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A No Wake Follow-Up

By: DAVID MILLER | Wednesday: April 1st 2009

One of the more interesting disagreements that popped up in today's Willamette River Field Guide show centered on the proposed "no wake zone" near Ross Island. (You can find a recent Oregonian article about the issue here.)

First came a comment/question from uncommonsense, which I read on the air:

Do you still support banning motorized boats from the holgate channel and in ross island lagoon?  I think it's pretty short sighted, Paddlers only seem to come out in nice weather, and the area would be un-utilized a lion share of the time.

Then BrianW weighed in:

Wildlife uses the island at all times.  Erosion from wakes is a problem addressed by the no-wake zone.

Uncommonsense responded:

Bank erosion from wakes? I am not a scientist, but I have fished off of the banks of the willamette for years, tide changes cause more erosion than the wake from the biggest boat I have ever seen...

Wind, tide changes, and siesmic activity cause waves and wakes, I would think the effects of a Ranger Bass boat would be minimal if not immeasurable compared to a 6 foot tide change.

I figured I'd send this to our guest Travis Williams to get his response. Here it is, via email:

Erosion actually is a concern. Certainly the tide impacts the river, just as high flows do upstream, but the constant wave action created by LARGE wakes during the low flow periods along the river represents a human created phenomenon that can definitely erode in certain areas. The issue is more critical at Ross Island, especially in the Lagoon and near Oaks Bottom because of the massive amount of restoration work that is occurring there. One can choose to ignore those facts, but that is the case.

I have a feeling that won't be the last word. And who knows? Maybe we could turn to this — and, say, Waldo Lake — for an hour about festering paddle vs. motor tensions. Would you tune in for it?

What Uncommonsense says above about paddlers only coming out in the summer is not true.  I am the President of a Dragonboat organization here in Portland and out boats are rented out by many teams throughout the year including the winter months.  

paddlerbren —

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