The Willamette River in Oregon City

 Oregon City was the Territorial Capital and the End of The Oregon Trail, once upon a time.  It’s the County Seat for Clackamas County now, and it’s about seven miles down the Willamette River from where I live.  The Willamette is swollen with rain and snow melt – the freezing level has been very high, so moisture falls in the mountains as rain too.  They say that the Willamette River, in sections, is as high now as it was in 1996, when flooding on a wide scale last occurred.  My friend called from Japan tonight; they’ve heard of it on the news there too.

Under the I-205 Bridge Monday, the river looked like this:

(psssst – those black lumps on the dock to the left of the bridge are seals; Salmon swim up the Willamette to spawn)

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Looking south towards the Interstate bridge and the West Linn Bridge beyond.

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Looking north up the river towards Portland.

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Smoke from the paper mill:

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Foam on the river….

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Tuesday was a day of heavy rain; Wednesday is more of the same.  Friday, in fact, is the only day in the seven-day forecast that promises partial clearing and periods of dry air between the rainfalls.

Better rain than snow down here, I say.  Just not too much, please.

 

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