Clackamas River facts for kids
The Clackamas River is a beautiful river in northwestern Oregon, United States. It's about 83 miles (134 km) long and flows into the Willamette River. The Clackamas River basin covers about 940 square miles (2,435 km²). This river starts high up in the mountains and then flows through forests, farms, and even some towns closer to its end.
The river begins in eastern Marion County, near a mountain called Olallie Butte in the Mount Hood National Forest. It's about 4,909 feet (1,496 meters) high there! The Clackamas River flows northwest through the Cascade Range mountains, passing through places like North Fork Reservoir and Estacada. Finally, it joins the Willamette River near Oregon City and Gladstone.
The Clackamas River is very important. It helps make electricity and provides drinking water for many people in the Portland area. It's also a home for many fish, including Coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and steelhead. Because of its amazing forests, bird habitats, healthy fish, and fun activities like fishing and whitewater rafting, more than half of the river is protected as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Native Americans also lived along this river for thousands of years.
The river's flow has been managed by dams since 1905, starting with the Cazadero Dam. Other dams like River Mill Dam, North Fork, and Timothy Lake also help control the river.
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The River's Journey
The Clackamas River starts on the western side of the Cascade Range mountains, close to Olallie Butte. This spot is between two big mountains, Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson, inside the Mount Hood National Forest. The river flows mostly northwest and then west for about 83 miles (134 km). It eventually meets the Willamette River at Gladstone. From its start to its end, the river drops almost 4,900 feet (1,494 meters)!
As the Clackamas River begins in Marion County, it collects water from many smaller streams. It then enters Clackamas County. Along its journey, it passes through a flatter area known as Big Bottom. Many creeks join the river here, like Cub Creek, Hunter Creek, and Kansas Creek. Further downstream, you'll find Austin Hot Springs and Picnic Area. About 57 miles (92 km) from its mouth, the Collawash River joins the Clackamas from the left. There are also picnic areas and campgrounds nearby.
A bit further, the Oak Grove Fork Clackamas River flows into the Clackamas. From this point, the river often runs alongside Oregon Route 224. Many more creeks, like Big Creek and Sandstone Creek, add to the river's flow. The river goes under Route 224 several times, passing through places like Three Lynx. It then enters a narrow section called The Narrows. You can also find Roaring River Campground nearby.
The river continues past several campgrounds, including Fish Creek Campground and Armstrong Campground. It goes under Route 224 for the last time at Carter Bridge. Below Carter Bridge, the river passes Big Eddy Campground and Lazy Bend Campground. Around 35 miles (56 km) from its mouth, the South Fork Clackamas River joins it.
Soon after, the river flows into North Fork Reservoir and then the North Fork Clackamas River joins it. The Clackamas reaches the Faraday Dam and passes Faraday Lake. It then goes under Oregon Route 211 at Estacada and reaches River Mill Dam. The river flows by Milo McIver State Park, which is a great place to visit.
Further downstream, the river passes Bonnie Lure State Recreation Area and Barton County Park. Many more creeks, like Eagle Creek and Deep Creek, join the river. Finally, the Clackamas River reaches Carver, where Clear Creek enters. It then passes under Interstate 205 and Oregon Route 99E (McLoughlin Boulevard) between Oregon City and Gladstone. The river's last stretch flows past Clackamette Park before it empties into the Willamette River.
River History
Early People Along the River
Long ago, before the 1800s, tall conifer trees covered most of the Clackamas River area. The streams were full of fish like salmon and steelhead. Native Americans lived, hunted, fished, and gathered food in the Clackamas River area as far back as 10,000 years ago. About 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, they built permanent villages along the lower parts of the river.
This land was home to the Clackamas tribe. They were part of the Chinookan language group, who lived along the Columbia River. The Clackamas tribe's land included the lower Willamette River, from Willamette Falls (where Oregon City is now) to where it meets the Columbia River.
When explorers Lewis and Clark visited in 1806, there were about 1,800 Clackamas people living in 11 villages. Large villages were near the waterfalls and the mouth of the Clackamas River. Other villages were near Estacada and Eagle Creek. In winter, families stayed in their villages. But during other seasons, they used many trails to travel to temporary camps.
Sadly, diseases like smallpox, malaria, and measles greatly reduced the Clackamas population to just 88 people by 1851. In 1855, the tribe gave up their lands. Some members of the tribe continued to visit the Clackamas River from the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to fish and gather berries until the 1930s.
The River's Surroundings
The Clackamas River basin is made up of 16 smaller areas, covering about 940 square miles (2,435 km²). Most of the upper part of the basin is within the rugged Mount Hood National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The lower part of the watershed has more farms and people, and most of this land is privately owned. Some land between the national forest and the lower river is owned by timber companies or managed by the Bureau of Land Management. About 72% of the land in the watershed is public, 25% is private, and 3% is owned by Native American tribes. In 1995, about 63,702 people lived in the watershed.
The Clackamas River provides drinking water for over 200,000 people! Cities and water districts like Estacada, Clackamas River Water, and the City of Lake Oswego all get their water from the Clackamas.
There's a group called the Clackamas River Basin Council. It brings together many different people and groups, like farmers, educators, and government agencies. They work together to protect the river's natural resources and keep the watershed healthy for the future.
The Clackamas River is special because it's home to the last big group of wild late-winter coho salmon in the Columbia Basin. These salmon usually lay their eggs in the main part of the Clackamas River above the North Fork Reservoir. The river also has one of only two remaining groups of spring chinook salmon in the Willamette basin. It also supports many winter steelhead, cutthroat trout, and native lamprey.
Wild and Scenic River
A large part of the Clackamas River, 47 miles (76 km) from Big Springs to Big Cliff, is protected by the U.S. government as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS). Of this protected section, 20 miles (32 km) are called "scenic" and 27 miles (43 km) are called "recreational." The protected part of the Clackamas River has five "outstandingly remarkable" features, which means they are very important to the region or the country.
These five features are:
- Recreation: It offers great chances for activities like white water rafting near the Portland area.
- Fish Habitat: It's a vital home for wild late-winter coho, spring chinook, and winter steelhead.
- Wildlife Habitat: It provides a home for the bald eagle and northern spotted owl, which are protected species. It might also be a home for the peregrine falcon.
- Forests: The river banks have beautiful Douglas-fir trees that are very old.
- History: The river has important historical significance.
Also, all 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of a river called the Roaring River, which flows into the Clackamas, are also designated as Wild and Scenic. This area is part of the Roaring River Wilderness. Another 4.2 miles (6.8 km) of the South Fork Clackamas River were also protected when the Clackamas Wilderness was created in 2009.
River Health
In 2008, a study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) looked at pesticides in the lower Clackamas River. They found different types of pesticides in the river and its smaller streams, especially after storms. Fewer pesticides were found in the drinking water after it was treated.
The study suggested that because pesticides are often found, especially during storms, they could affect the animals living in the water and the quality of drinking water from the lower river. This means it's important to keep studying and protecting the river's health.
