Albany was settled near the confluence of the Calapooia and Willamette rivers. Upstream, the Willamette River watershed drains approximately 4,840 square miles of mostly mountainous timberland. Development in the watershed can increase the magnitude and frequency of flooding. As fields and forests are replaced by "impervious surfaces" (such as pavement and buildings), the development changes the way the water is stored and how it moves through the watershed.
Learn more about flood and floodplain issues in Albany
