Rinearson Natural Area, near the confluence with the Willamette River (Falling Springs)
In April 2019, members of the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council signed the Rinearson Natural Area Habitat Development Plan. By signing the plan, the Trustee Council recognizes the Rinearson Natural Area Restoration Project as having “credits” to sell. These credits represent habitat benefits created by the project. Potentially responsible parties may purchase these credits and offer them for consideration to resolve their liability for environmental damages resulting from hazardous releases in the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The Trustee Council may also consider purchasing credits from this project using funds from cash settlements with potentially responsible parties.
The Rinearson Natural Area Restoration Project is designed to provide high quality habitat for fish and wildlife injured by hazardous releases in the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The project was completed in 2017 and 2018 by Falling Springs, a habitat development company. The restoration involved:
- Removing an earthen dam that blocked salmon, lamprey, and other fish from swimming up Rinearson Creek
- Reducing the size of the pond to cool water temperatures while maintaining habitat for western pond turtles
- Planting thousands of native plants and removing invasive vegetation throughout the project area
- Placing large wood in the stream for small fish to hide, rock piles in the uplands for mink to den, and snags for bald eagles and other birds to perch and hunt
- Protecting the site from human disturbance by only allowing recreational access on defined trails
With construction complete, the project will now be monitored for a period of at least 10 years with ongoing oversight from the Trustee Council. After that, long-term stewardship of the site will begin, ensuring restoration benefits in perpetuity.
The Rinearson Natural Area Restoration Project is located at Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone, Oregon. The project sits at the confluence of Rinearson Creek and the Willamette River, on land owned by a combination of private and public entities. The project is upstream from the Superfund site, within the broader focus area that the Trustee Council has identified for habitat restoration. See this fact sheet for more information.
To date, two other restoration projects have been recognized by the Portland Harbor Trustee Council: Alder Creek and Linnton Mill.
Rinearson Creek confluence with the Willamette River after initial construction of the restoration project was completed in 2017.
