Late last week the bottom flooded in places for the first time this season. At
over 123 feet above mean sea level (MSL) the Tualatin River overflows north
into the Preserve along the channel that lies between the Kingfisher marsh
shelter and Pintail pond. If you walk the Kingfisher marsh trail loop you
cross over this channel on the little red footbridge. Kingfisher marsh
lowlands and the south end of Wapato marsh begin to flood at this level.
With last weeks rain the water level reached 129 feet above MSL on Friday,
leveled off, and is back down to 124 today and falling.
You can check the water levels by going to this USGS link:
http://or.water.usgs.gov/tualatin/monitors/hwy219_all_7.html
Go to the second graph (Stage) and add 112 feet to get the elevation of the
river above MSL.
For reference:
Most of the bottom floods at 128-130 feet.
Last year we reached levels of ~ 135-140 feet four times over the winter.
The 1996 flood reached 148.5 feet.
Thursday and Friday observations from last week:
Pintail pond is slowly filling with rainfall and is about 1/3 submerged right
now and has been attracting large numbers of Cackling Geese at times (~2000)
and attention from up to four different bald eagles.
A red-shouldered hawk was calling from the trees just south of the education
building on Friday and a red-tailed hawk that is afflicted with long-billed
syndrome was seen on Preserve for the first time (same bird that has been seen
frequently along highway 219 south of the river since May).
Nine Tundra Swans flew towards the NW corner of the Preserve and the wetlands
west of highway 219.
Steve Engel, Nature Program Supervisor
Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve | Parks and Recreation Department
phone 503-681-6283 |fax 503-681-6277
web www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/ParksRec |Twitter @hillsboroparks |Facebook
A CAPRA Nationally Accredited Park and Recreation Agency
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