The independent., June 17, 1998, Page 2, Image 2

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INDEPENDENT
S e rvin g th e u p p e r N e h a le m R iv e r valley. P u b lis h e d tw ic e
m onthly, on th e firs t a n d th ird W e d n e s d a y s o f e a c h
m o n th , b y P u b lic O p in io n L a b o ra to ry Ltd., 7 2 5 B rid g e
S tre e t, V e rn o n ia , O R 9 7 0 6 4 , a s a fre e n e w sp a p e r. E d i­
to rs a n d P u b lis h e rs , D irk & N o n i A n d e rs e n . S p o rts E d i­
tor, C a re n M c G a u g h . P h o n e /F a x : (5 0 3 ) 4 2 9 -9 4 1 0 .
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Bear Creek project
should be included
A difficult decision is facing the Vernonia City Coun­
cil because the estimated cost of opening and restor­
ing Bear Creek-$88,000-is considerably more than
was anticipated. The city has approximately $1-million
for the entire city hall/library project.
Nevertheless, the restoration is extremely important,
not just for esthetics, but to improve conditions for the
coho salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout that use
the stream, in spite of the 180-foot culvert they must
traverse. This is one of the projects that could help
avert an endangered species listing for coho salmon,
something the state and Oregon property owners are
trying to accomplish.
Instead of dropping the whole idea, the city needs to
seek ways to make it economically feasible. Aside
from excavation and removal of the culvert, elements
needed to restore habitat include an upstream-V log
weir, rock weir, large woody debris, small and large
boulders, landscaping and stormceptor structures,
which aid in the removal of runoff pollutants from park­
ing lots or other impermeable surfaces.
Probably the greatest help could be derived from do­
nations of labor and equipment by local businesses. A
number of years ago, that is exactly how Vernonia
High School was provided with athletic field lights. Vol­
unteers provided so much help, in fact, that a $30,000
job eventually cost the school district only $3,000.
In addition to the cost, decisions need to be made
quickly, because any in-stream work must be done be­
tween July 1 and August 31.
Vernonia has the opportunity to be a leader among
municipalities in stream restoration. That opportunity
should be grasped, not discarded.
What is streetscaping?
Streetscaping is a hybrid word that describes work
done to beautify urban areas, including attractive side­
walks, street trees, lighting, landscaping and such.
Streetscaping will start soon (after Jamboree) in Ver­
nonia and, for a while, will be quite disruptive to busi­
nesses along Bridge Street.
The disruption will stem from tearing up the side­
walks in the business district, not for the streetscaping,
but to install and/or repair water mains. The fortunate
aspect of this is that, because the water rehab project
must be done, a large part of the cost for streetscap­
ing will come from the water project.
Most of the planning is being done by the Planning
Commission and the Parks Committee. For more in­
formation on the downtown streetscaping, or to make
suggestions on what should be done, attend the Plan­
ning Commission meeting on the third Thursday of
each month.
Museum not being closed
Contrary to rumors flying all over town, the Vernonia
Museum will again be funded by the county. If you want
to find out what is being done, attend the Budget Hear­
ing, June 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the Vernonia City Library.
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By Dale Webb, Member
Nehalem Valley Chapter, Izaak Walton League
T h e Iz a a k W a lto n L e a g u e w a s p ro u d to o f­
fe re d o u r firs t s c h o la rs h ip to a g ra d u a tin g V e r­
n o n ia H igh S ch o o l s e n io r th is y e a r; th e re c ip ie n t
w a s G e o rg e V a ndehey.
G e o rg e c o m p le te d a p o p u la tio n c e n s u s on
c ra y fis h in o u r lo ca l stre a m s . T h is w a s a v e ry in ­
te re s tin g p ro je c t a n d p re s e n te d m a n y c h a l­
le n g e s . G e o rg e u s e d a te c h n iq u e c a lle d a
m a rk -re c a p tu re to g e n e ra te a p o p u la tio n e s ti­
m ate . F irst th e c ra y fis h h ad to b e c a p tu re d and
m a rke d , a nd th e n re c a p tu re d .
