West Linn Restricts Water Use as Clackamas River Levels Drop

West Linn has put water conservation measures in place after Clackamas River levels dropped below a critical threshold, joining Oregon City and the South Fork Water Board in urging residents to cut back.

The city triggered its State 2 Water Curtailment Alert on August 6, after river flow fell below 650 cubic feet per second. Under the alert, the city has limited irrigation of parks and rights-of-way to between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., and prohibited washing city vehicles and streets, along with water line testing and flushing for construction projects. Residents are being asked to shift their own yard watering to nighttime hours too — watering after dark cuts down on water lost to evaporation and lets more of it soak in before the sun comes back up.

Officials say the restrictions are about protecting fish populations in the Clackamas River during low-flow conditions, and have been clear that it isn't a response to wildfire risk or a sign of trouble with the water system's own capacity. South Fork Water Board treats water drawn from the lower Clackamas River for roughly 65,000 people across West Linn and Oregon City.