Civics 101
Float the boats By Mary Owen Proposed updates to Detroit Lake may save marinas from having to close early when water levels are low. “In 2015, the lake never filled high enough to cover the docks,” Marion County Commissioner Kevin Cameron said. “A lot of time and energy resources were spent on moving locations to accommodate boats and RVs.” In 2016, the water rose again and floated the docks for a while, but lack of snowpack and rain caused water levels to drop again, Cameron said. “Detroit Lake Marina actually lost a whole month of their season,” Cameron said. “Kane’s was able to stay open another week or two. So basically we’re looking at how to put in plans to be more resilient during low water level years.”
Efforts to make Detroit Lake more accessible funded
Last July, Congressman Kurt Schrader and Gov. Kate Brown’s Regional Solutions team joined Cameron in touring Kane’s, Detroit Lake and Sportsman Club Private marinas. In a letter to his constituents, Schrader said they were able to see firsthand the effects of low water on small businesses up and down the Santiam Canyon, including the Detroit Lake Reservoir. “Tourism, driven largely by boating and the capacity to moor boats at the marinas on the reservoir, is essential to Detroit Lake’s economic success,” Schrader said. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the water level in the reservoir during summer months is primarily dependent on timely spring rainfall. During that time period, stored water from dams in the system is released to
Detroit Rocks
maintain minimum flows in tributaries and provide a healthy water flow throughout the entire system. “When spring delivers less than normal rainfall, the whole system including the reservoir is affected,” Schrader said. At a meeting several months ago, two viable solutions were proposed: extend the ramps to make them more userfriendly, and excavate the ground under the footprint of the marinas to allow the docks to float longer in lower water. Cameron said a grant through the Marine Board will help the marinas put in extensions to gangplanks so if the water is low, people can still get down to the docks. As of October 2016, the project received a “Business Oregon, Business Retention Service Grant” to hire a consultant.
“We want to provide a current tentative timeline and, as with many decisions for small businesses, the marinas’ work schedule remains adaptable,” Schrader said. “We anticipate finalizing the permit process and having a clear work plan before the 2017 boating season begins.” Schrader said marina owners hope to complete prep work by the spring of 2017 which includes reinforcing road ways for heavy equipment, installing additional pilings and extending gang planks along with required dock services. “This would put us on track to complete the project by the end of 2017 to early 2018, allowing for a large enough window to complete the necessary work safely,” he said.
Search for engraved stones attracks recreation area visitors
By Mary Owen
the fun,” she said.
Detroit rocks – literally!
Finders are asked to register their rock at www. DetroitLakeOregon.org/rocks to be entered to win the monthly prize package. Details of the prize package and hints to where rocks can be found are listed on this page.
A promotion that started last fall has people scrambling to hiking trails, campgrounds, picnic areas and local businesses to find one of more than 300 specially engraved river rocks hidden throughout the year, Dean O’Donnell of the Detroit Lake Recreation Area Business Association said. “The rock program is going fantastic,” O’Donnell said. “The talk in town has been very, very, very good. We get challenges with snow, but we’ve worked hard to find fun spots so snow wouldn’t cover them up. People are even finding them under the snow!” Twenty rocks were hidden to launch the program during the Cruise-In last September, and since then, five rocks are hidden each week, Jamie Dobrowolski, creative director at Project LTD, said. The company developed the concept and manages the promotion for Detroit. “It’s a passion project for us as we cherish Detroit,” Dobrowolski said. “We want to help improve travel and tourism to the area year-round and to help local businesses grow.” The promotion has been “extremely successful” to date, she said. “Local businesses have reported increased traffic coming in and inquiring about the rocks hidden around town,” she said. “On any given day, it is not uncommon to see someone walking around downtown or on the lakebed with their eyes downward as they search for a coveted rock.”
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“Finders are encouraged to post their find on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #detroitORrocks,” Dobrowolski said. “If you share your pictures, you will be entered an additional time into the monthly drawing. Examples of prizes have been a weekend getaway at Breitenbush Resort and gift baskets from local businesses.” A sample of the special Detroit Rocks.
ZAK STONE PHOTOGRAPHY
Website traffic and social media sites for Detroit have seen a tremendous increase in traffic as well, she added. The promotion was introduced to encourage visitors to visit Detroit, which has been hard-hit by recent low lake levels. “As Detroit Lake lovers and business owners, we have seen the impact of unreliable water levels and weather patterns on local businesses and vacationers,” O’Donnell said. “Detroit needed a solution to draw new interest to the area, and we believe Detroit Rocks are doing just that.” The objective is to “go to Detroit, seek your treasure, and if you find one, you keep it,” Dobrowolski said. “If you are one of the lucky ones to find a rock, please leave the others behind so that more people can join in
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Currently funded by the city of Detroit and DLRABA, sponsors are needed to keep the rock promotion rolling, Dobrowolski said. “Sponsorship packages are available and will help with the longevity and strength of the promotion long into the future,” Dobrowolski said. “With the program’s momentum and reach, there are some great opportunities for partnership and co-branding. We are currently seeking interested businesses. If you are interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at detroitlakeor@gmail.com.” Dobrowolski encourages rock hunters to discover Detroit beyond the lake itself. Even if they don’t win the monthly giveaway, the rocks are a prize unto themselves, she said. “During the Great American Eclipse in August, we will be developing a rock with a one of a kind logo to commemorate the event,” she said. For information, visit www.detroitlakeoregon.org/rocks.
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