Gee Creek is a 4th order tributary to the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...

,"Geomorphology and Hydrology Assessment for Upper Gee Creek." Clark County. Clark County Department of Public Works, 3 June 2006. Web. 22 June 2010. . a.k.a. small creek, within

Clark County, Washington Clark County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 503,311, making it Washington's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Vancouver. It was the first co ...

named for William Gee, an early pioneer upon whose land the stream arose from.Jollata, Pat, "Naming Clark County". Vancouver Historical Society. Vancouver, Washington. 1993. p.21 The Upper Gee Creek watershed, with an drainage basin, is completely located within the Ridgefield quadrangle. The mainstem extends approximately , of which are located within the Upper Gee Creek basin. Originating in the hills along

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Califor ...

, through

Ridgefield, Washington Ridgefield is a city in northern Clark County, Washington. The population was 10,319 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 4,763 in 2010, making it the fastest growing city in the state of Washington. Located within the Portland metropolitan ...

and empties into a series of lakes on the Columbia River Floodplain."Gee Creek Watershed Restoration Project." WSU Clark County Extension. WSU, n.d. Web. 22 June 2010. .

Abrams Park Abrams Park is a public park in Ridgefield, Washington Ridgefield is a city in northern Clark County, Washington, Clark County, Washington (state), Washington. The population was 10,319 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

in Ridgefield is a local access point for Gee Creek and since 2003, has had a stream flow gauge installed to collect hydrological data. The lowest segment of Gee Creek meanders for through the

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge, one of the national wildlife refuges operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, located in the westernmost part of Clark County, Washington. The refuge protects more than o ...

. In the spring of 2006, the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

and WSU Clark County Extension initiated the Gee Creek Watershed Restoration project, a joint effort to provide new funding to support and expand watershed enhancement efforts in partnership with the Gee Creek Enhancement Committee, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, the Lower

Columbia River Estuary The Columbia River Estuary is situated on the Oregon–Washington border and the Pacific Coast of the United States. It was traditionally inhabited by the Chinook Native Americans and discovered by settlers in 1788. The Estuary plays host t ...

Partnership, the City of Ridgefield, area schools, and local residents. Federal, state, and county agencies provided advice and assistance. Currently, additional funding sources are being sought to sustain watershed restoration work in the years ahead. The Gee Creek project ended in December 2009. The upper portion of the watershed is currently rural-residential, but is bisected by I-5 and associated industrial development while the lower portion flows through the rapidly expanding City of Ridgefield. Recent data shows Gee Creek has poor stream health, most likely due to runoff from agricultural, developed, and residential areas. Over the past 160 years, the entire length of the creek has been subject to the combined effects of farming and urbanization. Accelerating growth will continue to change conditions in the watershed.

Name usage

The creek lends its name to the I-5N and I-5S Gee Creek Safety Rest Area in Clark County, the Gee Creek Exploration Trail in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge as well as the regionally popular Gee Creek Farm which operates just outside Ridgefield using organic and other environmentally efficient farming techniques.Pike, Liz "Gee Creek Farm Anchors Washougal Main Street Market This Season" URL: http://www.washougalmainstreetmarket.com/gee_creek_farm.pdf

References

{{authority control Rivers of Clark County, Washington Rivers of Washington (state) Washington State University United States Fish and Wildlife Service