Mid WillametteValley:CommunitySystemsBackgroundDocument Marion,Polk,Yamhill,Linn,andBentoncounties PreparedbytheClimateLeadershipInitiative April2010 OVERVIEW SurroundingtheWillametteRiverandborderedbytheCoastRangeandCascades,theMid WillametteValleycontainsfertilesedimentarysoilandistheagriculturalcenterofthe state.themid WillametteValleycountiesofMarion,Polk,Yamhill,Linn,andBentonare someofthetopgreenhouseandnurseryproducingcountiesinoregon.theareaisalso renownedforitswineproduction,particularlypinotvarietals,whichhasdevelopedintoa vitaltouristeconomy.thefivemostpopulouscitiesintheregionarethestatecapitalcity ofsalem(population153,435),corvallis(51,110),albany(48,081),keizer(35,864),and McMinnville(31,185).Theregionisgrowingdemographically,particularlywithinthe Hispanicpopulation.Hispanicresidentsrepresentapproximately5%ofthepopulationof LinnandBentoncounties,10%inPolkandYamhillcounties,and17%oftheMarion Countypopulation. i MarionCounty WiththeWillametteRiverformingthewesternborderandtheCascadeRangetotheeast, MarionCountycovers1,200milesandhasapopulationof306,665.MarionCounty includesthestatecapital,salem,andishometoanumberoflargestateagencies. ii Marion CountyisthefifthmostpopulouscountyinOregonandthepopulationisexpectedto increaseto350,000by2015and450,000by2040.however,thispopulationgrowthis occurringprimarilyinurbanareas,withsomeruralcommunitiesseeingadecreasein residents. iii MarionCountyisOregon slargestproducerofagriculturalincome. PolkCounty PositionedwestofI 5andeastoftheCoastRange,35%ofPolkCountyisfarmland,more than40%isprivatetimberlandand10%isbureauoflandmanagementorforestservice land. iv PolkCountyissecondonlytoYamhillCountyintheproductionofwinegrapesin Oregon.Thecounty sotherindustriesincludeagriculture,forestproducts,manufacturing, government,andeducation.polkcountyishometowesternoregonuniversityin Monmouth. v Ofthecounty s77,074residents,76%liveinurbanareasand24%residein ruralpartsofthecounty. 1
YamhillCounty TheheartofOregon swinecountrywithmorethaneightywineriesand200vineyards, YamhillCountyhasthestate shighestconcentrationofwinegrowersandproducers. YamhillCountyisseventhinthestateinannualmarketvalueofagriculturalproduction fromwheat,barley,horticultureanddairyfarming.loggingandtimberarealsosignificant activitiesinthewesternpartofyamhillcounty.approximatelyone fifthofthecounty s 98,168residentscommutetothePortlandmetropolitanareaforwork. vi Yamhill scounty seatismcminneville,locatedalongtheyamhillriver. LinnCounty InthecenteroftheWillametteValley,LinnCountyisrichwithabundantfarmland,lakes, rivers,andforest.favorableclimateandsoilconditionsprovideadiversifiedagricultural area.linncountywasestablishedin1847andcoversanareaof2,297squaremiles.witha populationofover115,000people(63%urban,37%rural),thecountyisahometomajor producersofrareandprimarymetals,processedfood,manufacturedhomesandmotor homes,aswellasthetraditionalloggingandwoodproducts. vii BentonCounty BentonCountyishometomorethan80,000people(81%urban,19%rural).Itislocatedin thewesternregionofthemid WillametteValley,anhourinlandofthePacificOceanand twohourswestofthecascademountains.alongwithlinncounty,bentoncountyenjoysa distinctivecombinationofsoilandclimate,whichhassupporteddevelopmentofspecialty cropproductionthatincludeschristmastrees,grassandlegumeseeds,dairysheep, plywood,lumberandwinegrapes.thecountyisalsoahosttoanumberofnatural