Page 19 - Clackamas County Watertourism Strategic Plan. Final.v3

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR WATER-BASED TOURISM IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY, OREGON THE WATER
3-1

Chapter 3 THE WATER

Clackamas River
The Clackamas River drains a watershed that is almost entirely within Clackamas County. The river originates in a group of mountain lakes and creeks, primarily First Lake, about 5
miles north of Mount Jefferson at 5,000 feet in altitude. Within a half mile the river enters Clackamas County and flows 56 miles to the Willamette River draining 937 square miles
of watershed along the way. The Clackamas River merges with the Willamette River in the city of Gladstone, just 12 miles south of Portland via Hwy 99E. The upper Clackamas is
accessed via state and county highways (99E & 224) and is 54 miles southeast of Portland, taking about 1.5 hours to reach the town of Ripplebrook, an unincorporated community
just south of the Three Lynx put-in for kayakers and rafters. In a 53-mile stretch, there are 20 places to put in, averaging a put-in every 2.6 miles.

The upper half of the Clackamas River has steep slopes and flows through deeply incised valleys. The lower portion below Estacada, (RM25), has a more moderate slope of 10 feet
per mile. Nearly all the tributaries have sizeable falls near their entry into the Clackamas River; including where Rock Creek which enters with a 12-foot falls only .6 of a mile from
its mouth.

The Upper Clackamas

The Upper Clackamas is designated within the National Wild and Scenic River System as “Scenic” or “Recreational” for 47 miles from the Big Springs area, a few miles south of
Ripplebrook in its headwaters to Big Cliff on highway 224 just upstream from Promontory Park before the river becomes part of the impounded North Fork reservoir waters.
According to the designation the “Clackamas River is home to the last significant run of wild late-winter Coho salmon in the Columbia Basin, which generally spawn on the main
stem of the Clackamas above the North Fork Reservoir. The watershed also has one of only two remaining runs of spring chinook in the Willamette basin and supports a significant
population of winter steelhead, cutthroat trout and native lamprey.” This section of river in the “offers breathtaking mountain views, replete with native wildflowers and wildlife,
as well as direct access for fishing, boating and hiking. The area is most recognizable by the green Pratt truss bridge at Memaloose Road, now closed to vehicular traffic, which sits
atop the river and connects walkers to the day-use area on the river's south side.” This entire section of river is within the US Forest Service domain. Properties offering public
access and camping are managed by the Forest Service and PGE or their contractors.

The Upper Clackamas has an exciting whitewater run that attracts many private boaters, commercial outfitters, anglers, campers and visitors. The most popular section is 13 miles
of class 3 and 4 whitewater from Sandstone Bridge to Memaloose, although the river runs along the road and numerous put-ins and take-outs along the way. The rapids present
the best whitewater opportunities in the County and rivals any whitewater run Oregon. The undeveloped corridor, easy access, and world class rapids make for a highly
marketable experience. The Forest Service and PGE, through their recreation management company Northwest Land Management, are slowly and steadily making improvements
along the river for public access, parking, facilities, and camping.