February 17, 2016

Last Friday, two of our staffers, Paige Spence and Jo Wulffenstein, toured the beautiful Bull Run Watershed in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

The Bull Run is Portland’s main drinking water source. And, because it’s so high in quality, it’s only minimally treated.

After two drives – one in a car and one in a snowcat (like to a snow tractor) – Portland Water Bureau staff showed Paige and Jo stunning views of Mt. Hood under a partly cloudy sky on the opposite side of the Bull Run Lake.

There are around 250 species of wildlife that inhabit the Bull Run Watershed. While there, Paige and Jo came across an elk and a bobcat!

The Bull Run watershed includes the Bull Run Lake and two reservoirs, as well as the Bull Run River, tributaries, and other feeders. The two reservoirs hold nearly 14 billion gallons of usable, pristine water, and serve nearly a million Oregonians. 

Interested in visiting the Bull Run? Register on the Water Bureau’s website.