Willow Creek (Columbia River)
Encyclopedia
Willow Creek is a 79 miles (127 km) long tributary of the Columbia River
, located in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It drains 880 mi2 of Morrow
and Gilliam
counties. Arising in the Blue Mountains
, it flows generally northwest to its confluence with the Columbia River upstream of Arlington
.
are located near Arbuckle Mountain in the Blue Mountains, southeast of Heppner
. It flows north, then west, receiving the North Fork on the right and Skinners Fork on the left. Willow Creek Lake is formed by the 160 feet (49 m) tall Willow Creek Dam
just upstream of Heppner at river mile
(RM) 52.4, or river kilometer (RK) 84.3. Willow Creek flows northwest through Heppner, receiving Hinton Creek on the right. About ten miles (16 km) later, the creek travels through Lexington
. Soon after, Rhea Creek enters on the left, and Willow Creek passes through the communities of Ione
and Morgan
. Turning north, it crosses into Gilliam County, flowing beneath Highway 74
and Interstate 84
/Highway 30 just before its mouth. Willow Creek flows into the Columbia River approximately 253 miles (407 km) above its confluence with the Pacific Ocean.
region of Oregon. Ninety percent is privately owned, nine percent is owned by U.S. federal agencies such as the United States Forest Service
, Bureau of Land Management
, and United States Department of Defense
, and one percent is owned by the state of Oregon. About 60 percent of the watershed is either forested, rangeland
, or shrubland
, 39 percent is cropland
, and 1 percent is urban
. The highest elevation in the watershed is 5583 feet (1,702 m) near Willow Creek's headwaters, while the lowest is 269 feet (82 m) at its mouth. Temperatures range from below 0 °F (-18 °C) to over 110 °F (43 °C), while the average is about 50 °F (10 °C). The average precipitation
ranges from 8 inches (203 mm) in the lower regions to 34 inches (864 mm) in the mountains.
and Largemouth Bass
, Black Crappie, Brown Bullhead
, Bluegill
, and Pumpkinseed
live in Willow Creek Lake.
washed away one-third of the town's structures, killing 247 people in the "most deadly natural disaster in Oregon's recorded history." One hundred and fifty homes were destroyed in the city of Ione, 20 miles (32.2 km) downstream; residents were able to evacuate because of advanced telephone warnings. In 1983, the Willow Creek Dam was constructed just upstream of Heppner. The resulting Willow Creek Lake's primary use is flood control.
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It drains 880 mi2 of Morrow
Morrow County, Oregon
Morrow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon, on the south side of the Columbia River. It is included in the 8 county definition of Eastern Oregon. The county is named for one of its first white settlers, Jackson L. Morrow, who was a member of the state legislature when the county...
and Gilliam
Gilliam County, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,915 people, 819 households, and 543 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile . There were 1,043 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile...
counties. Arising in the Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains (Oregon)
The Blue Mountains are a mountain range in the western United States, located largely in northeastern Oregon and stretching into southeastern Washington...
, it flows generally northwest to its confluence with the Columbia River upstream of Arlington
Arlington, Oregon
Arlington is a city in Gilliam County, Oregon, United States. The account of how this city received its name varies: one tradition claims it was named after the lawyer Nathan Arlington Cornish; another tradition claims that the Southern inhabitants of this city had enough clout to rename the city...
.
Course
Willow Creek's headwatersSource (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
are located near Arbuckle Mountain in the Blue Mountains, southeast of Heppner
Heppner, Oregon
The city of Heppner is the county seat of Morrow County, Oregon, United States. It was originally called Standsbury Flat for George W. Standsbury, one of the first white settlers in the area. It was later renamed to honor Henry Heppner, a Jewish pioneer who opened the first general store there in...
