2 results for tag: rivers
The Big River
by Aja DeCoteau, OEC board member
My people, the Yakama, called it N’ch i wana, “the big river.” The Columbia River has been the lifeblood of all the cultures it touches. The salmon that swim its waters have shaped the culture of the newcomers to this region just as they shaped tribal cultures before them. Salmon are the icon of this place.
My roots run deep in this region—for thousands of years of my ancestors fished in its waters, gathered in its meadows, hunted its forests. That connection is a big part of who I am today. I feel a responsibility to make sure the tribal land ethic and sense of place are represented in conversations ...
Stormwater Solutions
When rain falls onto the hard surfaces of streets, sidewalks, parking lots and rooftops, it picks up pollutants in its path, gathering volume and speed until a storm drain pipes it underground or into a stream. Stormwater runoff causes water pollution, localized flooding, stream bank erosion, reduced groundwater levels, and habitat loss for fish and wildlife.
In 2007, OEC convened a statewide task force on reducing urban runoff and produced a report called "Stormwater Solutions: Turning Oregon's Rain Back into a Resource." The report describes how stormwater impacts Oregon's streams and rivers and includes a set of recommendations for reducing ...