butcher of Budapest”
had drowned the Hungarian Revolu-
tion in blood. During the Cold War,
we partnered with Somoza, the Shah,
Gen. Pinochet and Generalissimo
Chiang Kai-shek.
Trump, too, sees himself not as a
moral crusader for human rights but
as a defender of American interests in
the world.
(Creators Syndicate)
letters
Inclusivity
To the Editor:
Question: When white folks are
no longer the majority—soon, I’m
told—would they/we not hope to
be included in the civic discussion?
The inclusivity resolution pro-
posed for adoption by city council—
with no force of law—has recieved
some surprising (disappointing) push
back from a few council members
and pretenders. They argue that the
resolution is a step towards “sanctu-
ary city” status. Not true. They also
cast resolution sponsor RJ Navarro
as a leftist radical, so politics would
seem to be at the heart of their ar-
gument.
As a 50-year Keizer resident, I
urge council to adopt the resolution
and take one more very small step
towards welcoming the future reality.
Martin Doerfl er
Keizer
12:05 a.m. - Criminal trespassing in the
1000 block of Shady Lane NE.
2:25 a.m. - Unlawful possession of
methamphetamine in the 4000 block
of Cherry Avenue NE.
7:14 a.m. - Burglary in the 700 block
of Lockhaven Drive NE.
12 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 4000 block
of River Road N.
1 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 3000 block
of River Road N.
5 p.m. - Burglary in the 800 block of
Lockhaven Drive NE.
7:37 p.m. - Failure to perform duties of
driver when property was damaged in
the 5000 block of River Road N.
7:50 p.m. - Theft in the 4000 block of
Restmore Court N.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19
10:56 a.m. - Unlawful possession of
methamphetamine at the intersection
of Cade Street NE and River Road N.
3 p.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the 600
block of Manbrin Drive NE.
6 p.m. - Sudden death in the 6000
block of Amy Lane NE.
9:30 p.m. - Theft from motor vehicle
in the 1000 block of Juniper Street N.
9:41 p.m. - Arrest for unlawful posses-
sion of methamphetamine and heroin
in the 100 block of Apple Blossom Av-
enue NE.
10 p.m. - Theft from motor vehicle in
the 4000 block of 15th Avenue N.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20
5:37 a.m. - Burglary in the 4000 block
of Crater Avenue N.
10 a.m. - Theft in the 6000 block of
Keizer Station Blvd.
8 p.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the
1000 block of Northern Heights Loop
NE.
8:32 p.m. - Disorderly conduct in the
6000 block of Keizer Station Blvd.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
6:56 a.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the
1000 block of Galina Court NE.
5 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 5000 block
of River Road N.
5:18 p.m. - Shoplifting in the 6000
block of Keizer Station Blvd.
6:52 p.m. - Criminal trespassing in the
700 block of Plymouth Drive NE.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
2:24 a.m. - Motor vehicle theft in the
1000 block of Claxter Road NE.
11:06 a.m. - Sudden death in the 4000
block of Adam Court NE.
4:52 p.m. - Burglary in the 3000 block
of River Road N.
8:45 p.m. - Driving while suspended
in the 3000 block of Sandra Avenue N.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
12:07 a.m. - Assault in the 700 block of
Dietz Avenue NE.
10:30 p.m. - Probation violation in the
3000 block of Cherry Avenue NE.
MONDAY, AUGUST 24
2:14 a.m. - Driving under the infl uence
of intoxicants at the intersection of Ver-
da Lane NE. and Lockhaven Drive NE.
sudoku
Enter digits
from 1-9 into
the blank spac-
es. Every row
must
contain one
of each digit.
So must every
column, as
must every
3x3 square.