Molalla council asks state, federal and private partners to act after log jam threatens water supply

Molalla's mayor and council on March 25 presented and agreed to sign a regional statement urging coordinated action to remove wildfire-related debris and standing dead timber left after the 2020 Labor Day fires, citing a log jam upstream from the city's water intake that has grown after recent heavy rains.

The mayor read the proposed statement for the record and said the accumulation of burned and damaged timber is "placing a measurable and growing strain on city and county governments," including threats to water infrastructure and access routes. He told the council that Bureau of Land Management staff finally reached out after a week of attempts, but the city's staff and firefighters are monitoring the jam while BLM determines next steps.

Fire Chief Stafford described the risk in practical terms: "During the '96 flood, that was all taken out..." and cautioned that a major log jam breaking free could take out the city's intake and vulnerable bridges, placing heavy demand on local emergency resources.

Council questions focused on the language and scope of the proposed statement. One councilor asked whether "tens of thousands of acres" as written should be broadened because the fire footprint may be larger; the mayor said he used "tens of thousands" to avoid exaggeration but agreed the extent has not been precisely measured. Members also debated whether to name large private timber owners in the statement. The mayor and staff agreed to revise the language to include "private landowners" broadly while also allowing mention of major, visible landholders where appropriate.

The mayor said he has discussed the issue with state and federal lawmakers and plans to circulate the signed statement to neighboring cities and fire districts; he said a senator has indicated interest in sponsoring legislation next year to press federal agencies to accelerate cleanup and hazard mitigation.

Council indicated consensus to sign the revised statement and to forward it to other South Clackamas jurisdictions and area fire departments. City staff said they will continue daily monitoring and maintain contingency plans to restore water service quickly if the intake is impacted.

What happens next: staff will finalize an edited letter (substituting broader "private landowners" language as discussed), collect signatures from area cities and fire districts, and provide materials to the senator's office for possible legislative action during the next long session.