Fishing a Toxic Waste Dump

It's funny what a man will do for a couple of AOTY points.  I pondered this sentiment while drop shotting a combined sewage outfall on the back side of Ross Island last Sunday.  Man, I must be desperate!

Over the course of the morning I'd seen a hundred kayak tourists drag themselves past in bands of 10 to 20.  They seemed as oblivious to the giant "WARNING!" signs as the wake boarders who were regularly taking enema shot wipeouts up and down the length of the channel.  Ignorance is truly bliss judging by their smiles.

Just past the half way point is the Ross Island Sand and Gravel Lagoon.  A ridiculously deep and unnervingly warm toxic cesspool formed by the alternate extraction of rock and dumping of contaminated sediment.  Ironically, this lagoon is Mecca for Portland wake boarders.

Dragging a Texas rigged curly tailed worm across the rocky point at the entrance to the lagoon, I picked off fair numbers of hand sized smallmouth.  Across the way, I pulled still more out from around submerged root balls and logs.  All the while marveling at the spectacle that was the blissfull wakeboarders.   


Half way 'round the lagoon, a family in a canoe stopped by to congratulate me on the fish I'd been catching and ask a few questions.  One of the questions was, "Why aren't you keeping any?".  Followed by, "Just one wouldn't hurt would it?".  I probably should have just sugar coated my answer.  But, being the ass-hat that I am, I couldn't help telling them about the sewage outfalls, the fish I'd caught with ulcerations on their faces and some of the recent history of the lagoon.


I had fun on this paddle and there were fish in all the expected places but I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was fishing in someones unflushed toilet. 

From a June 8th, 2005 article in the Oregonian:
".....Between 1992 and 1998, the Port paid Ross Island Sand & Gravel Co. nearly $1 million to bury more than 160,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from maintenance dredging. The material was buried in five large holes in the Ross Island lagoon and capped with several feet of clean silt and sand.
Then, in 1998, a barge spilled contaminated silt outside the storage area. In a second incident, a Ross Island Sand & Gravel dredge operator inadvertently breached one of the storage cells. The breach uncovered thousands of cubic yards of material tainted with lead, mercury, tars, PCBs and tributylin....."

Good work on the fish but damn.. that place sounds gnar! I think I know where Groening got his idea for that three eyeballed fish.

Z

I always enjoy reading your posts. Nice job getting more points. Bass are the easiest fish in the world to catch. They're dumber than a bag of hammers.

Don't knock it 'til you try it, Broseph.  All the chicks at the Hagg Lake rope swing say they like it when my stones glow in the dark. 

I don't have any issues with wakeboarders.  In fact, after watching someone surf a giant wake without the need of a rope, I was wishing I could join in (in a cleaner environment..)  Also, the bank errosion creates perfect Bass fishing conditions.

On my way back to the dock, I happened upon a salvage operation.  As I passed, they had just gotten a sunken wakeboard boat to the surface and flipped it back over. 

Talking to the diver back at the docks, I learned that to increase the wake size, there are chambers in the back which are filled with water.  The ballast helps displace more water for a bigger wave.  What some boat owners don't initially realize is that if you kill power without turning, the wave will come rolling over the stern and swamp the boat.   

The guy was chuckling when he told me, "You wouldn't believe how often this happens, especially with new owners.".  I swear his pupils turned into dollar signs at this point.   

  I knew about the water tanks in the back of the boat but never actually thought about what it means for the operation of the boat! That'll ruin the weekend real quick!

This reminds me, Spot, that when I return from this upcoming business trip, we should check the Terminal 6 arrival schedule and organize a tanker surf sesh on the Columbia.

This reminds me, Spot, that when I return from this upcoming business trip, we should check the Terminal 6 arrival schedule and organize a tanker surf sesh on the Columbia.

Hell yeah!  I'll share my favorite tanker break if you share yours.   

I don't have any issues with wakeboarders.  In fact, after watching someone surf a giant wake without the need of a rope, I was wishing I could join in (in a cleaner environment..)  Also, the bank errosion creates perfect Bass fishing conditions.

On my way back to the dock, I happened upon a salvage operation.  As I passed, they had just gotten a sunken wakeboard boat to the surface and flipped it back over. 

Talking to the diver back at the docks, I learned that to increase the wake size, there are chambers in the back which are filled with water.  The ballast helps displace more water for a bigger wave.  What some boat owners don't initially realize is that if you kill power without turning, the wave will come rolling over the stern and swamp the boat.   

The guy was chuckling when he told me, "You wouldn't believe how often this happens, especially with new owners.".  I swear his pupils turned into dollar signs at this point.   

I was surfing their wakes Tuesday night. It's probably the most fun I can have on the Willy in PDX, which is kind of sad. I only saw one dead floating fish and some half eaten corn on the cob on that tour, which was an upgrade from the last time I was there. I used to do 3 ross island tours a day 5 days a week. The the third arm I have growing out of my head is just bonus.