attractionssuchasmary speakandalseafalls. viii HUMANSYSTEMS Education ThefivecountyregionishometoOregonStateUniversity,whichranksamongthe country stopresearchuniversitiesandisafederallydesignatedland,sea,sun and Space Grantuniversity.OSUhasmorethan20,000studentsandisthelargestemployerin BentonCounty.OthercollegesanduniversitiesintheMidWillametteregioninclude WillametteUniversity,CorbanCollege,WesternOregonUniversity,GeorgeFoxUniversity, LinfieldCollege,ChemeketaCommunityCollege,andLinn BentonCommunityCollege. AcrossthefivecountiesofMarion,Polk,Yamhill,Linn,andBenton,85%ofpeople25years ofageorolderhaveahighschooldegreeorhigherand25%haveabachelor sdegreeor higher. ix 2
EmergencyManagement EmergencypreparednessisasignificantissueintheMid WillametteValleysinceitis vulnerabletosuchhazardsasflooding,earthquakes,landslides,wildfires,drought,high winds,winterstormsandvolcanicactivity.infrastructurehazardsarealsoaconcern,such asdamfailure,vehicularaccidents,andhazardousmaterialsspills. x EachofthefivecountiesintheMid WillametteValleyincludesanemergencymanagement programthatpartnerswithpublichealthdepartments,sheriff soffices,stateagencieslike OregonEmergencyManagement(OEM),andfederalagenciessuchastheFederal EmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA)andtheCentersforDiseaseControland Prevention(CDC).TheMid WillametteValley semergencymanagementprogramsworkto mitigateandrespondtonaturalandhuman causedhazardsbydevelopingplansthat complementotheremergencyresponseagenciesintheregionandbyinformingthepublic abouteffectivedisasterpreparation,response,andrecovery.in2003,countiesinthe regioncontractedwiththemid WillametteValleyCouncilofGovernmentsandtheOregon NaturalHazardsWorkshoptodevelopaNaturalHazardsMitigationPlantoidentifyways toreducevulnerabilitytodisastersintheregion. PublicHealth Publichealthservicesintheregionprovidepreventativetreatment,childhood immunizations,familyplanningservices,mentalhealthservices,andfoodsafety.public healthdepartmentsalsoworktocontrolthespreadofdiseases,whichinvolveseducating residentsthroughhealthalerts. xi Mid WillamettePublicHealthDepartmentsalsoalert residentstopublichealthcrisessuchasthewestnilevirusepidemicortherecent Salmonellaoutbreakthatwaslinkedtocontaminatedpeanutproducts.TheH1N1influenza outbreakiscurrentlyaprimaryfocusforhealthdepartments. BUILTSYSTEMS Utilities TheprimaryelectricityprovidersintheMid WillametteValleyarePortlandGeneral Electric,PacificPowerandLightCo,SalemElectric,ConsumersPowerInc.,Energy AssistanceProgram,ColumbiaRiverPeoplesUtilityDistrict,andTillamookPeoplesUtility District. xii Theregion suseofhydroelectricpower(48.6%ofthefuelmix)issignificantly greaterthanthenationalaverage(6.5%).gasisthesecondhighestenergysource(10.8%), followedbycoal(34.4%),nuclear(3.3%),andnon hydrorenewables(2.3%). xiii Themost commonheatingfuelsinthemid WillametteValleyareutilitygas,electricityandwood. xiv MarionCounty:Utilitygas(49.8%),Electricity(37.0%),Fueloil,kerosene(6.5%) PolkCounty:Electricity(43.2%),Utilitygas(38.0%),Wood(9.9%) YamhillCounty:Electricity(61.6%),Utilitygas(20.4%),Wood(9.5%) LinnCounty:Utilitygas(41.1%),Electricity(39.1%),Wood(12.3%) BentonCounty:Utilitygas(53.4%),Electricity(32.9%),Wood(8.4%) NorthwestNaturalprovidesnaturalgasforheating,hotwater,andstoves.Citiesandwater associationsintheregionmanagewaterandsewersystemsforresidents.additionally, Comcast,Qwest,andVerizonaremajortelecommunicationcompaniesintheareathat providetelephone,television,andinternetservices. 3
