Kellogg Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kellogg Creek |
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 Location of the mouth of Kellogg Creek in Oregon
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| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Clackamas |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | near Lake Lenore Johnson City 185 ft (56 m) 45°24′05″N 122°34′23″W / 45.40139°N 122.57306°W |
| River mouth | Willamette River Milwaukie 10 ft (3.0 m) 45°26′30″N 122°38′33″W / 45.44167°N 122.64250°W |
| Length | 4.5 mi (7.2 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 15 sq mi (39 km2) |
Kellogg Creek is a small river, about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) long. It flows into the Willamette River near the city of Portland. The creek starts near Lake Lenore in Johnson City. It then flows northwest until it reaches the Willamette River in Milwaukie.
About halfway along its path, Kellogg Creek meets Mount Scott Creek. Mount Scott Creek is its biggest helper stream. It joins Kellogg Creek near North Clackamas Central Park. Mount Scott Creek, along with Phillips and Dean creeks, collects water from the western side of Mount Scott. Kellogg Creek flows into the Willamette River just before Johnson Creek does. This spot is about 18.5 miles (29.8 kilometers) upstream from where the Willamette River meets the Columbia River. The Columbia River then flows about another 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the Pacific Ocean at Astoria.
Contents
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a common point. For Kellogg Creek, this means all the rain and runoff in its watershed eventually flows into the creek. Most of the Kellogg Creek watershed is located within Clackamas County. This area includes all of Johnson City and parts of Milwaukie.
Land Use in the Watershed
The total area of the Kellogg Creek watershed is about 15 square miles (39 square kilometers). This land is used for many different things. You can find homes, businesses, and factories here. There are also big shopping areas like the one at Clackamas Town Center. Busy roads and highways, such as Interstate 205, also cross through the watershed.
Nature Areas in the Watershed
Even with all the development, there are still many natural spots. These include parks, wetlands, and other green spaces.
- The upper part of Kellogg Creek starts near Hearthwood Wetland. This is a 16.2-acre (6.6-hectare) nature preserve. It sits between Interstate 205 and Johnson City.
- Mount Scott Creek and two of its smaller streams, Phillips and Dean creeks, flow through the 89-acre (36-hectare) 3-Creeks Natural Area.
- Happy Valley Park is a 26-acre (11-hectare) wetland that feeds water into Mount Scott Creek.
- The Minthorn Springs wetland in Milwaukie is 6.52 acres (2.64 hectares). It drains into the lower part of Kellogg Creek.
- Mount Scott Creek also flows through Mount Talbert Nature Park and North Clackamas Central Park. These areas help keep the water clean and provide homes for wildlife.
Kellogg Dam and Its Future
At the very end of Kellogg Creek, where it meets the Willamette River, there is a structure called Kellogg Dam. This dam is 16 feet (4.9 meters) high. It creates a small body of water behind it called Kellogg Lake.
Plans for the Dam
The City of Milwaukie and its partners have a big plan for Kellogg Dam. They want to remove the dam. This will help bring back fish like Coho and other types of salmon to Kellogg Creek. These fish used to live and reproduce in the creek's waters.
Removing the dam would open up about 9 miles (14 kilometers) of the creek and its helper streams. This means migratory fish would be able to swim much further upstream. The plan also includes restoring 14 acres (5.7 hectares) of wetlands where the lake used to be. A new bridge is also planned over the creek near its mouth. This new bridge will have special lanes for bicycles and paths for people walking. It will connect Kronberg and Riverfront parks in Milwaukie.
