THE TROUT LINE

January 2, 2023

Welcome to The Trout Line Newsletter! This is our Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited Chapter newsletter that will be coming out twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.

 TVTU January Chapter Meeting 

Notice of Annual Members Meeting

The TVTU Annual Members Meeting will be held live and via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, before the speaker’s presentation. The live meeting will be at the Old Market Pub, 6959 SW Multnomah Boulevard in Portland. The meeting should take about ten to fifteen minutes; the agenda is as follows:

• The President will report on the Chapter’s activities during the past year and any upcoming activities
• The Treasurer will present the Treasurer’s Report
• The members will elect Directors. The candidates are Jon Pampush, Ron Reinebach and Dave Cook.

After the Annual Meeting Report:

Speaker: Scott McEwen from Tualatin River Watershed Council is coming to present on Balm Grove Dam removal. 

The Balm Grove Dam Removal
 
In September of this year, Clean Water Services, and its partner the Tualatin River Watershed Council (TRWC) removed an old dam outside of Forest Grove that has blocked fish passage to 87 miles of habitat for several kinds of fish since at least the 1930s.
 
The dam, commonly known as the Balm Grove dam, sits in Gales Creek, a tributary of the Tualatin River. Removing the dam is expected to open over 87 miles of historic, “in-stream” habitat for coastal cutthroat trout, 28 miles for winter steelhead, and several miles for coho salmon, Pacific lamprey, mountain whitefish, and mountain and largescale sucker fish. The winter run of steelhead in the creek is protected by the federal Endangered Species Act. 
 
Gales Creek hosts one of the Tualatin Valley’s most important areas for winter steelhead. By removing this dam, we were able to open up miles and miles of historic habitat. This project has been a high priority for our watershed council for a very long time.
 
The dam at Balm Grove was built in the early 20th  Century to create a recreational area for residents including a popular swimming hole, tavern, and dance hall. The area has not been used in several decades and the facilities are in disrepair, yet the dam remains, blocking fish passage and creating a safety hazard. Clean Water Services and the Tualatin Watershed Council completed a robust plan to ensure the dam was removed safely and fish and wildlife habitat is restored with native plants and natural stream flow.
 
About Tualatin Watershed Council
The Tualatin Watershed Council was formed by residents of the watershed in 1993. The Council is composed of 23 stakeholder representatives who collectively work to promote sustainability and watershed-wise practices by connecting volunteers, residents, and local organizations with resources to restore and protect the watershed.

Zoom Link: 

Topic: TVTU January Chapter Meeting
Time: Jan 11, 2023 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85411802381?pwd=MEdmcTZ4akpFU1NPa09pa1AyZlg4Zz09

Meeting ID: 854 1180 2381
Passcode: 795209
One tap mobile
+17207072699,,85411802381#,,,,*795209# US (Denver)
+12532158782,,85411802381#,,,,*795209# US (Tacoma)  

Meetings Location and Dates

Regular chapter meetings are held at the Old Market Pub 6959 SW Multnomah Blvd., Portland, OR 97223.  Food and beverage available.  Social get together starts at 6:30pm and speaker starts at 7:00pm unless otherwise noted in the newsletter or website.

January Meeting - Jan 11
February Meeting - Feb 8
 

More Information:

TVTU Website: https://tualatinvalley.tu.org/

TVTU Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tualatinvalleyTU/

C4C Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/christmasforcoho/