Transportation Whilelargesectionsoftheregionconsistofagriculturalandforestland,theyarewell connectedtotherestofthenorthwestduetotheirproximitytointerstate5andhighway 99.Additionally,Route22crossestheWillametteRiverviatheMarionandCenterStreet bridges.otherbridgesintheregionincludethesheridanbridgethatcrossesthesouth YamhillRiverandhistoriccoveredbridgesinLinnandBentonCounty(HarrisBridge, HaydenBridge,HoffmanBridge,andWeddleBridge). AmtrakrunsthroughAlbanyandSalem,connectingthecitiestoEugene,Portland,Klamath Falls,Sacramento,SanFranciscoandLosAngeles.Regularin citybuslinesarealso availableinmajorcitiessuchassalem,corvallis,andalbany.inaddition,eachofthefive countiesintheregionhasamunicipalairport,includingthesalemmunicipalairport (McNaryField),IndependenceStateAirport,McMinnvilleMunicipalAirport,Albany MunicipalAirport,andCorvallisMunicipalAirport. MarionCounty scitiesaregrowingandfacingsubsequenttransportationconcerns,suchas trafficcongestionandfreewayaccesstohighway99and22.citieshaveproposedmajor transportationprojectsincludingbypassroutesoralternativeroutes.thereisalsointerest inmanycommunitiestoincreasetheconnectivityofpedestrianandbicyclepaths (specificallybetweenalbanyandcorvallis). xv ECONOMICSYSTEMS Employers Agriculture,foodprocessing,lumber,manufacturing,education,government,andtourism aresignificantcomponentsoftheregion seconomy.themostcommonindustriesformen intheregionare:construction,naturalresources(agriculture,forestry,fishingand hunting),andprofessional,scientific,andtechnicalservice.ontheotherhand,healthcare, educationalservices,andaccommodationandfoodservicesarethepredominantindustries forwomen. xvi Themedianhouseholdincomeforthefive countyareaofmarion,polk, Yamhill,Linn,andBentonisapproximately$51,000,whichisslightlyabovethestate averageof$50,169. xvii Agriculture TheMid WillametteValleyishometosomeofOregon smostproductiveagriculturalareas. Together,Marion,Polk,Yamhill,Linn,andBentoncountieshavemorethan9,000farms. xviii Greenhouseandnurserycommoditiesandcaneberries(i.e.raspberriesandblackberries) areleadingcommoditiesofmarionandyamhillcounties.theregion smajoragricultural commoditiesareasfollows: MarionCountyleadsthestateinthesaleofagriculturalproducts,particularly agriculturalincomefromnurseryproducts,hogsandpigs,aswellasminkandtheir pelts. PolkCountyspecializesinseedcrops,hay,milkandotherdiaryproductsfromcows. YamhillCountyisthenumberonecountyinOregoninbroilersandothermeat type chicken,aswellashazelnuts.thecountyalsospecializesinnurseryandgreenhouse products,fruit,treenutsandberries. 4
LinnCountyleadsthestateinthesaleofsheep,goats,andtheirproducts,aswellas grassseedcrops,contributingtotheregion sdistinctionas grassseedcapitalofthe world. BentonCountyspecializesinthesaleofvegetables,melons,potatoes,andsweet potatoes. Additionally,vinicultureisaprominentandgrowingindustryintheregion,particularlyfor cool climatevarietieslikepinotnoir,pinotgris,chardonnay,gewürztraminer,and Riesling.YamhillandPolkarethetoptwomostproductivewinegrapegrowingcountiesin Oregonandlocalwinemakersconsistentlywininternationalhonors. xix Tourism TheMid WillametteValley sabundanceofforests,lakes,rivers,andwaterfallsaswellas moderateyear