Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

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blazerlove
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Joined: July 18th, 2017, 12:28 am

Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

Post by blazerlove » July 18th, 2017, 12:36 am

So everyone knows, the trail called "North Oxbow" or "Oxbow Loop" on the east side of Sandy River... its closed all summer for a massive salmon restoration project being done by Metro and Portland Water Bureau.

We are talking massive logging trucks in and out the access road all day, 1500 logs being put in for log jams, helicopters, road graders, massive machinery, etc.

The work is scheduled to continue until October, 2017.

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BigBear
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Re: Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

Post by BigBear » July 18th, 2017, 12:03 pm

I had to read this posting twice to see if it was a joke: salmon restoration and logging trucks. That's like chicken restoration and fox breeding. I wonder how the rafting will be after the log jams are put in.

Webfoot
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Re: Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

Post by Webfoot » July 18th, 2017, 1:21 pm

BigBear wrote:I wonder how the rafting will be after the log jams are put in.
Considerably more dangerous, I would presume. :|

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Guy
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Re: Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

Post by Guy » July 18th, 2017, 1:49 pm

Every 8 - 10 years there is a blowout flood on the Sandy that completely changes the riverbed. Where this trail shows on most maps is actually the middle of the river now! I wouldn't put any money on those log jams being very permanent!
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

blazerlove
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Joined: July 18th, 2017, 12:28 am

Re: Oxbow Bluff/"north oxbow" closure

Post by blazerlove » July 24th, 2017, 9:42 pm

yeah, people say other engineered logjams have been washed away, so we'll see....

and yes, the irony is a bit thick. Helicopters. 1500 logs. Huge trucks. Pushing roads through brush and ferns to get to the channels to then dig them out with massive excavators. And the 1500 logs put into river as jams. All this for a couple side channels.

Portland Water Bureau takes water from Bull Run, so they are obligated to spend money on mitigation projects. Thus.... the things I just described.

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