The Dalles Public Works Department says operations at the municipal wastewater treatment plant are improving but are not yet back in compliance after a recent plant upset that resulted in discharge to the Columbia River of treated wastewater exceeding the plant’s limit for E. coli.   On Tuesday samples were taken at pre-arranged locations in the Columbia River to determine the effect of the discharge on water quality in the river.  Tests on five samples taken between River Mile 186.5 and 189.5 show that E. coli levels at the sample locations were well below bacterial criteria set by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for freshwater recreation.  The Dalles Public Works says plant staff is working to restore the biological balance so that the plant can quickly return to normal operations.  As a precaution, signs advising no water contact will remain in place at locations of public river access until the discharge from the wastewater treatment plant returns to compliance.  Signs are posted on the Oregon shore of the Columbia River, from The Dalles Riverfront Park to West Mayer Park boat launch.

The Union Street Undercrossing in The Dalles will remain closed to all traffic.  The Dalles Public Works Department says flood waters have receded from the underpass, but the road section remains “super saturated,” and will need a drying period of seven to ten days to avoid damage.  Union Street northbound remains closed to through traffic at the railroad tracks, and remains completely closed north of the Hattenhauer access road.  Access to Lewis and Clark Festival Park will be open throughout the drying period.  Approaching the undercrossing from the west side, West First Street will be closed to through traffic at Terminal Way and will be completely closed beyond the Oregon Cherry Growers facility employee access.  Motorists are encouraged to continue using Webber Street as an alternate route to access West First Street during the undercrossing’s closure.

The Oregon State University Extension Cherry Pre-Harvest Tour will take place on Tuesday.  New OSU Extenson Horticultural Specialist Ashley Thompson says they will start at 7:45 Tuesday morning at Dahle Farms on Knob Hill Road off of Cherry Heights Road in The Dalles.  The tour will move on to Omeg Family Farms, and then to Dave Cooper Orchard for an equipment showcase.  For information call OSU Extension at 541-296-5494.

The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District, including Hood River and Wasco counties, will enter fire season Friday at 12:01 a.m.  District Forester Mike Shaw says fuel conditions and drier and warmer long term weather forecasts prompted the declaration.  He adds fuel conditions are drier than they were at this time last year.  With the implementation of fire season, logging and other industrial operations must meet requirements for fire prevention, such as fire tools, water supply, and watchman service when those operations are occurring on lands protected by ODF.  In addition to fire season restrictions Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1 will be in effect for lands protected by ODF in Hood River and Wasco counties.

A series of public meetings on the next steps in Wasco County’s update to the 30-year-old Comprehensive Plan for land use and development is taking place over the next week.  County Long-Range Planner Kelly Howsley Glover says these meetings being held by the Wasco 2040 Citizen Advisory Group will center on a handful of areas, including water, economic development, and the use of incentives to achieve policy goals.  The location of where agri-tourism activities can take place in Wasco County will also be discussed.  The first meeting is Wednesday at Dufur City Hall, with others set for Thursday at the Mosier Grange Hall, Tuesday at the Columbia Gorge Community College Lecture Hall in building two, and next Thursday (June 7) at the Maupin Legion Hall.  All four meetings begin at 5:30 p.m.

The Dalles Wastewater Treatment Plant has discharged effluent that exceeds the plant’s limit for E. coli due to incomplete disinfection.  The Dalles Public Works Department says sample test results from Monday morning indicated an E. coli exceedance, and several resamples in the following 24 hour period confirmed that the treatment process is not under control due to an upset in biological processes.  The ultraviolet disinfection process has been ramped up to maximum capacity in an attempt to compensate for partially treated effluent due to the upset, and sampling is being increased until E. coli counts are back within permit limits.  Samples will also be taken at pre-arranged locations in the river to provide data on the effect of the discharge on water quality in the river.  Signs have been placed at locations of public river access on the Oregon shore of the Columbia River, from The Dalles Riverfront Park to West Mayer Park boat launch warning people not to have contact with the water in those areas.

The Hood River Police Department will hold a “gun take back” day on Saturday to give local residents a chance to turn in unwanted firearms and ammunition.  People are asked to bring firearms they are turning over in a sealed plastic bag, and then covered in something that can’t be seen through, like a paper bag.  The gun must also be unloaded.  A property receipt will be issued to the owner, and all guns will be held for 90 days before disposal, so owners will have the right to retrieve the firearm during that time if they choose.  The gun take back event will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hood River Police Department on 207 Second Street.

Klickitat County Commissioners have received a briefing from Washington Department of Natural Resources officials on interest being shown from companies looking to operate solar farms at the east end of the County.  DNR has started to receive land requests for large scale solar farms requiring sizeable amounts of total acreage.  Commissioner Jim Sizemore says there is a concern of compatibility with grazing operations in the area.  Sizemore points out that under state law DNR is required to manage the lands for the highest dollar for the school trust, and land leases for energy development does bring in substantially more revenue than grazing leases.

White Salmon Spring Festival will take place this weekend.  Activities will start in Rhinegarten Park at 3 p.m. on Friday, and continue through Sunday afternoon.  The festival parade will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and parade organizer Amanda McDonald says this year’s grand marshals will be “Home With Heroes.”  Applications to take part in the parade are still being accepted.  The forms, along with complete festival schedule information, are online at whitesalmonspringfestival.com.

Forest Service firefighters responded Monday morning to a small hotspot reported near Herman Creek.  The glow from the flare-up was reported around 2:00 a.m.   Firefighters located the hotspot early Monday morning, about a half mile east of Herman Creek Trailhead and north of the Gorge 400 trail.  Two engines and a hand crew from the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area were on scene suppressing the fire, which was found smoldering in heavy downed timber with few ground fuels.  The Eagle Creek Fire was contained in late November 2017 but has not yet been declared out, and Forest Service officials say the hotspot is not unexpected.  Heavy fuels and organic material known as duff can hold heat underground over winter and flare back up after a period of warm dry weather.