roundtemperaturesmakeitanexcellentplaceforoutdoorsrecreation. Popularrecreationalactivitiesincludekayaking,camping,hiking,mountainbiking, climbing,fly fishing,andrafting.themid Willamettevalleyalsohasavibrantagri tourism industrywheretouristsaredrawntoroadsidefarmstands,bedandbreakfasts,andlocallyownedfinediningestablishmentsintownslikedundeeandmcminnville. xx YamhillCounty seesanestimated1.5millionvisitoreachyearatlocalwineries. xxi Localfairsandfestivals (likethefrenchprairiegardenharvestfestivalandtheinternationalpinotnoir Celebration)andhotairballoonridesoverfarmlandandwinecountryarefavorite activitiesamongvisitors.silverton soregongardenisanotherpopulardestinationwith morethantwentyspecialtygardensspreadover80acresandoregon sonlyfranklloyd Wright designedhome. Timber The1930sand 40swerethetimeofthetimber harvestingboomintheregion.duringthat periodalbanybecameaprominentlumber processingcityandisthesiteofanannual timbercarnival.thewillametteriverservedasanimportantcorridorfortheindustryto transportlumber.followingworldwarii,militarycontractsledtothecontinuationofa thrivingtimberindustry. xxii LoggingandforestproductsarestillapartoftheMid WillametteValley seconomy,particularlyinthewesternpartofthevalley. Manufacturing Non seasonalindustriesinthemid WillametteValleyincludeaircraftservicing,electronics manufacturing,newsprintandsteelrollingmills,anddentalinstrumentmanufacturing. xxiii ManufacturingisaneconomicmainstayofLinnCounty,withapproximately18%ofthe county snon farmemploymentinthemanufacturingsector(almosttwicethestateand regionalaverage).theeconomicdownturn,however,hashadanegativeaffectonthe manufacturingindustryandhasresultedinsignificantemploymentlossesfortheregion. From2008to2009,manufacturingsectorjobsintheMid WillametteValleydeclinedby 14%inLinnCountyand20%inBenton,Marion,andPolkcounties. xxiv CULTURALSYSTEMS NativeAmericans TheresidentsoftheregionweretheKalapuyapeople.TheMid WillametteValleywasthe homeofseveralcentralkalapuyagroups,whichincludetheyamhelaswholivedalongthe YamhillRiver,theSantiamwholivedalongthelowerSantiamRivernearwhatisnow 5
Lebanon,theTsankupiwholivedalongtheCalapooiaRiver,andtheChepenefawholived alongmary srivernearpresent daycorvallis. xxv TheKalapuyaharvestedcamasroot, huntedelk,andfishedsalmonfromtheregion sstreams.contactwitheuro Americansled toasmallpoxepidemicandmalaria,whichcausedthedeathof90%ofthekalapuya populationby1833. xxvi AtreatybetweentheTribesandtheU.S.governmentin1855ceded muchofthewillamettevalleytotheunitedstatesandthekalapuyapeoplewereremoved fromtheirtraditionalhomelandandrelocatedtothegrandrondeindianreservationin YamhillandPolkcounties. xxvii DescendentsoftheKalapuyatribesarenowpartofthe ConfederatedTribesoftheGrandRondeCommunityofOregon. ParksandHistoricLandmarks TheMid WillametteValleyishometonumerousparksandhistoriclandmarksthathave beenpreservedfortheenjoymentandeducationofresidentsandvisitors.notable examplesincludethefollowing: TheWillametteNationalForeststretchesintoLinnandMarioncountiesand containsmountjefferson. TheSiuslawNationalForestextendsintoBenton,Yamhill,andPolkcountiesand includesmary speak,thehighestpeakinthecoastrange. xxviii SilverFallsStateParkisatemperaterainforestinthelowerelevationsofthe Cascadeswithtenwaterfalls. xxix DetroitLakeStateParkwascreatedbytheDetroitDamproject.Thelakehas32 milesofshorelineandis400feetdeep.itisapopulardestinationforfishing, boating,andcamping. xxx