The Willamette River plays an important role in the quality of life in Portland, Oregon. It is a central feature to the downtown area, and a major recreational attribute. The quality of the river declined severely after the turn of the century, due to a combined sewer system with no wastewater treatment, direct industrial wastewater discharge from tanning and meat packing plants, and the organic debris associated with floating logs down the river to loading areas. These last two practices have been discontinued, and the river’s water quality has steadily been on the increase since the construction of interceptors and a secondary wastewater treatment facility in the 1950s and 1960s. The interceptors provide capture of up to three times dry weather flow.