Efforts to stop algae blooms in the Willamette River gain momentum

Advocates working to clean the Willamette River of algae blooms are scoring support with funding.

The bloom, located near the Ross Island lagoon, grows nearly every year. The lagoon was created by the historic extraction of sand and gravel from the river. Its deep water slows the river and creates stagnant areas. Combine them with warm weather and excess nutrients and the result is regular algae blooms.

“Slowly but surely, the lagoon grew to a 142-acre stagnant pond inside the river,” said Willie Levenson with the Human Access Project. The group is working in partnership with Oregon State University to prevent the blooms.

Levenson said they’re trying to build a channel to flush fresh water though the lagoon. But first they have to raise money and awareness.

“There’s been a block to get it started because it’s a very intimidating thing to try to solve,” he said.

The group just secured a $150,000 grant from Multnomah County to address the issue. Other funds have been pledged by Oregon’s congressional delegation, the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde and the city of Portland.

However, the need to acquire about a dozen environmental permits from the federal government, the state, and the city – plus drawing up designs for the project – mean channel construction is not expected to start for a while.

“If this happens five to six years from now – shovels in the ground – it would be a tremendous success,” Levenson said.

Algae blooms near the lagoon turn the water green. Blooms like these can produce harmful toxins which could cause vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, seizures, permanent short term memory loss, or even death if consumed at high levels.

Animals that like to play in the water, like dogs, are particularly vulnerable to exposure.