ErraticRockStateNaturalSiteprovidesaccesstoa40 tonrockthatwascarriedto theareaduringaprehistoricfloodduringthelasticeageandisthelargestglacial erraticrockinthewillamettevalley. xxxi TheMissionMillMuseuminSalemproducedwoolproductsfrom1889to1962and thesitecontainstheoldestpresbyterianchurchinthepacificnorthwestand historicoregontrailsettler shomes.ithasbeendesignatedanamericantreasure bythenationalparkservice. xxxii McDowellCreekFallsCountyParkincludeshikingtrailsandviewsofRoyalTerrace andmajesticfalls. xxxiii HISTORICALEXTREMEWEATHEREVENTS SevereWeatherEventsoftheMid WillametteValley Thefollowingaremajorwinterstormevents,periodsofdrought,historicfires,and floodinginthemid WillametteValley: xxxiv SevereStormEvents 1937:heavysnowfalloccurredintheWillametteValley 1892:substantialstormwithsnowtotalsfrom15to30inches 1909:six daysnowstorm 1919:snowstormoverawidespreadareainOregon 1924:freezingtemperaturesformedhazardousiceintheWillametteRiver 1937:snowfallthatcausedstructuresinMarionCountytocollapse 6
1950:snowstormaccompaniedbysleet,freezingrainandhighwinds 1957:coldsnapaccompaniedbysnowandhighwindsthatfrozewaterpipes 1960:snowstormthatcausedfatalitiesandstorm relatedinjuries 1962:HistoricColumbusDaystormcausedextensivestructuralwinddamageand treefall 1978:freezingraincausingtrafficfatalitiesandaccidents 1989:zero degreetemperaturesthatsignificantlydamagedthecranberrycrop 1993:snowstormresultinginlostpowerandstorm relatedhospitalizations 1996:severeicestormcausingtrafficaccidentsandpoweroutages 2004:icestormthatcancelledflightsanddownedhistoricoaktrees PeriodsofDrought 1976 1981:periodofdroughtintheregionthatresultedinlowstreamflows 2005:thedriestFebruarysincethe1977droughtwithlowstreamflows HistoricFires 1848:NestuccaFireinYamhillCountythatburned290,000acres 1849:SiletzFireinPolkCountythatburned800,000acres 1865:SilvertonFireinMarionCountythatburned988,000acres 1939:SaddleMountainFireinYamhillCountythatburned190,000acres 1951:NorthFork/ElkhorninYamhillCountythatburned33,000acres 2003:B&BComplexFireinLinnandMarioncountiesthatburned80,000acres Flooding 1964:floodthatresultedinfatalitiesandseveredamagetoinfrastructure 1974:floodcausedbysnowmeltthatcausesfatalities,injuries,andsewageoverflow 1996:snowmeltandprolongedprecipitationthatresultedinwidespreaddamage 1997:heavyrainsthatcausedtheWillametteRivertocrestafootabovefloodlevel POTENTIALIMPACTSOFCLIMATECHANGE Climatechangeislikelytoimpactecosystems,individuals,business,andcommunitiesin theregion.theareaisvulnerabletohighwinds,drought,wildfires,andflooding.someof theexpectedimpactsincludereductionsinstreamflowsandsalmonpopulations,reduced rangelandproductivity,cropreductionduetowaterstressandhighertemperatures,fish andwildlifediseasesandinvasivespecies,andstormdamage.winterrecreationand tourismeconomiesarealsolikelytobenegativelyaffected,however,warmerweather recreationmaybeexpanded. xxxv Extremetemperatures(suchasheatwaves),increasedgroundozonelevels,andsevere weathereventsalsoposeapublichealththreattoresidents.keythreatsincludeheat stroke,respiratoryandcardiovasculardiseasesfromdeterioratedairquality,mentalhealth problemsfollowingfloodingandwindstormevents,andvector bornedisease outbreaks. xxxvi Sealevelrisemayalsohaveimplicationsonthenaturalsystemsand communitiesofthemid WillametteValley,eveniftheregion selevationwillprotectitfrom directeffects;however,littleresearchhasbeengiventothispotentialimpact.communities acrossthemid WillametteValleymayalsoexperienceaninfluxof climaterefugees (i.e. 7
