Preliminary summary of aggregate mining in Oregon with emphasis in the Willamette River Basin

The purpose of this study is to summarize the technical information on aggregate mining in Oregon including updates of supply and demand since the last comprehensive forecasting of aggregate demand completed by Whelan (1995). Aggregate is a term that numerous definitions, but as used herein, aggregate is sand, gravel, and crushed rock used in the construction of roads and buildings. Aggregate resources within Oregon also include recycled materials. This study also attempts to assess the number of acres of Prime or High Value Soils that have been taken out of farm production by currently operating aggregate mines located along the floodplain of the Willamette River Basin in Oregon. The importance of investigating the relationship of Prime or High Value Soils and aggregate resources is that both resources often times are collocated. The study includes general information regarding many regions of Oregon, but the analysis focuses on the Willamette River Basin because (1) the bulk of Prime or High Value Soils are located in this area, and (2) the readily available digital data needed to complete spatial analyses of sand and gravel mines and soils distribution using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are limited to this area