Ironically, this lagoon is Mecca for Portland wake boarders.

Got an email from the Willamette Riverkeeper, I'm on their email list, I think there must have been a free shirt involved! haha

Anyways, they want to make Ross Island a wake free zone-
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Dear Ross Island No Wake Zone Supporters,
 
We invite you to attend the Oregon State Marine Board's FINAL hearing on the Ross Island No Wake Zone proposal.
 
The Marine Board will accept limited public testimony regarding the proposed rules for the Holgate Channel and Ross Island Lagoon.
 
Please do what you can to attend this hearing as large numbers of supporters (and opponents) really do make a difference in this decision-making process!
 
when: Monday, July 27th, 6pm-9pm
 
where: Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave
          2nd Floor Auditorium
 
What you should know
 
The Marine Board staff is recommending the following proposed language for discussion at this meeting.
 
No person shall operate a recreational watercraft in excess of slow-no-wake in the following area:
· Ross Island Lagoon

· Holgate Channel from a line extending northeast from the north side of the Ross Island Lagoon mouth to the east side of the channel, and to a line extending from the southern (upstream) tips of Ross Island due south to the Oregon Yacht Club.

· This restriction does not apply to commercially operated vessels including those owned or operated for sand and gravel operations.
 
Click here to see a map of the area
 
*It is important to note that we will be requesting that coaching safety launches for rowers and dragon boaters be exempt from the restrictions.  These crafts travel slightly over the slow-no-wake speed of 5mph. 
 
*While this is the second time our original proposal has been modified, we feel that this latest compromise is better than a no action at all.   
 
Background
 
In March, the Marine Board received a petition, which was modified in April, requesting a no-wake-zone in the Holgate Channel between Ross Island and the east bank of the Willamette River and in the Ross Island Lagoon.  The petition was submitted by Friends of Ross Island: Willamette Riverkeeper, the Urban Green Spaces Institute, and the Portland Audubon Society.  A public hearing was held May 27 with public comment accepted throughout May.
 
Main points

--Our goal is to decrease wakes and speed that negatively impact other river users and increase the level of safety. As it is today, many people have had close calls, whether in rowing shells, or other craft. Or, perhaps you've been swamped in a small boat. Come and tell your story.
--We want to create conditions that better fit the Wildlife Refuge aspect of the Ross Island Property with the new 44 acre addition now owned by the City of Portland.

--Ross Island is a special place and we feel that of the lower 26.5 miles of the Willamette, it is not too much to ask for a small, side channel of the Willamette to be set aside where everyone slows down.

--Access is still available for everyone. Motor boats can still utilize Holgate Channel and the Lagoon, they just can't have wakes.

--Power Boaters have all of the 26.5 mile main channel of the river from the Columbia to Willamette Falls to cruise at full speed with wakes.
As before, there will be STIFF opposition from wake boarders, water skiers, and jet skiers.  This is not about shutting off the Willamette to these users!  It's about creating a safe, quiet area for kayakers, canoeists, and fishers on one side of the Willamette, leaving the entire rest of the 26 miles of the Willamette to higher speed, motorized craft. 
 
THANK YOU for your support!
 
Sincerely,
 
Friends of Ross Island: Willamette Riverkeeper, the Audubon Society of Portland, and the Urban Greenspaces Institute
 ------

Anyways, they want to make Ross Island a wake free zone-
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It'll be a shame if this passes.  It's one of the very few areas on the Willamette where the river is smoothe enough to ski/wakeboard all day.

Anyways, they want to make Ross Island a wake free zone-
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It'll be a shame if this passes.  It's one of the very few areas on the Willamette where the river is smoothe enough to ski/wakeboard all day.

It's a shame if it doesn't pass.  It's one of the few areas on the Willamette where the river is smooth enough for kayakers to paddle around and view the wildlife at Oaks Bottom and Ross Island all day.

I'm impartial on the matter for the most part... From my experience though, the wakeboarders aren't the most curtious bunch (in general not talking about this area).  Quite a few times I've just been doing my own thing fishing, and out of nowhere will come a wakeboarding boat, over into my little area for no apparent reason except to see if they can swamp me or what not.  The wakes are usually fun, unless I'm tying rigs or whatnot, then they can be a real pain in the ass..

Yeah, I actually see both sides of this as well.  I have, unfortunately, had many experiences like PSR, so no hard feelings if they can't use that area.  But I guess everyone is entitled to their form of recreation, no matter how obnoxious and disruptive it is.  Better to contain them downtown and out of the more natural areas, too.  Whatevs.  I suppose I better read the news and see if this thing got voted on.......

It was voted down. There is no new no-wake zone in the channel.