Stephens Creek, a tributary of the
Willamette River, flows entirely within the city of
Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
in the U.S. state of
Oregon.
Beginning in the neighborhood of
Hillsdale, it runs generally east through residential and commercial neighborhoods as well as patches of forest and parkland to join the Willamette slightly north of the
Sellwood Bridge
The Sellwood Bridge is a deck arch bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The current bridge opened in 2016 and replaced a 1925 span that had carried the same name. The original bridge was Portland's first ...
.
Its course passes under
Interstate 5 and down the canyon followed by Southwest Taylors Ferry Road.
Stephens Creek enters the river at Willamette Moorage Park, which is part of a group of natural areas called the South Portland Riverbank.
The natural areas include
Butterfly Park and
Willamette Park
Willamette Park is a city park of about in south Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located at Southwest Macadam Avenue and Nebraska Street, the park includes a boat dock and ramp, paved and unpaved paths, picnic areas, restrooms, a dog off ...
as well as the moorage park and other public land parcels.
Stephens Creek Nature Park, a protected area at Southwest Bertha Boulevard and Chestnut Street, is near the creek's headwaters. It provides open space and a plant and animal refuge in an urban setting. Downstream, the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services and its partners completed work in 2008 to improve habitat for endangered fish species such as
Chinook salmon that frequent the creek near its mouth.
The Stephens Creek headwaters project was completed in 2007. Through an innovative pilot project called Green Streets, the headwaters basin of Stephens Creek was improved through the use of bioswales, which are specially engineered ditches on the side of the street, receive rain flowing off the asphalt. Rocks and native plants slow the water down. Water is directed to a wetland area acquired as part of the project. This allows rain to seep underground, cleans the water of contaminants, and moderates the water flows in the creek.
This was a joint project between the local neighborhood residences and the City of Portland.
See also
*
List of rivers of Oregon
References
External links
Stephens Creek Stewards
{{authority control
Geography of Portland, Oregon
Rivers of Oregon
Tributaries of the Willamette River
Rivers of Multnomah County, Oregon