Fanno Creek
Template:GeoboxFanno Creek is a 15-mile (24 km) long tributary of the Tualatin River in the Portland metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Oregon.[1] Part of the drainage basin of the Columbia River, its watershed covers 32 square miles (83 km2) in Multnomah and Washington counties, including 7 square miles (18 km2) within the Portland city limits.[1]
From its headwaters in the Tualatin Mountains (West Hills) in southwest Portland, the creek flows generally west and south through the cities of Portland, Beaverton, Tigard and Durham, and unincorporated areas of Washington County. It enters the Tualatin River about 9 miles (14 km) above the Tualatin confluence with the Willamette River at West Linn.[2][3][4]
Before the arrival of European Americans, the watershed was inhabited for thousands of years by the Atfalati or Tualatin tribe of the Kalapuya. The first settler of European descent, Augustus Fanno, for whom the creek is named, settled near what later became Beaverton and established an onion farm. The Fanno farm house has been restored as part of a public park, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is among the 14 urban parks established in or near a narrow riparian corridor along the creek.
Although its water quality is rated as "very poor" by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Fanno Creek supports aquatic life, including cutthroat trout in its upper reaches. Watershed councils such as the Friends of Fanno Creek and government agencies at the federal, state, and local levels have been working to reduce pollution in the creek and its tributaries and to restore native vegetation along the stream banks.
Course
Fanno Creek arises at an elevation of 478 feet (146 m) and falls 370 feet (110 m) between source and mouth to an elevation of 108 feet (33 m).[5][6] The main stem begins at about river mile 15 (RM 15) in the Hillsdale neighborhood of southwest Portland, in Multnomah County. The creek flows west along the north side of Oregon Route 10 (the Beaverton–Hillsdale Highway), passing Albert Kelly Park and receiving Ivey Creek and Bridlemile Creek on the right before reaching the United States Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauge at Southwest 56th Avenue (RM 11.9). Shortly thereafter and in quick succession, it enters Washington County and the unincorporated community of Raleigh Hills, crosses under Route 10, and receives Sylvan Creek on the right. Here the stream turns south, passing through Bauman Park, where Vermont Creek enters on the left at about RM 10, and then southwest to flow through the Portland Golf Club and Vista Brook Park, where Woods Creek enters on the left. From here it flows west again for about 1 mile (1.6 km), passing through Fanno Creek Trail Park and entering Beaverton at about RM 8 before turning sharply south and flowing under Oregon Route 217 (Beaverton–Tigard Highway) slightly upstream of RM 7.[3][4][7][8]
Fanno Creek then flows roughly parallel to Route 217 for about 2 miles (3.2 km) through Fanno Creek Park and Greenway Park. Near the southern end of Greenway Park, the creek passes under Oregon Route 210 (Scholls Ferry Road), and enters Tigard at about RM 5. In quick succession, Hiteon Creek enters on the right, Ash Creek on the left, and Summer Creek on the right before the creek reaches Woodard Park, goes under Oregon Route 99W (Southwest Pacific Highway), and flows through Fanno Park and Bonita Park as well as residential neighborhoods. Between the two parks, Red Rock Creek enters on the left at about RM 2.5. Slightly downstream of Bonita Park, Ball Creek enters on the left. Fanno Creek then enters Durham, passes a USGS gauging station at RM 1.13, flows through Durham City Park, and empties into the Tualatin River 9.3 miles (15.0 km) from its confluence with the Willamette River.[3][4][7][9]
Watershed
The slopes at the headwaters of Fanno Creek consist mainly of Columbia River Basalt exposed in ravines but covered by up to 25 feet (8 m) of wind-deposited silt in other places. Silts and clays are the most common watershed soils, and significant erosion is common.[10]
Draining about 32 square miles (83 km2),[11] of which 7 square miles (18 km2) lie inside the Portland city limits[1] and nearly all of which is urban,[12] Fanno Creek receives water from the West Hills, Sexton Mountain in Beaverton, and Bull Mountain near Tigard. About 117 miles (188 km) of streams flow through the watershed, including Ash Creek, Summer Creek, and 12 smaller tributaries.[10] A small part of the drainage basin lies in the city of Lake Oswego in Clackamas County, near the headwaters of Ball Creek, a Fanno Creek tributary.[13]
Small watersheds adjacent to the Fanno Creek watershed include those of minor tributaries of the Willamette River or the Tualatin River. These include Tryon Creek, Balch Creek, and other small streams originating on the eastern side of the West Hills and flowing directly into the Willamette River. To the northwest, Hall Creek, Cedar Mill Creek, and Bronson Creek flow into Beaverton Creek, a tributary of Rock Creek, which empties into the Tualatin River at the larger stream's RM 38.4, about 29 miles (47 km) upriver from the mouth of Fanno Creek.[9][14]
