The waters of Willamette Cove in Portland will be temporarily closed to boating, paddling, and other public uses starting tomorrow.
The river area around the cove will be temporarily closed through Sept. 5, 2022, to keep the public safe while crews and machinery collect water, sediment, and soil samples. The samples collected will help the Oregon Department of State Lands, the City of Portland, and the Port of Portland determine how to implement the Environmental Protection Agency’s approved cleanup plan for cove waters.
Part of the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Willamette Cove was used extensively for industrial activities, including milling lumber and ship repair, for more than a century. As a result, both the land along the river and the adjacent water need environmental cleanup.
The closed waters include 46 acres along the eastern bank of the Willamette River in Portland, from river mile 6.1 to 6.9 between North John Avenue and the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge. See a map of the closure area.
For more information about the temporary closure and the cleanup, visit the Willamette Cove website.
Source: Oregon Department of State Lands