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3. Eugene - Willow Creek <br /> Introduction <br /> Willow Creek is located in southwest Eugene and lies within the West Eugene Wetlands Plan <br /> boundary. Willow Creek is a tributary of Amazon Creek and is an important wildlife corridor that <br /> links the two basins. The southern branches of Willow Creek are relatively undisturbed, surrounded <br /> by ash forest and wet prairie grassland. This area is under the management of The Nature Conser- <br /> vancy. The proposed project area is located downstream of the natural area where the two branches <br /> of Willow Creek join and flow into Amazon Creek. The project site has been greatly altered over <br /> the last 40 years due to the construction of a log pond and the diversion of the creek. This project <br /> proposes to restore the Creek to its original alignment, create open water wetland habitat, enhance <br /> existing habitat values, and provide recreational and educational opportunities. <br /> Site History i <br /> The project site was originally open wet 5� <br /> prairie with trees along the immediate N <br /> channel. The two branches of Willow '� 1 i m .v <br /> 9 c <br /> Creek flowed together toward their o <br /> c in the center of the site. A <br /> PROdavr <br /> 4 <br /> log pond was constructed in several <br /> phases between 1952 and 1974. -. i ... The log pond was then filled , o ` ���� 1 t ks a 4 <br /> between 1977 and 1979 and at .....----/-' .....----/-' d w z1 N ,y ~° <br /> that time the creek was relocated Ne „v <br /> to its present straightened trap- �' c <br /> iii <br /> ezoidal configuration. P3 <br /> Existing Conditions <br /> The area of restoration focus is the So H,l.►-••A 4,0a1►w4. <br /> former log pond site. It is consid- UP , <br /> A. <br /> ered a disturbed wetland area and is <br /> surrounded by wet prairie with rare ' � aa�11% <br /> plants. It is possible to detect the origi- <br /> nal stream alignment through the site on _ <br /> 4. DS <br /> air photos because the vegetation (and 1*`� <br /> perhaps the topography) is different ,ter 11. , <br /> from the adjacext condition. Also, ,, 1114% <br /> because of the ast disturbance, WILL D W CREF K N .0 o <br /> there are some very serious weed DRAT NAB AREA <br /> problems on the site. In particular, o ` m `s <br /> there are infestations of two species <br /> of canary grass, Phalaris <br /> arundinacea and P. aquatica. <br /> 16 <br />