Johnson Creek (Willamette River)

Johnson Creek is a 25-mile tributary of the Willamette River in the Portland metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Oregon. The creek flows generally west from the foothills of the Cascade Range through sediments deposited by glacial floods on a substrate of basalt. The name Johnson Creek means “son of Johnson” or “son” in the indigenous language of the Chinook band of the Oregon Coast peoples.

About Johnson Creek (Willamette River) in brief

Johnson Creek is a 25-mile tributary of the Willamette River in the Portland metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Oregon. The creek flows generally west from the foothills of the Cascade Range through sediments deposited by glacial floods on a substrate of basalt. Its catchment consists of 54 square miles of mostly urban land occupied by about 180,000 people as of 2012. Parks along the creek and its tributaries include natural areas, a wildlife refuge, a rhododendron garden, a botanical garden, and a 21-mile bicycle and pedestrian rail trail that follows the creek for much of its length. In the 19th century, non-Native American settlers cleared much of the land for farming, and the stream is named for one of these newcomers, William Johnson, who in 1846 built a water-powered sawmill along the stream. As urban density increased in the floodplain, seasonal floods grew more damaging. Since the 1990s, regional planners have tried to reduce flooding by controlling stormwater runoff, creating stream meanders, reducing erosion, replacing impervious surfaces, and protecting riparian buffers. The Johnson Creek watershed includes the subwatersheds of Badger Creek, Sunshine Creek, Kelley Creek, Mitchell Creek, Veterans Creek, Crystal Springs Creek, and smaller streams. It is free-flowing along its main stem and provides habitat for salmon and other migrating fish. It flows through the cities of Gresham, Portland, and Milwaukie and crosses the border between Clackamas County and Multnomah County eight times.

It also flows through Lents Crossing and passes under the Cedar Crossing Bridge on the Lents River. It reaches its confluence with the Columbia River at the mouth of Johnson Creek about 25 miles from the city of Portland. The waterway is polluted, but the main stem is not considered a major concern for the city’s water supply. It has been known to flood up to 37 times between 1941 and 2006, but has been controlled by stormwater control measures and other measures. It was named after a man who built a sawmill on the banks of the creek in the early 20th century. The name Johnson Creek means “son of Johnson” or “son” in the indigenous language of the Chinook band of the Oregon Coast peoples. It runs through the town of Cottrell and into the unincorporated community of Cottrell, southeast of Gresham. It then turns sharply to the west for about 5 miles, crisscrossing the border with Clackamas County 5 times in this upstream stretch, and passing under U. S. Route 26, the Mount Hood Highway, in Mult nomah County at about 20 miles from the mouth. Shortly thereafter, it receives Badger Creek and Sunshine Creek from the left and the North Fork from the right. After passing under Interstate 205, Johnson Creek passes under Oregon Route 99E-Avenue, about 8 miles from Sellwood’s Sellwood neighborhood.

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