. It flows north, then west, receiving the North Fork on the right and Skinners Fork on the left. Willow Creek Lake is formed by the 160 feet (49 m) tall Willow Creek Dam
Willow Creek Dam
Willow Creek Dam is a dam in Morrow County of the U.S. state of Oregon, located just east of Heppner's city limits. It is the first major dam constructed of roller-compacted concrete.The dam's drainage basin is...
just upstream of Heppner at river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
(RM) 52.4, or river kilometer (RK) 84.3. Willow Creek flows northwest through Heppner, receiving Hinton Creek on the right. About ten miles (16 km) later, the creek travels through Lexington
Lexington, Oregon
Lexington is a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States. The population was 263 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
. Soon after, Rhea Creek enters on the left, and Willow Creek passes through the communities of Ione
Ione, Oregon
Ione is a city in Morrow County, Oregon, United States. The population was 321 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Pendleton–Hermiston Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ione lies along Oregon Route 74, northwest of Heppner...
and Morgan
Morgan, Oregon
Morgan is an unincorporated community in Morrow County, Oregon, United States on Heppner Highway 74....
. Turning north, it crosses into Gilliam County, flowing beneath Highway 74
Oregon Route 74
Oregon Route 74 is an Oregon, U.S. state highway running from Interstate 84 in Gilliam County to U.S. Route 395 in Umatilla County. OR 74 is known as the Heppner Highway No. 52...
and Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in Oregon
In the U.S. state of Oregon, Interstate 84 travels east–west, following the Columbia River and the rough path of the old Oregon Trail from Portland east to Idaho. For this reason, it is also known as most of the Columbia River Highway No. 2 and all of the Old Oregon Trail Highway No. 6 . It...
/Highway 30 just before its mouth. Willow Creek flows into the Columbia River approximately 253 miles (407 km) above its confluence with the Pacific Ocean.
Discharge
| Location | Drainage basin | Years recorded | Average flow | Maximum flow | Minimum flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| above Willow Creek Lake (RM 54, RK 87) |
67.6 mi2 | 1983–2009 | 20 ft3/s | 554 ft3/s (February 1, 1997) |
0 ft3/s (Often) |
| Heppner (RM 52, RK 84) |
96.8 mi2 | 1952–2009 | 19.7 ft3/s | 36000 ft3/s (June 14, 1903) |
0 ft3/s (Often) |
| near Highway 74 Oregon Route 74 Oregon Route 74 is an Oregon, U.S. state highway running from Interstate 84 in Gilliam County to U.S. Route 395 in Umatilla County. OR 74 is known as the Heppner Highway No. 52... (RM 4, RK 6) |
850 mi2 | 1961–1979 | 31.3 ft3/s | 16900 ft3/s (January 14, 1974) |
0 ft3/s (Often) |
Watershed
Willow Creek drains 880 mi2 of the Columbia PlateauColumbia Plateau
The Columbia Plateau is a geologic and geographic region that lies across parts of the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. It is a wide flood basalt plateau between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, cut through by the Columbia River...
region of Oregon. Ninety percent is privately owned, nine percent is owned by U.S. federal agencies such as the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
, Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, and United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, and one percent is owned by the state of Oregon. About 60 percent of the watershed is either forested, rangeland
Rangeland
Rangelands are vast natural landscapes in the form of grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras...
, or shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, 39 percent is cropland
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
, and 1 percent is urban
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
. The highest elevation in the watershed is 5583 feet (1,702 m) near Willow Creek's headwaters, while the lowest is 269 feet (82 m) at its mouth. Temperatures range from below 0 °F (-18 °C) to over 110 °F (43 °C), while the average is about 50 °F (10 °C). The average precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
ranges from 8 inches (203 mm) in the lower regions to 34 inches (864 mm) in the mountains.
Fish
No anadromous fish are known to inhabit streams in the Willow Creek watershed. SmallSmallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
and Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, Black Crappie, Brown Bullhead
Brown bullhead
The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead...
, Bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, and Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
live in Willow Creek Lake.
History
Strong thunderstorms moved over the Heppner area on June 14, 1903, causing heavy rain and hail. Within fifteen minutes, a 40 feet (12.2 m) wall of water swept down Willow Creek. The flash floodFlash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
washed away one-third of the town's structures, killing 247 people in the "most deadly natural disaster in Oregon's recorded history." One hundred and fifty homes were destroyed in the city of Ione, 20 miles (32.2 km) downstream; residents were able to evacuate because of advanced telephone warnings. In 1983, the Willow Creek Dam was constructed just upstream of Heppner. The resulting Willow Creek Lake's primary use is flood control.