The highest elevation in the watershed is 1,060 feet (320 m) at Council Crest in the West Hills, on the northeast edge of the watershed where tributaries run in deep ravines.[10] The peak elevation on Sexton Mountain, on the west edge of the watershed, is 476 feet (145 m),[15] while Bull Mountain, on the southwest, rises to 715 feet (218 m).[16]
About 50 inches (130 cm) of precipitation, almost all of which is rain and about half of which arrives in November, December, and January, falls on the watershed each year. Although significant flooding occurred in 1977, the watershed has not experienced a 100-year flood since the area became urban.[10]
History
The first people of the Fanno Creek watershed were the Atfalati or Tualaty tribe of the Kalapuya, or "long grass" people, who inhabited large parts of the Willamette Valley for up to 10,000 years before the arrival of European Americans. The valleys of the main river and its major tributaries such as the Tualatin River consisted of open grassland maintained by annual burning, with scattered groves of trees along the rivers and creeks. The Kalapuya moved from place to place in good weather to fish, to hunt small animals, birds, waterfowl, deer, and elk, and to gather nuts, seeds, roots, and berries. Important foods included camas and wapato. In addition to fishing for eels, suckers, and trout, the Atfalati traded for salmon from Chinookan tribes near Willamette Falls. During the winter, the Kalapuya lived in longhouses in settled villages. Their population was greatly reduced after contact in the late 18th century with Europeans, who carried smallpox, syphilis, and malaria. Added pressure came from white settlers who seized and fenced native land, regarded it as private property, and sometimes punished natives for trespassing. Of the original population of 1,000 to 2,000 Atfalati reported in 1780, only 65 remained in 1851. In 1855, the U.S. government sent the survivors to the Grande Ronde reservation further west.[17]
Fanno Creek is named after Augustus Fanno, the first European American settler along the creek. In 1847, he started an onion farm on a 640-acre (260 ha) a donation land claim in what later became part of Beaverton. Other 19th century newcomers along the creek engaged mainly in logging, farming, and dairy farming until the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Oregon Electric Railway lines made the watershed more accessible for urban development around the turn of the century. The Oregon Electric, a 49-mile (79 km) system built between 1903 and 1915, ran between downtown Portland and the Garden Home community in the Fanno Creek watershed, where it split into branches leading to Salem and Forest Grove. The Southern Pacific began running electric trains, known as the Red Electric, in the watershed in 1912. The company that eventually became Portland General Electric installed electric service in the area, and by 1915 the population of the upper Fanno Creek neighborhoods of Multnomah, Maplewood, Hillsdale, and West Portland Park had grown to 2,000.[10] By 1998, the population of the entire watershed had reached 123,000.[18]
Pollution
Although the water quality of Fanno Creek was rated as "very poor" by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) between 1986 and 1995, it improved during those years for several reasons. Historically, Fanno Creek has been polluted by urban and industrial sources, small sewage treatment plants, ineffective septic systems, farming and grazing operations, and illegal dumping. Health and environmental concerns led to the closing of substandard wastewater treatment plants in the 1970s, and urban development reduced the number of farms and farm animals along the creek. A ban in 1991 on phosphate detergents, increased connection to municipal sewers, stormwater management, and greater public awareness helped to reduce urban pollution not coming from point sources, and water quality improved.[19]
DEQ monitors Fanno Creek at Bonita Road in Tigard, at about RM 2. On the Oregon Water Quality Index (OWQI) used by DEQ, water quality scores can vary from 10 (worst) to 100 (ideal). The minimal seasonal average for Fanno Creek on this scale was 55, "very poor". By comparison, the minimal seasonal average in the nearby Willamette River at the Hawthorne Bridge in downtown Portland was 74 during the same years.[19] Measurements of water quality at the Tigard site during the years covered by the DEQ report showed high concentrations of phosphates, fecal coliform bacteria, and suspended solids, and a high biochemical oxygen demand. Moderately high concentrations of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen occurred during high flows during fall, winter, and spring. High temperatures and low dissolved oxygen concentration in the summer were evidence of eutrophication.[19]
Biology
Fish and wildlife
