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The INDEPENDENT. Oct. 13.1993
nelNDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published
twice monthly on the second and fourth Wednesdays of
each month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 1206
S tate A venue, V ernonia, OR 97064, as a free
new spaper. E ditors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni
Andersen, (503) 429-9410.
ODOT may eliminate
Nehalem bridge job
Approximately 35 years ago, a new bridge was
built over the Nehalem River on Highway 47 about
two miles south of Vernonia. The bridge didn't line up
with the existing roadway and there were some dan
gerous "S" curves, but people in the area were told
not to worry about it because the Oregon Department
of Transportation (ODOT) would re-align the highway.
After many years and many more accidents, a
hard-fought campaign by local government and vol
unteers got the project scheduled for the summer of
1993. Then it was moved to 1994.
At a meeting last week with Columbia County offi
cials (none from this area), ODOT Region 1 Manager
Bruce Warner said that Columbia County road pro
jects were in good shape because the only one that
might be dropped was (Surprise!) the Nehalem High
way realignment.
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The Nehalem Valley Chapter of the Izaak
Walton League of America has completed ju
venile fish surveys in the local area, with some
interesting results. The surveys were con
ducted under the Salmon Trout Enhancement
Program with the help of S.T.E.P. biologist
John Casteel.
The purpose of the surveys is to gain a bet
ter understanding of local fish populations by
documenting their presence or absence and
at what density they exist. Electroshocking
equipment, seines and combinations of the
two, were used to capture the fish.
Most of the surveys we conduct are the
presence/absence kind, to determine what
kind of fish are present. This year we concen
trated more on finding out where Coho salmon
juveniles exist in Rock Creek and the upper
Nehalem River. In Rock Creek we are finding
high concentrations of Coho in the extreme
upper headwaters (Sunset Rest Area). As we
surveyed farther down the system, fish densi
tie s dropped way below norm al levels at
Keasey and, as we approched Vernonia, be
came very spotty.
It is hard to draw conclusions as to why
Coho salmon are not fully seeded in the Rock
Creek system, but it is known that Coho prefer
pool type habitat, cover and cool water. In
knowing these requirements it becomes clear
er why Coho production is isolated to the
headwater regions. In the headwaters, the
large woody debris is somewhat intact, but as
you travel down the system it becomes less
and less abundant until there is little to no cov
er provided for fish to hide around. Fish use
this cover not only for protection from preda
This car slid, rather gently, off the highway last
week at about the same time Warner was talking.
Warner was out of town this week so The INDE
PENDENT talked with Marty Andersen, Reg. 1 Fed
eral Aid Specialist, who explained that ODOT must
trim $400 million from their 1995-98 projects because
the legislature didn’t increase gasoline taxes for that
period. When told that shouldn’t affect this project
because it was originally scheduled for 1993, then
1994, Andersen said it isn't scheduled for bids until
late 1995— if at all, but it hasn't YET been dropped.
Now is the time for everyone in the upper Nehalem
Valley who has to drive that road, to start writing let
ters. It's time to tell ODOT and our elected officials
about our experiences with this well-document dan
ger. Who will be hurt next? The addresses are:
1. ) Bruce Warner, Manager
ODOT Region 1
9002 McLoughlin Blvd.
Milwaukie, OR 97222
2. ) Oregon Transportation Commission
135 Transportation Building
Salem, OR 97310
3. ) Sen. Joan Dukes
Rt. 2, Box 503
Astoria, OR 97103
4. ) Rep. Tim Josi
6740 Baseline
Bay City, OR 97109
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tors but for protection from high stream flows
in the winter. Rock Creek has plenty of pool
but they will move come winter; since the
Coho have nowhere else to go, they perish.
Rock Creek stream tem peratures are also
suspected of having lethal effects upon all fish
in the lower sections of the system.
I can hear somebody out there saying to
them selves "Well, how come the Chinook
salmon can do so well in the lower Rock
Creek system?" Chinook juvenile salmon
emerge from the gravel in the spring when
there are good stream flows and cool temper
atures. The young salmon begin migrating
downstream without having to undergo the el
evated summer stream temperatures and high
habitat but, without the large woody debris, it
is like a house without doors, windows and
furniture. You can get renters in the summer
winter stream flows without adequate cover.
Coho and Steelhead face both problems. In
fact the Chinook salmon situation points out
that the production problems in our area are
related to survival in the summer and winter
periods.
For Steelhead fishermen we have a little
better news. We found fair numbers of Steel
head in the headwaters of Rock Creek and we
continued to find them all the way to Vernonia.
Steelhead are harder to survey because they
like fast water like riffles, rapids and waterfall
areas. A prime example is the concrete cap
on the sewerline that flows under Rock Creek
at the confluence with the Nehalem River.
Each year we find Steelhead underneath this
ledge in very turbulent water. It is the very tur
bulence of this water that is providing cover
and elevated oxygen for the fish.
When we surveyed the Nehalem River we
Please see page 3
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