Punchbowl Falls Funding Secured (OR)
Posted: 07/01/2015
By: Thomas O'Keefe
A vision more than a century in the making is about to become reality with last week’s
decision by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission to approve the grant for the acquisition
of Punchbowl Falls and the property at the confluence of the West and East Forks of the Hood
River.
Punchbowl Falls was identified as top acquisition priority for American Whitewater in the Western
United States. While the site has been used by the boating community and the general public for
decades, it is in fact private land. A few years ago Western Rivers Conservancy purchased 102
acres surrounding the falls, including 2 miles of river, to protect it from development. Based in
Portland, OR, Western Rivers Conservancy protects outstanding river ecosystems in the western
United States by acquiring private lands and transferring them to long-term stewards for
permanent conservation and management.
Western Rivers Conservancy was holding the land with the goal of making it a public Park, and
while they did a substantial amount of fundraising for the effort, additional grant funding was
needed to achieve the goal. We wish to express our appreciation to the Hood River Residents
Committee who convened a public process to develop a future vision for the property. Whitewater
paddlers joined the workshops, filled out the survey, and participated in site tours. The result
was the Punchbowl Falls County Park Management Plan which is instrumental in building strong
county support for the project and the ultimately successful grant request.
While many local members took part in the effort and dozens of individuals donated funds, we wish
to thank Zach Collier, Matt Moreland, John Hart, and Ralph Bloemers who all provided leadership
and assistance as representatives of the whitewater paddling community on this project. We also
wish to extend a special thanks to member Ron Reynier who served on the Advisory Committee for
the planning process.
The property should be transferred to the county by the end of the year. We'll be back in
touch with updates on park development including requests for trail building volunteers.
Thomas O'Keefe
3537 NE 87th St.
Seattle, WA 98115
E-mail: okeefe@americanwhitewater.org
Phone: 425-417-9012
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