Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Project

Environmental Services completed the Tryon Creek Confluence project in fall 2010.

The work enhanced about 900 feet of Tryon Creek, beginning at its confluence with the Willamette River. The project included removing invasive plants and revegetating with native species on about 3.5 acres.

The Tryon Creek confluence area is within the Lake Oswego city limits on landowned by Metro and the cities of Lake Oswego and Portland.

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) completed the first phase of this project one just upstream in summer 2008. That work included stream enhancement and modifying the Highway 43 culvert to improve fish passage into the 645-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area.

This second project phase built on ODOT's work to improve fish and wildlife habitat. Tryon Creek State Natural Area is well suited for coho salmon and steelhead production. Phase two created off-channel habitat as refuge for fish during high flows, and gave fish greater access to the natural area. The Tryon Creek State Natural Area is the only state park in Oregon located in a major metropolitan area.

Project Description

The Tryon Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Project:

• Improved in-stream and stream bank habitat quality and complexity for salmon and steelhead listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act; lamprey, which are listed as a species of concern; and other native species
• Improved floodplain connectivity
• Improved riparian and upland habitat by removing invasives and establishing native plant communities

The City of Portland has a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to continue monitoring salmonid activity in project area.

For More Information

Find more information about the project and monitoring efforts in the Tryon Creek Confluence Project Update fact sheet.

Contact Project Manager Kristen Acock, 503-823-7395.