PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Abandoned and derelict boats may have an ongoing presence on the Willamette River, but Multnomah County’s River Patrol Unit reports that a good chunk of these illegal vessels were decluttered in 2024.
The patrol shared that 44 boats were removed from the river last year through funding from the Oregon State Marine Board and the American Rescue Plan Act.
Over the past three years, a total of 88 boats were retrieved from the river including 25 in 2022 and 19 in 2023. This makes 2024 the team’s most successful year since they received millions in state funding.
The list of what qualifies a vessel as “derelict” is long, but one overriding factor is a boat remaining in one general place for more than 30 days.
Once tagged, a seizure clock begins during which a boat’s owner can relocate it, or try to explain to authorities why they can’t move it. After that, it faces seizure and removal.
KOIN 6 News joined the patrol team in September while Deputy Chad Diekmann and his partner tagged abandoned derelict boats, or ADVs, with “pre-seizure” notices.
However, active enforcement of these boats frequently comes down to the county’s priorities, manpower and until more recently, steady funding from the state.
“Thank you to all our partners in this project including the Oregon Department of State Lands, the Abandoned and Derelict Vessel Advisory Committee, and several private entities and contractors,” Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said.
