You can now make secure donations online!
Our donation link is now live. You can make a secure donation by clicking the "donate" tab, above. Your donation supports ongoing restoration activities at the lake.

Welcome to Friends of Force Lake

Force Lake is a small lake located within the Columbia Slough watershed in North Portland. The lake provides open-water and riparian habitat to hundreds of wildlife species, including the Western Painted Turtle, which is considered a “Sensitive Species” in Oregon.

Unfortunately, Force Lake is in trouble...

• Harmful chemicals that have entered the lake and leached into the soil and groundwater from the nearby Harbor Oil Superfund site continue to pose a threat to people and wildlife.
• The lake is posted with warnings not to eat the fish, especially if you are pregnant, nursing or a child—limiting access to a potential food source for low-income people.
• Because it has been cut off from its natural water supply, every summer the lake is overtaken by a blanket of algae.
• Beaver activities at the lake have severely reduced the availability of large native trees, which shade the lake and provide safe perches for birds.
• People who don't want to pay to park at the nearby Expo Center monopolize the parking area, blocking access by those who come to enjoy the wildlife.
• People throw trash into the lake and all over the ground.
• The lovely rock walls that enclose the parking bays are crumbling into the lake, and the parking area is in poor repair, allowing runoff from cars to enter the lake and add to its pollution.
• Non-native Himalayan blackberry has been pervasive on the southern tip of the lake, crowding out native species.

Force Lake is a unique “wild in the city” place, which affords all Portlanders, regardless of physical ability, ethnic or socio-economic background, the opportunity to observe wildlife close-up. Three parking bays overlooking the lake allow people to enjoy viewing wildlife from their cars. Since the birds are used to them, cars make excellent observation blinds. This is especially important for those who may have physical conditions or impairments that make it difficult or impossible to take in nature in other ways.

Bringing the lake back to health and making it an attractive place is the first step in giving this special place the respect it deserves.

38 Volunteers Made a Difference!
Visit  our Updates page to view more photos and read about our Force Lake Earth Day Clean Up on April 20