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Willamette Basin Future Scenarios

Present conditions show us the past. Present actions define our future.

Future Scenarios

Appealing clustered housing (Dodson Associates)
and "cookie cutter" sprawl (National Geographic)

By 2050 an additional 1.7 million people are expected to live in the Willamette River Basin, bringing the total population to around four million. That's equivalent to adding three more cities the size of Portland or 13 the size of Eugene. Our challenge is to accommodate that many more people without losing qualities of the basin that we value.

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Research Consortium assessed likely conditions of the Willamette Basin in 2050 under three plausible future scenarios:

 
Plan Trend 2050:  Plan Trend 2050 represents the expected future landscape if current policies are implemented as written and recent trends continue. Map plant trend
Get map: GIS | PDF
Development 2050:  Development 2050 reflects a loosening of current restrictions across all aspects of the landscape, based on achieving short term economic gains. Map development
Get map: GIS | PDF
Conservation 2050:  Conservation 2050 places greater emphasis on ecosystem protection and restoration, although still reflecting a plausible balance between ecological, social, and economic considerations as defined by the stakeholders. Map conservation
Get map: GIS | PDF

 

Sources

Willamette Basin Alternative Futures Analysis. Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Research Consortium, August 2002. EPA EPA 600/R-02/045(a).

 

Willamette

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