Oregon's Willamette River a Rising Priority (VIDEO)

Dredging was the topic of top discussion Thursday, and all hands were on deck, working together.

The Willamette River is a special part of the Salem area, and beyond. Photo by: Bonnie King

(SALEM) - At the invitation of Captain Richard Chesborough of the Willamette Queen, a group met Thursday to discuss the health and enhancement of the Willamette River.

Kevin Montgomery was on board to chat with attendees and witness the WRCM project underway, capturing interviews and documenting the process.

The Willamette River Channel Maintenance Workgroup was formed to address issues and challenges for the future of the river.

Agencies such as the US Army Corps of Engineers, the EPA, US Fish & Wildlife, BLM, the State marine board, DEQ, and many more were on hand to share their vision, and the current management policies that they all must abide by. Jane Baccheri, of the Governor’s office, commended the group for bringing so many entities together to discuss these important issues.

Creating a balanced year-round usage river takes all these agencies working together, and each person present brought something of value to the table.

Liz VanLeeuwen, a former Representative of district 37 told the group, “We’re not radicals, we’re long range planners. And we need your help.” The Willamette River brought our predecessors here, and its health may just as well determine the future livability of our area.

Watch the streaming video news report below, by Bonnie King and Kevin Montgomery:

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