Rowena's Dead Grass

[johnl]

I almst hate stirring the pot of a dead topic but I chatted with the Park "rangers" today at Rowena. At the beginning of the season the assigned ranger met with CGWA with good plans for Rowena. Then when the season started he got reassigned. Now he is sort of back. He told me the water pressure right after it leaves the pump is 20 psi. Not enough to water much. He desn't know if the water table changed or if the 50 plus year old pump is giving up. I'm betting on the pump. So its future is uncertain....

[CUSalin]

O.K., In all seriousness... I've done my research. The grass at Rowena has been ignored and not attended to for one simple reason, and that reason is that Park Management has decided to let it go unattended. It's really as simple as that.

Park Management has DECIDED that those who frequent E. Mayer State Park, namely and mostly windsport enthusiasts, are low on their priority list of public users who they are employed to serve. After all, and as I have heard stated, "The Windsurfers will show up, and pay to use The Park no matter what the condition of The Park, so long as it's windy." Other, non-windsport visitors will not. So the wind-sport people get stuck with the shitty conditions.

Park management has DECIDED that not maintaining the irrigation system at E. Mayer is where they will save $'s to meet their budgets. Park Management has DECIDED that not maintaining the irrigation system at E. Mayer Park is where they will demonstrate compliance with drought related water cut-back requests from State & Local Gov't.

I challenge why Park Management has decided to neglect the irrigation system at E. Mayer Park and invite all who use The Park regularly to join me. I can talk to you in more detail in person so look me up.

Finally, I would encourage all who care about such matters to support The Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Assoc., who I understand is actively involved in achieving a remedy to this matter.

More later, gotta go to work so I can......,

CU Sailin,

[scottwerden]

Sorry, I cannot muster up a lot of sympathy for your situation. Frankly, it does not seem unreasonable to me based on what you said they DECIDED (why the yelling?). After all, it is true that windsurfers will rig in the dirt and it is true that if the budget is tight you have to make decisions about where to cut costs. So basically your complaint is that they should cut costs at some other park and make someone else suffer instead of you. But then again, I sail a lot at Doug's (no water, no grass, lots of dirt), the Wall (no water, no grass, lots of dirt) and Three Mile (more of the same but add rattlesnakes to the mix) so it seems normal to me to rig in the dirt. Besides, isn't brown the new green?

[CUSalin]

[b][u]

[surfersteve]

I sailed at Rowena last Sat. I rigged on some dead grass, dirt, and lots of pine needles. It was way easier on my sail than the gravel at the Hatchery or rocks and goat heads at The Wall on Friday.

[CGW2]

Thank you all for your passionate interest in our windsurfing sites!

The CGWA has a good working relationship with Oregon State Parks. We were instrumental in creating Rowena (East Mayer) as a State Park and have held an Adopt-a-Park agreement at various times for this site.

This past Spring we had one of the OPRD rangers who works at Rowena come to several of our board meetings. He was excited about getting the irrigation figured out. We also discussed adding a water purifier for drinking water, a hose to wash off gear, and an outdoor shower. Unfortunately, these discussions were not followed through.

We are actually holding our monthly board meeting at Rowena tonight with one of the OPRD rangers in attendance and will discuss the state of Rowena. We hope to devise a plan to get the grass and irrigation back in order for next season.

Thanks again for your interest, and we hope to have your support as we work this out.

[biffmalibu]

I watched the water pressure test yesterday at East Mayer/Rowena. Water pressure is anemically low in that sprinkler system.

I drove by Memaloose State Park yesterday. The grass appeared to be green there, and I think their irrigation system has been on all summer. It is a much bigger park, with significant user fees from overnighters all summer.

Rowena no longer has a park host, since the early Spring. The park host was responsible for maintenance, such as irrigation.

It seems to me the drought is a convenient excuse by the park management to not maintain the green grass AND cut blackberries and other noxious weeds. I think a strong case can be made for East Mayer suffering from "ugly step child" syndrome in the OR park system. The money coming in for that park is paltry compared to many other state parks. Plus, it is in the Gorge, far far away from bureaucrats in Salem, etc.

This is a good example of why CGWA exists, and I think CGWA is worth supporting for the strongest voice possible. CGWA needs to take OR State Parks to task for this. No excuses.

Fred Noble watched this park and made sure it was not made the ugly step child. I MISS FRED NOBLE.

[CUSalin]

[CUSalin]

[scottwerden]