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DRAFT WILLAMETTE RIVER GREENWAY DESIGN PLAN
<br />Willamette River (WA):
<br />The Willamette is the most important river system in the region. The corridor provides a diverse range of
<br />habitat types, including riparian, wetland, open water, and island habitats, that support a wide range of
<br />terrestrial and aquatic wildlife species. The riparian plant community along the river is the largest and one
<br />of the most intact in the Inventory, and includes black cottonwood, Oregon ash, Pacific willow, red-osier
<br />dogwood, red alder, white alder, and bigleaf maple. It is one of the few riparian corridors in the inventory
<br />that contains stands of mature black cottonwood, important trees for raptors, great blue heron, cavity
<br />nesting species, and for providing downed wood and snags. Wetland plants, such as rush species Uuncus
<br />spp., Scirpus spp.) and sedge species (Carex spp.) occur along the waterline. Although invasive species, such
<br />as Armenian (Himalayan) blackberry and reed canarygrass are prevalent, the plant community is made up
<br />of primarily native species. The Willamette River is one of the most extensive wildlife travel corridors and
<br />migration routes in the state. Numerous wildlife species use the corridor to move between habitat patches,
<br />and it is a significant migration corridor for migrant songbirds. Belted kingfisher, great blue heron, green
<br />heron, and osprey are commonly seen fishing and perching along the river. Swallows and warbler species
<br />frequent the riparian edge in spring and summer. Shorebirds, beaver, turtles, reptiles, and amphibians utilize
<br />the water's edge and downed trees in the riparian area. The river provides important resting and rearing
<br />habitat for juvenile spring Chinook salmon, and a migration corridor for adult Chinook. This species is listed
<br />as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Willamette River also harbors a diverse native
<br />fish community, including: cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, chiselmouth, mountain sucker,
<br />largescale sucker, redside shiner, sculpin, northern pikeminnow, peamouth, sand roller, and dace (Aquatic
<br />and Riparian Habitat Assessment for the Eugene Springfield Area, Chip Andrus and Jenny Walsh, 2002).
<br />The Goal 5 Water Resources Conservation Plan summarizes recommended conservation measures for the
<br />resource sites in Section 24.5.2 of the ESEE Analysis:'
<br />Willamette River (WA/WB):
<br />Conservation setback of 100 feet recommended. As discussed above, the Willamette River (W AIWB) is
<br />recommended for protection, as it provides one of the most extensive, intact wildlife corridors in the
<br />region, providing habitat for a diversity of wildlife species, including state- and federally-listed species. The
<br />conservation measure proposed for this site is the /WR Water Resources Conservation Overlay Zone (/WR
<br />overlay zone). Under those proposed provisions, this riparian site is recommended to be designated Category
<br />A Stream. This recommendation is based upon the ESEE analysis above, and these factors: (1) it is one of the
<br />highest quality sites in the Inventory, (2) it is the largest stream in the region, (3) the corridor contains a highly
<br />intact riparian plant community with a mature forest canopy that supports a wide range of terrestrial and
<br />aquatic wildlife species, (4) it has very high connectivity value, providing one of the most extensive and diverse
<br />habitat systems and wildlife corridors in the region, (5) it provides habitat for state- and federally-listed
<br />species, and (6) it provides habitat for numerous native fish species. For riparian and upland wildlife habitat
<br />sites, the conservation area for CategoryA Streams includes the area within the resource site boundary, plus
<br />the area within a conservation setback of 100 feet measured from the top of bank of the stream. Within this
<br />conservation area, the /WR overlay zone restricts new development, removal of riparian vegetation, and other
<br />conflicting uses.
<br />Willamette River wetlands River Avenue (WR-1); Willamette River wetlands Greenleaf Pond (WR-2);
<br />Willamette River wetlands south (WR-5A, WR-5B):
<br />Conservation setback of 50 feet recommended. As discussed above, these wetlands (WR-1, WR-2, WR-5A, WR-
<br />58) occur within the riparian area of the regionally significant Willamette River, and are recommended
<br />4 Water Resources Conservation Plan. City of Eugene. Exhibit B - Conflicting Use and ESEE Analysis. Section 24.1 Site
<br />Description(s). November 2005.
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<br />WILLAMETTE RIVER GREENWAY CODE AMENDMENTS 13
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