Ashland Creek Primary Source for Ashland's Drinking Water

This morning I woke up to a different sound.  I currently live a stone's throw from the gorgeous Ashland Creek . . . an engineer and his helper were running a generator pumping air into the pipes that siphon water from the creek.  The engineer informed me that this is part of the ongoing Ashland Creek restoration project extending below Water Street bridge.

The Mail Tribune today confirmed this with a synopsis: ASLAND CREEK TEEMS WTH NATIVE FISH on p. 4A.  "Another close look at Ashland Creek by fish and wildlife biologists last month revealed more evidence that wild salmon and steelhead inhabit the stream during seasonal runs and throughout the year."  Furthermore, "hundreds of young steelhead, a few coho salmon, Pacific giant salamanders and sculpin were counted while a 300-foot section of the creek was drained for the restoration project."

"Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel have witnessed salmon jumping at the Granite Street Dam during late spring and early summer . . . Three dams were taken out of Ashland Creek within Lithia Park in the 1990s, which is the reason people are seeing large steelhead swimming through Lithia Park again"

Today as I was walking up the hill from Lithia Park, a gentleman in a white pick-up truck stopped by me and said "someone is following you."  I looked around and sure enough a young doe had walked silently up the hill behind me.  I said, "Yes, we are after the same blackberries."

First autumn leaves in Lithia Park this morning.