The watershed is used by about 100 bird species, several kinds of mammals, and a few fish species. Mammals commonly seen in the watershed include beaver, raccoon, opossum, spotted skunk, Douglas squirrel, and Townsend's chipmunk; black-tail deer and coyotes are sometimes seen. Fanno Creek contains non-migrating cutthroat trout that grow to a maximum length of about 7 inches (18 cm). The spawning beds for these trout are in the fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed headwaters and not in the flat-land tributaries further downstream. Other fish species found in Fanno Creek include sculpins, dace, and mosquitofish.[10]
Vegetation
The watershed begins in the Coast Range ecoregion designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but flows thereafter through the Willamette Valley ecoregion.[20][21] The narrow riparian corridors along streams in the watershed commonly include western redcedar, Douglas-fir, and vine maple, and sword fern as well as invasive species like English ivy.[1] Many red alder and big leaf maple are found, and shrubs include red huckleberry, Oregon-grape, elderberry, wood rose, and salmonberry.[10] A restoration project in Tigard along the main stem has removed invasive non-native plants such as reed canary grass and Himalayan blackberry and replaced them with native species.[22] A project in Beaverton replaced turf and rough-mowed grass near the creek with native shrubs and trees such as Oregon white oak.[23]
The Tualatin Riverkeepers, a nonprofit watershed council based in Tigard; Clean Water Services, a public utility that protects water resources in the Tualatin River watershed, and the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District have formed the Tualatin Basin Invasive Species Working Group to identify and eradicate invasive plants that displace native plants, cause erosion, and diminish water quality. The five plants considered most threatening are Japanese knotweed, meadow knapweed, giant hogweed, garlic mustard and purple loosestrife. The Oregon Department of Agriculture and the City of Tigard are working to eradicate giant hogweed from lower Fanno Creek.[24]
Parks
Fanno Creek passes through or within 0.1 miles (0.2 km) of 14 parks in several jurisdictions. The Portland Parks and Recreation Department manages Hillsdale Park, 5 acres (2.0 ha) with picnic tables and a dog park near the headwaters at about RM 15;[25] Albert Kelly Park, 12 acres (4.9 ha) with unpaved paths, picnic tables, play areas, and Wi-Fi north of the creek near Southwest Dosch Road at roughly RM 14.5,[26] and the Fanno Creek Natural Area, 7 acres (2.8 ha) north of the creek near Southwest 59th Avenue at about RM 11.7.[27]
Several Fanno Creek parks in Beaverton and unincorporated Washington County are managed by the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District (THPRD). The district, tax-supported and governed by an elected board, is the largest special park and recreation district in Oregon.[28] This group of parks includes Bauman Park, about 8 acres (3.2 ha) at about RM 10; Vista Brook Park, about 4 acres (1.6 ha) at roughly RM 8.5, with trails including one that is accessible to people with physical handicaps, a playground, and courts for basketball and tennis, and Fanno Creek Trail, about 2 acres (0.81 ha), with picnic tables and trails at about RM 8.[29]
A series of connected parks also managed by the THPRD run from roughly RM 7 to RM 5 beginning with Fanno Creek Park, about 21 acres (8.5 ha), with trails including one accessible to people with handicaps; Fanno Farmhouse, about 1 acre (0.40 ha) with an accessible trail and picnic tables as well as the Fanno family home, restored by the THPRD and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Greenway Park, about 87 acres (35 ha) with trails including an accessible trail, picnic tables, a playground, and sports fields, and Koll Center Wetlands, about 13 acres (5.3 ha) with wildlife.[29] [30]
Parks along Fanno Creek in Tigard include Woodard Park, 10 acres (4.0 ha) of big trees, trails, and play structures at about RM 4;[31] Bonita Park at about RM 3 with a playground and picnic areas,[32] and Fanno Park, a natural area behind City Hall at about RM 2.[33]
About 20 percent of the small city of Durham consists of parks. Surrounded by the larger cities of Tigard and Tualatin, the city covers 265 acres (107 ha) occupied by about 1,400 people. Durham City Park, at the confluence of Fanno Creek and the Tualatin River, consists of 46 acres (19 ha) of heavily-wooded floodplain with paved trails, children's play areas, and a picnic shelter. Smaller parks in Durham bring its park-area total to about 50 acres (20 ha).[34]
Sections of trail along the main stem of Fanno Creek form part of a planned 15-mile (24 km) Fanno Creek Greenway Trail linking Willamette Park on the Willamette River in southwest Portland to the confluence of the creek with the Tualatin River in Durham. The trail, for pedestrians and bicyclists, is accessible to people with disabilities. Many unfinished segments remained as of 2008.[35]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Fanno Creek Watershed". Bureau of Environmental Services, City of Portland. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
- ^ City Street Map: Portland, Gresham (Map) (2007 ed.). G.M. Johnson and Associates.
