The Sandy River has a 55 mile northerly flow from the Reid Glacier on Mount Hood to the Columbia River. The upper watershed is forested and mountainous in stark contrast to the lower urbanized portion at the eastern edge of Portland Metro.
The Sandy Watershed is comprised of six basins, including Bull Run which is the principle water source for nearly 1 Million Portlanders. Drinking from an iconic Benson Bubbler water fountain means taking a sip from a remnant of the last Ice Age.
The watershed boasts hundreds of miles of hiking trails, three state parks, two wild and scenic rivers and a portion of the Mount Hood National Forest. The Sandy is also home to Gresham— Oregon’s fourth-largest city which has significant ethnic and cultural diversity, including a school system that reports 91 spoken languages. The area remains as important to Native peoples as it has been since time immemorial.