portland golf club files a revised application (again):
On August 14, Portland Golf Club filed their 5th revision of their Joint Permit Application.
This time they have made some major changes, they no longer propose to put the sludge dredged from the irrigation pond in the wetland adjacent to the Fanno Creek Trail. Instead, the new plan is to stack the fabric bags full of sludge in a 1.1-acre area cleared of all vegetation just to the west of the wetland. The volume is the same - 5300 cubic yards - but the bags will not be covered with soil. The 7-12’ pile will be visible from the trail from SW 83rd Avenue to the east side of the wooden bridge at the pump station.
The wetland will still be affected, though. A sump pump will be dug at least 8’ deep into the north end of the wetland, necessitating the removal of about 44 cubic yards of earth (about 4 dump truck loads). The water seeping from the bags will be collected in the wetland to be pumped back to the irrigation pond. Also, a large gravel staging area will replace the wooded area at the end of SW 82nd Avenue. A 20-25’ wide permanent access road will be built from the staging area across the southern edge of the wetland to the sludge pile. This road will destroy the point where water draining from the neighborhood enters the wetland. Lastly, the work is planned for the spring/early summer, when the wetland is still wet, plants are growing, and animals/birds are denning and nesting. Everything in the wetland will be disturbed by the digging, equipment noise, presence of workers, contaminated water, and altered landscape.
PGC finally admits in this version of the application that the wetland is connected hydrologically to downstream wetlands and to Fanno Creek. However, the two check dams proposed for the north end of the wetland will not prevent the contamination of Fanno Creek with silt or toxic substances from the sludge.
Department of State Lands is reviewing the application and will make a decision complete/incomplete by September 14.
If you want to read the details, here is the
Most recent PGC application with the state
protesters out in full force!
On Wednesday August 7, supporters of the wetland, the Fanno Creek Trail, inner city greenspace & wildlife protested the actions of the Portland Golf Club by holding up signs and educating motorists at the northern aspect of PGC.
Many folks took pictures of our QR code, many pedestrians stopped to ask questions and understand.
Our hope is to raise public awareness and to encourage leadership at Portland Golf Club to communicate with their neighbors.
are golf courses toxic?
If you have a few minutes, watch this informative presentation on the dangers of product used on golf courses. This is important for our cause, of course because the dredge tailings from the golf courses' pond will be placed in semi-permeable fabric bags right along our beautiful trail!
Research presentation (linked below) by Meredith Boos , who received her Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana where she played collegiate golf. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Biology at Regis University and planning on attending law school post graduation. She consults with golf courses, advising them on sustainable development and natural management.
dangers of product used on golf courses: a presentation
Neighbors for Wetland Preservation
who we are
Our history
Our history
We are a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit.
We are committed to Fanno Creek, beautiful old growth trees, healthy wetlands and wildlife habitat.
Our focus is the greenspace & the wetland alongside the Fanno Creek Trail in Garden Home.
Our history
Our history
Our history
Portland Golf Club lies in Washington County, Oregon. Fanno Creek runs through their property. They have water rights to the Creek, they take & store water in their irrigation pond.
In 2021 they made public their intent to dredge the pond, pumping water & dredge to the southern portion of their property, immediately adjacent to the F
Portland Golf Club lies in Washington County, Oregon. Fanno Creek runs through their property. They have water rights to the Creek, they take & store water in their irrigation pond.
In 2021 they made public their intent to dredge the pond, pumping water & dredge to the southern portion of their property, immediately adjacent to the Fanno Creek Trail. The dredge tailings will be left in bags on top of the wetland. They estimate the equivalent of 500 dump trucks of dredge tailings will be permanently placed on top of the wetland.
This will destroy the wetland, eliminate wildlife habitat, create an eyesore, alter storm water flow and potentially contaminate Fanno Creek.
As a result, neighbors organized to provide a unified voice in opposition, requesting we work together with the PGC toward environmentally sound solutions.
Our goals
Our history
Our goals
The Portland Golf Club accepts the role of leaders in ecosystem preservation and sustainability within the golf club world. To do this, we ask the following:
- The Portland Golf Club care for and preserve Wetland A on the Pinger Property. In order to achieve this, they should not clear the property, they should not place dredge on the prop
The Portland Golf Club accepts the role of leaders in ecosystem preservation and sustainability within the golf club world. To do this, we ask the following:
- The Portland Golf Club care for and preserve Wetland A on the Pinger Property. In order to achieve this, they should not clear the property, they should not place dredge on the property. They should foster native growth and remove invasive species in order to maximize functionality of the wetland and the watershed.
- Stream restoration, of both Fanno Creek and Woods Creek, at the points they enter the Golf Club, they traverse the Golf Club, and they exit the Golf Club. Make real efforts to slow peak water flows which can be erosive. This will foster native wildlife and fish, particularly cutthroat trout.
- The Golf Club works with the public and community organizations to remove non-native, invasive species (English Ivy) which threatens old growth trees.