peoplemovingfromotherregionsofthecountryandworldthatarelikelytobemore severelyimpactedbyclimatechange). Formoreinformationonspecificprojectionsandlikelyimpacts,pleaseseethe Mid WillametteClimateModelingProjections"document,availableat http://climlead.uoregon.edu/node/157(password:climate). icitydata.www.city data.com ii MarionCounty.www.co.marion.or.us iii MarionCountyStrategicPriorities.www.co.marion.or.us/NR/rdonlyres/54420DED 5AB8 40FD B4A8 341D9CF73B9A/1887/MissionValuesandIssues.pdf iv PolkCountyEconomicActionPrograms.www.fs.fed.us/r6/coop/programs/rca/stories/or_polk.pdf v OregonStateArchives:PolkCounty.http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cppolkhome.html vi OregonStateArchives:YamhillCounty.http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpyamhillhome.html vii OregonBlueBook.http://bluebook.state.or.us/local/counties/counties.htm viii BentonCounty.www.co.benton.or.us/community.php#countyinfo ix CityData x MarionCountyStrategicPriorities. xi MarionCountyPublicHealthServices.www.co.marion.or.us/HLT/PH/ xii OurTown Mid WillametteValley.www.mvourtown.com/midvalley/community services/utilities/ xiii EPAPowerProfiler.www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy and you/how clean.html xiv CityData xv MarionCountyStrategicPriorities xvi CityData xvii QuickFactsfromtheUSCensusBureau.http://quickfacts.census.gov xviii TheCensusofAgriculture.www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Online_Highlights/County_Profiles/index.asp xix OregonWine.www.oregonwine.org/Explore_Wine_Regions/Willamette_Valley/Willamette_Valley/ xx WillametteValleyWineriesAssociationhttp://www.willamettewines.com/ xxi YamhillCountyAgri BusinessEconomicandCommunityDevelopmentPlan. www.co.yamhill.or.us/commissioners/documents/summary_report_ _Yamhill_County_Agri Business.pdf xxii TheOregonEncyclopedia Albany.www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/albany/ xxiii ClimateofYamhillCounty.www.ocs.orst.edu/county_climate/Yamhill_files/Yamhill.html xxiv WorksourceQualityInfo.www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/ArticleReader?itemid=00006613 xxv OregonBlueBook. xxvi Wikipedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapuya xxvii TheConfederatedTribesoftheGrandRonde,http://www.grandronde.org/culture/# xxviii SuislawNationalForest.www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/ xxix OregonParksandRecreationDepartment.www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php xxx OregonParksandRecreationDepartment xxxi OregonParksandRecreationDepartment xxxii MissionMillMuseum.www.missionmill.org xxxiii LinnCountyParksandRecreation.www.co.linn.or.us/parks/parks/mcdowell.html xxxiv MarionCountyNaturalHazardsMitigationPlan. http://www.co.marion.or.us/pw/emergencymanagement/hazard+mitigation+plan.htm xxxv AnOverviewofPotentialEconomicCoststoOregonofaBusiness As UsualApproachto ClimateChange :AReportfromTheProgramonClimateEconomics,ClimateLeadershipInitiative,InstituteforaSustainable Environment,UniversityofOregon.February2009 xxxvi St.Louis,M.E.,andJ.J.Hess.2008. ClimateChangeImpactsonandImplicationsforGlobalHealth. AmericanJournalof PreventativeMedicine.35(5):527 538. 8