With old pump removal and new pump installation complete, Tree for All partners continue to make progress toward the public opening of Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Gaston, OR. The public/private partnership will protect one of Oregon’s highest-value wetland resources, critical to the health of the Tualatin River Watershed and a place of high cultural significance to the region’s tribes.
The new pedestrian bridge will connect downtown Gaston to more than five miles of trails.
A regional asset public health, as well as environmental and economic health, Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge protects clean drinking water and will provide public access to nature via five miles of trails in addition to world-class birdwatching opportunities.
One of the key components of the Wapato Lake restoration project is the rehabilitation of aging pumping infrastructure. In June 2020, the lake’s primary pumping facility, originally installed in the 1930s, was removed.
Removal of the old pump station (summer 2020).
New pumps will manage water levels in the lakebed to support a mosaic of wetland habitats and protect municipal and agricultural water supplies. Last week, the first new pump was installed.
Installation of the new pump (autumn 2020).
Upgrades to critical infrastructure at the site were made possible by multiple partners including: the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Joint Water Commission, the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District and Intel Corporation.
Installation of the a new pump (autumn 2020).
