Doug's Beach, Washington

Site Information

• Site Coordinator: Patrick Quigley
• Location: Washington, just east of Lyle
• Property Owner/Managing agency: Washington State Parks
• Aerial Photo: Undated. Courtesy of Wilton Hart.
• WA State Parks web site
• CGWA has adopted Doug's Beach through the WA Parks Adopt-A-Park Program.

Fun in formation about Doug' Beach from the WA State Parks web site:

"In 1805, Lewis and Clark stopped for supplies at an Indian village in the vicinity of today's park. The transaction is recorded in their journals. The park acquired its name from a windsurfer who used to frequent the beach when the sport was in its infancy. 'Doug' still lives in the Gorge and owns a business in Hood River, Oregon."

Work Parties Held This Year

• None scheduled yet for 2008 windsurfing season.

Beach Work and Site History

• 2007- Annual Spring and Fall clean-ups held in May and October. Work included vegitation removal, trimming and litter removal.
• 2006 - 2 work parties / State Park pass refunds given when park fees lifted.
  • Remove beach debris. Pick up trash. Protect trees with wire mesh.
  • East side continue construction - 2 extra links of fencing pull weeds, especially perennial pepperweed fill in washout area with dirt fill, tamp down remove beach debris replace metal stakes with wood tend to three trees being washed out by high water litter pick up
• 2005 - 2 work parties
  • Trim branches. Pick up trash & other debris.
  • Remove thistle from parking areas. Remove driftwood from beach. Trim branches. Pick up trash & other debris.
• 2004 - Cleared driftwood from beach and cleaning up trash.
• 2003 - Spring beautification work.
• 2002 - 3 work parties / The WA State Park Commissioners decided to keep the parks open on a trial basis to be reviewed in September. Park fees charged for parking.
  • Fall clean-up and Don Anderson picnic table dedication.
  • Repaired damage to the shoreline due to high water and barge and wind waves
  • Planted Dogwood trees to protect the wetlands areas, removed trash from summer usage, pulled Knapweed and goats heads, and stabilized the shoreline. CGWA becomes Doug's Beach Washington State Park's "Adopt-A-Park" sponsor.
• 2001- Cleaned debris, mowed grass, trimmed around perimeter and picnic tables. Trimmed low tree branches, marked the newly planted dogwood trees and cleared Knapweed.
• 1996 - 1997 Improvements

Work Party and Site Images

Lots of noxious weeds 2002	New fence around wetland buffer 2002	Fence building crew 2002
Park entrance. Loose gravel was removed from the paved walkway. 2001	Additional Dogwood trees were planted around the perimeter of the meadow rigging area. 2001	Marsha planting a tree. 2001

Work Party & Picnic Table Dedication

September 28, 2002- A picnic table dedication in memory of fellow windsurfer Don Anderson was held at Doug's Beach late last fall. Don's friends Bennett Hansen and David Wesley donated the table constructed by Gorge Wind Designs of White Salmon.

Patrick Quigley led CGWA volunteers in helping Washington Park ranger Andy Kallinen with improvements and maintenance. A new fence was constructed as a wetland buffer and bags of noxious weeds were removed.

Comments from WA Parks Ranger Andy Kallinen: "Diane, a great thanks to work party volunteers at Doug's Beach. I hauled away two trucks of debris/litter and noxious weeds, and the replacement of our rotten wetland buffer fence was a great success. Our staff removed the old buffer fence about 2 weeks prior so we didn't have that to contend with letting the crew jump right into the replacement effort. Thanks Again, Andy"

Don Anderson memorial table 2002

Plaque on table 2002

Work party group 2002

2002 Improvements

May 11, 2002
Work Party Summary, by Patrick Quigley:

Our work party agenda on May 11th was to repair damage to the shoreline due to high water and barge and wind waves. The water level was low enough, so that logs and rock could be used to fill in the area west of the main launch path where beach and trees meet. We also accomplished: general sprucing, moving sand to path, and cleaning up the parking area including south of the fence adjacent to railroad tracks.

Note: Within one week after work the party, the water level increased and erased much of our shoreline work, undercut three small trees on shore, severely weakened a large one, and badly damaged a large "hanging" tree that has been part of the beach's unique landscape. The next day a Washington Park ranger cut some large branches in order to lessen the weight load on the compromised roots and to provide less area for wind loading.

Improvements

1996 - 1997- During late 1996 and 1997 progress continued on the development of the master plans for Doug's Beach by the Washington Parks and Recreation Commission. Ken Maddox has monitored the progress of this effort by attending the meetings of the large task force advising on this effort. The planning consultants, OTAK, have held two public open houses. The latter one was on June 4th in Hood River. It was attended by many CGWA members who suggested a number of good ideas and changes. The latest plans for Doug's Beach do not identify any major changes. The designs were originally to be completed by the end of June, but they will continue to be developed in July, for presentation to the Washington Parks and Recreation Commission at their meeting on September fifth. The sum of $250,000 has been allocated for construction during the next two years both for Doug's Beach and the Hatchery. It will likely be spent on a first phase of improving the Hatchery, with improvements to Doug's Beach not yet scheduled.

In June 1997, Washington State Parks ranger Rich Davis, knowing that the Columbia River water level was about to drop because of flood control, asked CGWA for some quick help after high water damage at Doug's Beach. With just four days notice, CGWA, under the leadership of site coordinator Chuck Langley, mustered the volunteer work parties (over 40 people!) to help with the cleanup . Twelve truckloads of debris were hauled off the site and the grass was mowed. The results are fabulous---beautiful clean sandy beach, large rigging area with a boundary to offset wetlands, and improved access to the water. The site has improved immensely. The spirit of true volunteerism surfaced again.