Creek. This data will help LTWC work with
local businesses to improve practices and
reduce runoff.
LTWC has been leading a collaborative effort to identify and reduce pesticides and other toxins in Amazon Creek and the Upper Willamette River. A cleaner urban stream improves conditions for fish and wildlife, protects sources of drinking water, and fosters an overall healthier community.
In 2011, LTWC teamed with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to form a Pesticide Stewardship Partnership (PSP). This exciting partnership is one of seven designated PSPs in the state, and the only one with a significant urban focus. LTWC has support from key business and agricultural constituents, SureCrop Farm Service, the City of Eugene, Meyer Memorial Trust, and others.
The goal of the PSP is to monitor for pesticides in Amazon Creek to determine what chemicals are impacting water quality in the area. Using this data, we can direct our outreach to address commonly found pesticides and their sources. We developed our “Trout Friendly Landscapes” program to work with local landscape companies, businesses, and commercial property owners to voluntarily reduce or eliminate pesticide use on their properties. Additionally, we conduct outreach to local agricultural growers to share our data and identify ways to reduce pesticide loss to local waterways.
LTWC and its partners test for the presence and concentration of pesticides in the water and the soil of the stream bed. Testing locations were carefully selected to provide different land use signature impacts from residential to industrial to agricultural – all of which have been proven to have different, measurable impacts. This high quality data is analyzed and shared among citizens, the scientific community and habitat specialists. These folks identify and implement practices such as stormwater management strategies, “green infrastructure” and other habitat projects. Feedback from the whole process informs continued data gathering. With five years of local data so far for our PSP, we hope to see continual learning, positive impacts instream, and continue to find which areas need more attention.
Map of Amazon Creek Sampling Locations
For more information, contact:
Sarah Whitney
Urban Restoration & Stormwater Specialist
541-654-8965
urbanwaters at longtom.org