Surfrider Foundation - Portland Chapter raised awareness of local and national water quality issues with a paddle out for clean water across the Willamette River in downtown Portland on September 8th, 2007.

The Paddle Out drew attention to Surfrider efforts to address water quality and storm water issues from the City of Portland to the mouth of the Columbia and north coast. Water quality issues in Portland, that may be seemingly unrelated to the coast, are in fact intricately connected via rivers and streams that transport urban water quality issues to our beaches and coastlines. Specifically, the Willamette River is the conduit for millions of gallons of water, sediment, and unfortunately, pollution each day. Surfrider Portland and other groups discussed their programs and highlighted federal legislation (Beach Protection Act 2007 and Raw Sewage Overflow Community Right To Know Act) that would benefit river and coastal water quality monitoring and awareness. Find out more and take action on these issues at www.surfrider.org.