Latest news & updates from the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
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It’s almost the end of 2025! If you haven’t made your year-end gift to the Estuary Partnership, make your gift now. With the unexpected loss of funding that supported 750 students and 200 volunteers, your gift today makes a real difference in ensuring our work has a strong start in 2026. Happiest of holidays to you and yours. Warmly, Erinne
We’ve been busy! See for yourself in our Year in Review
Our Year in Review report highlights the impactful work of the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and our partners along the Columbia River and its tributaries. In just a few pages (with great photos and maps), you can see the work we’ve done.
We hope you'll join us for a fun, family-friendly volunteer event to restore a local greenspace, improve water quality, and create habitat for birds and other wildlife.
During these events, you will have the opportunity to learn about native plants, including how to identify and install them for optimal growth.
These volunteer opportunities include a 10–20 minute walk on trails with uneven surfaces. Gloves and tools are provided. Long-sleeved shirts, pants, sturdy shoes, and other weather-appropriate clothing are strongly recommended.
In October, crews with Aquatic Contracting wrapped up the construction phase of the 9-acre, $1 million Campen Creek Reconnection Project at Washougal’s Mable Kerr Park.
In partnership with the City of Washougal, the restoration project reconnected the highly degraded and incised Campen Creek to its historic floodplain, expanded walking trails, added a longer pedestrian bridge, and removed hazard trees (repurposed as habitat structures).
There is still more to come for the restoration project—more than 20,000 native trees and shrubs will be installed in the newly restored floodplain. Nearly 50 volunteers pitched in to help with restoration during a community planting event on December 6, 2025, by installing potted plants near the new overlook trail and live-stake willows along a wetland. Professional crews will complete the remaining planting in early 2026.
Check out our Campen Creek Reconnection Project page to see before and after photos!
We love keeping our community in the loop about our events, our partnerships, and our projects. And from the numbers, that's what you love too! Here are our top 3 social media posts from 2025:
Our call for volunteers to assist with aquatic rescue and relocation on the East Fork Lewis River on Facebook.
2. A 30-second video compilation of salmon spotted in their newly restored home on the East Fork Lewis River on Facebook reels.
2 ways to support the Estuary Partnership in your daily life
Fred Meyer Community Rewards
Link your Fred Meyer Rewards card to the Estuary Partnership by searching for "Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership" or using the code EG199. Every time you shop, a portion of your total comes to support hands-on restoration and education.
BottleDrop
Supporters in Oregon can donate their BottleDrop credit to the Estuary Partnership! Just contact us to request the special blue bags designated for nonprofits. Once your bag is full of redeemable cans and bottles, drop it off at any BottleDrop Redemption Center, and the refund will automatically be donated to the Estuary Partnership, supporting efforts to restore and care for the lower Columbia River. You can also donate proceeds from your personal BottleDrop account to the Estuary Partnership here.
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership 400 NE 11th Avenue Portland, OR 97211
To restore and care for the waters and ecosystems of the lower Columbia River, for current and future generations of fish, wildlife, and people.
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