C a tc h in g th e c ra y fis h w a s th e e a s ie s t task,
u sin g c ra w d a d tra p s. M a rkin g th e c ra y fis h p re ­
s e n te d an o b sta cle . A p e rm a n e n t m a rk m ay
c a u s e an u n k n o w n m o rta lity a n d w o u ld b ia s the
p o p u la tio n e stim a te . F in g e rn a il p o lish w a s te s t­
e d to se e if it w o u ld s ta y on th e c ra y fis h fo r at
le a st a w e e k and it did. G e o rg e w a s th e n se t to
d e p lo y his fo u r tra p s a nd s ta rt m a rk in g c ra y fis h .
T h e firs t stu d y a re a w a s on R o c k C re e k n e a r
G e o rg e ’s hom e. T h e tra p s w e re d e p lo y e d a b o u t
100 y a rd s a p a rt a n d c ra y fis h fro m e a c h tra p
w o u ld re ce ive a d iffe re n t c o lo r nail p o lish , so a n y
m o v e m e n t b e tw e e n tra p s co u ld be o b s e rv e d .
C ra y fis h in th is a re a s e e m e d s c a rc e and
G e o rg e w a s c o n c e rn e d th a t he w o u ld n o t be
a b le to tra p e n o u g h to g e t a g o o d sa m p le , so he
w a s s u rp ris e d to c a tc h m o re c ra y fis h th a n he
c o u ld o b s e rv e w h ile c o n d u c tin g th e study.
E a ch d a y fo r fiv e d a ys G e o rg e b a ite d his
tra p s , c o lle c te d th e m a n d m a rk e d th e c ra y fis h .
T h e ratio of m a rke d cra y fis h th a t w e re re c a p ­
tu re d re m a in e d s m a ll th ro u g h o u t th e study, in d i­
c a tin g a s iz a b le p o p u la tio n . M o v e m e n t b e tw e e n
tra p s d id occur, b u t on a v e ry lim ite d b a sis. T h e
p o p u la tio n e s tim a te fo r R o ck C re e k in th is a re a
w a s c a lc u la te d to be a p p ro x im a te ly 3 ,0 0 0 c ra y ­
fis h p e r m ile.
G e o rg e re p e a te d his s tu d y in P e b b le C re e k, a
m u ch s m a lle r stre a m . T h e re su lts w e re s u rp ris ­
ing. T h e p o p u la tio n e s tim a te w a s c a lc u la te d to
be a p p ro x im a te ly 5 ,0 0 0 c ra y fis h p e r m ile.
T h e d a ta G e o rg e d e riv e d m a y not b e h ig h ly
a c c u ra te d u e to th e lo w n u m b e r of c ra y fis h re ­
c o n ta c t m e a t 4 2 9 -4 0 6 2 .
T h is y e a r ’s lo ca l s tre a m o p e n e r fo r tro u t w a s
a little u n u s u a l. F irst, th e riv e r w a s a bit h ig h e r
th a n n o rm a l, d u e to th e a b u n d a n t ra in fa ll in M ay.
S e c o n d , th e riv e r w a s v e ry d is c o lo re d fro m P e b ­
b le C re e k d o w n s tre a m to th e o c e a n .
I d rifte d th e N e h a le m fro m b e lo w C le a r C re e k
to A n d e rs o n P a rk a n d h a d a v e ry e n jo y a b le d a y
o f fis h in g . T h e riv e r h a s to b e in a h ig h e r flo w
c o n d itio n to be a b le to s u c c e s s fu lly n a v ig a te it in
a d rift b o a t w ith o u t h ittin g a lo t of ro cks. A s it
w a s , w e h ad to d ra g o u r b o a t o v e r a h a n d fu l of
riffle s a n d had to p o rta g e a ro u n d a b ig m a p le
tre e th a t b lo c k e d th e river. T h e fis h in g w a s g o o d ,
w ith a b o u t 12 fis h p e r rod, a n d th e fis h lo o k e d to
b e in v e ry g o o d sh a p e . T h e la rg e s t w a s a ro u n d
16 in c h e s in le n g th , w ith a n a v e ra g e le n g th
a ro u n d 12 in c h e s fo r th e re m a in in g fis h ca u g h t.
