by Scott Gall, farm and soil conservationist
This year, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) selected Sauvie Island and the surrounding watershed, including the area draining to Miller, McCarthy and Crabapple Creeks, as a Strategic Implementation Area (SIA). These SIAs, of which over 40 have already been completed around the state, are focused efforts of education, technical assistance, funding and compliance with regulations in order to improve water quality within a given watershed. State laws and regulations, which stem from the 1972 Clean Water act and are overseen by ODA and other state natural resource agencies, center on protecting streams and ground water from agricultural activities such as fertilizers, pesticides, livestock manure, and soil erosion.
Beginning in late 2023, ODA conducted a compliance evaluation of 670 tax lots within the Sauvie Island SIA. Of these, over 97% met or exceeded compliance metrics. The 670 were chosen because they are zoned for agriculture or have direct drainage to the Multnomah Channel, the waterway between Sauvie Island and the mainland. Those that did not meet compliance have already been contacted by ODA, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District (WMSWCD), or both. All Sauvie Island property owners are able to voluntarily address any of ODA’s water quality concerns.
Following the compliance evaluation phase, ODA, WMSWCD, and other non-profit and agency partners will work with agricultural landowners to concentrate technical advice and financial assistance to change agricultural activities that may be harming water quality. Additionally, WMSWCD has applied for federal funding that would help any farmer within the SIA to help improve soil health, streamside native vegetation buffers and livestock manure storage, whether or not they had previously been out of compliance. (We will find out in October, and since this will go live after that we can add it in whether we got it or not)
In addition, the partnership group, including WMSWCD, ODA, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Scappoose Bay Watershed Council, Sauvie Island Drainage Improvement Company, and Oregon State University Extension will be creating and carrying out a monitoring plan. While the plan is still in progress, it will likely focus on measurements of nitrogen and sediment in both surface water and shallow groundwater, as these are considered “parameters for concern” by ODA because they are good markers for water quality. WMSWCD plans to engage landowners in this effort to ensure the questions regarding water quality on the island are answered by this effort. Our 2023-24 fiscal year marked the first year of this work; landowners have five total years (until 2028?) to comply and access funding.
Ultimately, WMSWCD hopes that this project creates an overall uplift in soil, water, and natural habitat conservation for Sauvie Island and the surrounding areas. In addition to protecting and improving water quality, many of the conservation actions emphasized will also create better on-farm climate resilience and habitat for wildlife. Most actions will focus on increasing soil health and creating stream buffers. Healthy soil holds on to both water and nutrients and can reduce pressure from pests – meaning farmers can reduce inputs or offset crop stresses caused by extreme heat or other results of climate change. Stream buffers not only keep nutrients and sediment from entering the water ways, native plant buffers also create habitat for native wildlife including songbirds, frogs and turtles.
For more information, please contact the district at info@wmswcd.org or scott@wmswcd.org.