- ^ a b c Streets of Portland (Map) (2006 ed.). Rand McNally.
- ^ a b c Oregon Atlas & Gazetteer (Map) (1991 ed.). DeLorme Mapping. § 60–61.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b City Street Map: Portland, Gresham (Map) (2007 ed.). G.M. Johnson and Associates.
- ^ "14206900 Fanno Creek at 56th Avenue". United States Geological Survey. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ^ a b "Tour of the Watershed" (pdf). Tualatin Riverkeepers. 2006. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g Alta Planning + Design (2003). "Fanno Creek Greenway Trail Action Plan" (pdf). Metro. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) - ^ Cite error: The named reference
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was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Major Issues and Findings in the Willamette Basin: Pesticides and Volatile Organic Compounds". Water Quality in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, 1991–95. United States Geological Survey (USGS). 1998. Retrieved 2008-05-22.
- ^ Tualatin Riverkeepers (2002). Exploring the Tualatin River Basin. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Press. p. 105. ISBN 0-87071-540-2.
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(help) - ^ Local: Beaverton/Hillsboro, McMinnville/Newberg (Map) (2003 ed.). Rand McNally.
- ^ "Sexton Mountain". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28 1980. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
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(help) - ^ "Bull Mountain". Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). United States Geological Survey (USGS). November 28 1980. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
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(help) - ^ Tualatin Riverkeepers (2002). Exploring the Tualatin River Basin. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University Press. pp. 21–23. ISBN 0-87071-540-2.
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(help) - ^ Inforain: Maps That Matter (1998). "Fanno Creek". Tualatin River Watershed Information System. Ecotrust. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
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(help) - ^ a b c Wade, Curtis. "Tualatin Subbasin". Oregon Water Quality Index Report for Lower Willamette, Sandy, and Lower Columbia Basins: Water Years 1986-1995. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
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(help) - ^ Thorson, T.D. (2003). "Ecoregions of Oregon (front side of color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs)" (pdf). United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
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suggested) (help) Reverse side here - ^ "Grant Received for Fanno Creek Park Enhancement Plan". City of Tigard. 2003. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ "Greenway Habitat Enhancement Plan" (pdf). Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District. 2007. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ "Tualatin Watershed Weed Watch". Tualatin Riverkeepers. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
- ^ Portland Parks and Recreation Department (2008). "Hillsdale Park". City of Portland. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ Portland Parks and Recreation Department (2008). "Albert Kelly Park". City of Portland. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ Portland Parks and Recreation Department (2008). "Fanno Creek Natural Area". City of Portland. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ "Administration". Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ a b "Parks and Trails: Find a Park". Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ "Oregon, Washington County: Fanno, Augustus, Farmhouse". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- ^ "Woodard Park". City of Tigard. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Bonita Park". City of Tigard. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Fanno Park". City of Tigard. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "City of Durham, Oregon: Welcome". League of Oregon Cities. 2005. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ "Fanno Creek Greenway Trail". Metro. 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-11.