We want them to look at the health of the river. About 35 people were on hand to collect information and float the river Saturday. Most were associated with the Willamette Riverkeeper or the Corvallis Environmental Center. Nancy Seiglitz, director of the Corvallis Environmental Center , unveiled a full-color map of the river identifying major sources of pollution from Eugene to Oregon City. Seiglitz said the city of Albany bought 100 maps to distribute to citizens.
People are concerned about recreation and the source of their drinking water.
They want to know what's going on upstream. The map, a report produced by Willamette Riverkeeper and a survey on the river being conducted by the Oregon Environmental Council will eventually be presented to Gov. John Kitzhaber's Willamette Basin Task Force, which is studying the Willamette and its tributaries. Francis said he will lobby the group to educate them on floods and the river's floodplains. Francis will continue to float down the river this week with a stop in Salem to meet Kitzhaber on Tuesday. The voyage ends Saturday at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland.