Willamette Falls is undergoing a generational facelift. These 4 projects are leading the way

Willamette Falls in Oregon is entering what the article calls a “generational facelift,” with four major projects aimed at restoring public access and Indigenous presence nearly two centuries after industrial activity cut off access. The initiatives—tumwata village, the Oregon City riverwalk, the Willamette Falls Trust project, and a revitalized Willamette Falls Locks—face costly land purchases, demolition, and environmental cleanup. Roughly $85 million has been pledged across local, state and federal funds, plus private contributions, but bureaucracy and intertribal conflict over long-standing issues add friction. The falls’ flow exceeds 32,000 cubic feet per second and sustains major salmon runs, with lamprey also present.