W e d id c a tc h o n e s te e lh e a d s m o lt. W e to o k fish
o n s in g le b la d e s p in n e rs w ith a w o rm tra ile r and
o n ro o s te r ta ils . S in g le h o o k s w ith m a s h e d b a rb s
w o u ld h e lp o n re d u c in g m o rta lity a n d e a s e o f re ­
le a se .
T h is s e c tio n of riv e r is fa irly n a rro w in p la c e s
a n d a ls o h a s a h ig h le ve l of la rg e w o o d y d e b ris
fro m th e 199 6 flo o d . T h e fis h p o p u la tio n w a s
m o s t lik e ly a lo t h ig h e r th a n w e e n c o u n te re d as
w e d id n ’t s p e n d a lo t o f tim e fis h in g in a n y o n e
sp o t.
A frie n d o f m in e fis h e d th e N e h a le m R iv e r
fro m V e rn o n ia d o w n to th e P itts b u rg la n d in g a nd
re p o rte d c a tc h in g a b o u t 2 0 fis h p e r p o le, w h ich
is d o w n fro m p re v io u s y e a rs th a t re c o rd e d
a ro u n d 5 0 fis h p e r p o le . H e b la m e d th e p o o re r
fis h in g o n w a te r c o n d itio n s . H e s a id th a t th e riv ­
e r w a s so tu rb id he had a h a rd tim e s e e in g
w h e th e r he w a s in a g o o d h o le o r in a s h a llo w s .
V is ib ility w a s a b o u t h a lf a fo o t. I w a s s u rp ris e d
he d id as weill a s he did.
T h is b rin g s us to a q u e s tio n . W h y w a s th e N e ­
h a le m so m u d d y ? M a n y p e o p le w o u ld s a y b e ­
c a u s e o f th e re c o rd ra in fa ll in M ay. Yes, w e did
h a v e a re co rd ra in fa ll. V e rn o n ia to ta lle d 4.71
in c h e s fo r th e m o n th . Yet, th e N e h a le m R iv e r
w a s n o t flo o d in g . In c h e c k in g th e s tre a m flo w
c a p tu re d , b u t it g iv e s us th e o n ly d a ta , to date,
fo r th e N e h a le m R iv e r b a sin . T h is in fo rm a tio n
d a ta at F o ss, th e N e h a le m R iv e r w a s in e x c e s s
o f 2 ,0 0 0 c u b ic fe e t p e r s e c o n d , h ig h fo r M a y
w h ic h u s u a lly a v e ra g e s ju s t o v e r 1 ,0 0 0 C .F.S .,
b u t still lo w e r th a n A p ril’s n o rm a l 2 ,5 0 0 C .F.S .
m a y v e ry w e ll be u se d in th e fu tu re a s a b e n c h ­
m a rk to g a u g e th e a b u n d a n c e o f c ra y fis h in o u r
W e d o n ’t e x p e c t th e N e h a le m to b e m u d d y in
A p ril so w h y s h o u ld w e e x p e c t it to b e m u d d y in
area.
T h e N e h a le m V a lle y C h a p te r h a s o th e r e x c it­
M a y o r J u n e as it tu rn e d o u t to be. I h a v e se e n
th e s e e v e n ts b e fo re a n d it s e e m s th a t th e tu rb id
in g p ro je c ts fo r n e x t y e a r’s se n io rs, o r s o m e b o d y
c o u ld ta k e G e o rg e ’s s tu d y a n d e x p a n d it in to
o th e r lo cal stre a m s . If y o u are in te re s te d p le a s e
w a te r is c o m in g fro m o n ly c e rta in s tre a m s in o u r
a re a . P e b b le C re e k , C o o n C re e k , E a s t F o rk o f
Please see page 3