The Willamette River has taken a lot of crap. Literally. Sure, a few years ago it was filled with dangerous levels of bacteria, but can’t an aquatic body get a second chance? It seems that the city of Portland is pushing to revive the culture surrounding this once-toxic flow and attempting to turn it into a swimming hole.
The Willamette River has taken a lot of crap. Literally. Sure, a few years ago it was filled with dangerous levels of bacteria, but can’t an aquatic body get a second chance? It seems that the city of Portland is pushing to revive the culture surrounding this once-toxic flow and attempting to turn it into a swimming hole.
According to the Department of Environmental Quality, the Willamette hasn’t violated health standards since 2009. A report released in 2011 stated that the river is “safe for swimming and other recreational uses at most times of the year.”
The problems with the river mainly derive from a few issues with Portland’s less-than-perfect sewer system. Heavy rainfall and trouble with piping caused sewage to drain into the Willamette, but with the East Side Big Pipe project and better regulation, the river no longer acts as Portland’s toilet. We have to wonder, though: Are Portlandians ready to dive in?
While the once-E. coli-infected waters may still seem a bit scary to some aquatic enthusiasts, the steps taken by the city to improve water quality are admirable. No longer will members of the Portland State sailing and dragon boat teams have to face concerns of growing a third leg or an 11th toe after they plunge into the Willamette’s depths.
For the last two years, Will Levenson has focused on giving the river a makeover. Levenson not only organized the Big Float, a massive swimming, inner-tubing and boating event; he recently submitted a proposal for a permanent swimming area at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, just under the Hawthorne Bridge.
Submitted to the city in late June, his proposal will undergo a long and arduous approval process before it can be given the go-ahead.
This is a great opportunity for those who can’t afford to buy a membership to a fancy-shmancy pool, or for those of us who haven’t sold our souls to Mephistopheles in order to secure a home in Lake Oswego.
If the river remains safe, it could provide opportunities for more events like the Big Float and create an even more diverse downtown environment. Plus, it would allow some of us to enjoy our city’s lovely water features without being bombarded by screaming children.
While there are still risks associated with swimming in the river, we should give this great resource a chance. Swimmers should still shower after taking a dip and avoid drinking the water. Other things to be avoided include drowning, drowning and also drowning.
The development of this swimming area could be used as a springboard to improve the overall conditions of the river. Levenson has already organized an event to move rocks away from the shore in order to open up sand on the beach and improve habitat conditions.
The Big Float, which took place last week, brought more than 1,400 floaters to the Willamette’s waters. Clearly, there are people interested in spending their time in the water. The river that divides this fine city deserves a chance to clean up its act and rebrand its image as one without a three-eyed fish.
