Summary of the Portland Waterway Recreation Listening Sessions

1. Summary of the Portland Waterway Recreation Listening Sessions Held in the Multnomah Building, Portland June 3 and June 5, 2019 Josh Mulhollem Policy and Environmental Program Manager Oregon State Marine Board

5. *of 150 respondents

11. Have you experienced conflict with mixed uses on the water? Please provide examples and describe your observations. Conflicts between user groups Generally from rowers and kayakers who feel they have special rights to waterways and that others are not allowed or should have restricted usages. In this area there are all recreational uses. Fishing, Sailing, all padddle sports including crew, jet boat tours, wake boarding and surfing, tubing, swimming, concerts and water based events. An enforcable no wake zone would improve the county's ability to provide a safe boating experience and protect the public and private facilities and the environment Power Boaters pay and pay to have a boat on the water. Floaters complain and complain and appear to have the OSMB ear!!! I have observed jet skis, kayaks and other boat congestion causing unsafe waterway for swimmers. Jokingly (but not really jokingly), I'll tell guests to our rowing club that the river is a lawless land. We never see people enforcing the no wake zones.

12. Have you experienced conflict with mixed uses on the water? Please provide examples and describe your observations. Wakes Yes. I have been present twice when a “wake‐boat” caused a dragonboatand a scull to capsize, throwing the paddlers into the water. One wake surfing boat can effectively prevent hundreds of human‐powered users from safely using a given stretch of the river. Overbearing wakes from wake boarders, jets boats, loud music til wee hours in the morning, wake damage to docks, sewer and water lines, cracks in walls, injury Commercial fishing boats (fishing boats + wake boats are the worst impactors for us). Our wall seams have cracked, our sewer line disconnected and leaked out sewage after a particularly fast boat passed, things have been broken, the house moves and the swim float rocks to the point of feeling unstable if you are standing. Our moorage has sustained significant and expensive damage from wake surf wake including cracked walls, broken sewer and water lines, deck detachments and breakage.

13. Have you experienced conflict with mixed uses on the water? Please provide examples and describe your observations. Abandoned and Derelict Vessels Conflict with the marine squatters. They have claimed the Ross Island cove, and I'm not welcome paddling by their boats. Plus the junkyard they have built on the island shore. Some issues with "gypsy" boats mooring nearby and taking over public docks. Water safety concerns and discomfort with criminal activities/proximity. WHY ARE THERE PEOPLE LIVING IN BOATS??? IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIVER? CAN I LIVE IN A BOAT? I PAY A LOY OF MONEY TO LIVE IN A HOUSE? DOES ANYONE LOOK AT WHAT’S GOING ON HERE???????? “Gypsy" boats mooring in inappropriate places for long periods of time, creating tensions re: sanitation and possible theft crimes. The pirate boats are a problem. People should not be able to live on the river for free and are in the way and an eyesore.

14. What suggestions do you have to improve sharing the waterways with other users? More Education! License boaters with real license, earned by classes similar to what it takes to operate a car! Well marked NO wake zones when passing Houseboat Moorages + marinas would make a huge difference. I think ALL people using the water ways need to be informed on proper boating practices. Add a section about wakes when taking the online boat education course and have the river patrol give warnings and tickets. Signage noting mixed uses with tips for avoiding conflicts Better education of small boaters and paddlecraft to rules of road. Create a blog or chat room for diverse boaters to explain themselves and understand others.

15. What suggestions do you have to improve sharing the waterways with other users? More enforcement! The best choice would be enforcement on the water during the high traffic times ENFORCE existing regulations! Clear pirates boats off of public docks Step up enforcement of boating rules. We see virtually no enforcement of speed and proximity to non‐motorized boats. More people are moving to Portland -keep the Willamette open for all. Education, patience and tolerance. More law enforcement enforcing existing laws. Is there any authority on the river? It is complete anarchy! there is NO POLICE presence there to stop power boats and jet skis from behaving dangerously!

16. What suggestions do you have to improve sharing the waterways with other users? Segregate Uses! Paddlers should stay off to the sides of the river unless they are crossing the river. Determine safe areas for different sports, zoning around residential and swim areas Set suggested best times to use the water. Row in the early AM. Wake mid afternoon. I think wakeboats should not be allowed on the Willamette. Do not allow wake boats in areas where human‐powered watercraft go. Consider exclusive areas for wake‐surfing (not the zones of the Newberg Pool), eg: lakes, wider waterways at least 700 ft wide OSMB should clearly map out areas of use for wakeboard boats and similar craft away from floating homes and Moorages. Once the areas are established, the conflicts will be minimized and the damage to property will diminish.

17. What suggestions do you have to improve sharing the waterways with other users? Compromise! Everyone needs to compromise a little. Can not have 5 mph speed limit in the entire slough but ok for limited residential areas. Unrealistic to demand minimal boat traffic on a major navigable waterway. Be courteous, use common sense and we can all get along with the status quo. I have 50 years experience running a boat. The main thing I think is a better understanding of each other and of basic safety, common sense and courtesy that we all are responsible for. This includes understanding that it is a busy urban federally navigable waterway and so at times is very busy and might not be best for some activities. Sharing our public river means being safe and courteous and we need more enforcement on those not following the rules. But it also means accepting this is a busy urban river and you must plan accordingly, especially during peak use times

18. Where do we go from here? • Questions consistently heard by Staff: • OSMB role in law enforcement, signage, education, removal of ADVs? • Will the Portland Listening Sessions lead to Rulemaking? • Board position on motorized vs. non-motorized priority, considering expansion of use and current OSMB fee structure? • Board stance on activity-specific regulation? • Board position on protection of private property on public waters? • Board stance on petitions aimed at restricting motorized use? • “Does the Marine Board believe that boats are a substantial cause of erosion?”