Written by via oregon.gov
Portland Harbor is a heavily industrialized stretch of the Willamette River, extending from Portland’s Broadway Bridge to Sauvie Island. Due to decades of industrial activities, some of the sediment (or mud) in the river and along the riverbank is contaminated with pollutants.
The primary threat to human health is eating contaminated fish that live in this stretch of the river, such as bass, carp and catfish. It’s safe to swim in the Willamette most times of year.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency listed Portland Harbor as a Superfund Site in 2000. EPA, DEQ, tribal governments, community groups, companies, and other organization are working to investigate and clean up contamination in Portland Harbor.
EPA is the lead agency responsible for investigating and cleaning up contaminated sediment in the riverbed. DEQ is the agency responsible for working with property owners to investigate and clean up properties along the riverbank, called “upland sites.”