Pringle Creek (Willamette River)

Pringle Creek
The creek where a small canal flows into it
Name origin: Virgil K. Pringle, an early settler near the creek
Country	United States
State	Oregon
County	Marion
Source
- location	Salem Hills
- elevation	517 ft (158 m)
- coordinates	44°53′12″N 123°03′48″W / 44.88667°N 123.06333°W / 44.88667; -123.06333
Mouth	Willamette River
- location	Salem
- elevation	144 ft (44 m)
- coordinates	44°56′18″N 123°02′37″W / 44.93833°N 123.04361°W / 44.93833; -123.04361Coordinates: 44°56′18″N 123°02′37″W / 44.93833°N 123.04361°W / 44.93833; -123.04361
Basin	15 sq mi (39 km2)
Location of the mouth of Pringle Creek in Oregon

Pringle Creek is a small tributary of the Willamette River that drains a 15-square-mile (39 km²) area of Marion County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The entire watershed lies within the urban growth boundary of the City of Salem. Pringle Creek's tributaries include Clark Creek, West Fork Pringle Creek, West Middle Fork and East Fork.

Pringle Creek consists of a network of small streams with courses greatly altered since the 19th century by urban development. The streams flow on the surface in places, in pipes and culverts in other places, and have been otherwise modified by artificial inflows and diversions.

West Fork Pringle Creek begins in springs southwest of the main stem and flows generally north and slightly east to its confluence with East Fork Pringle Creek near 14th Street and Oxford Street. East Fork Pringle Creek and West Middle Fork Pringle Creek drain farm fields near Interstate 5 southeast of downtown Salem. East Fork Pringle Creek flows generally northwest, receiving the north-flowing West Middle Fork from the slightly upstream of the larger stream's confluence with West Fork Pringle Creek.

Clark Creek, another small tributary rising south of the city's center, enters Pringle Creek from the left at Bush's Pasture Park. Pringle Creek then flows between the park and Deepwood Estate, crosses under Mission Street, flows between Salem Cardiology and the site of the former Oregon School for the Blind on the left and Salem Hospital and Pringle Park on the . After passing under the hospital, the creek receives Shelton Ditch, which carries water diverted from Mill Creek, from the right. Pringle Creek then flows through Pringle Plaza to Mirror Pond, where the Mill Race, another diversion from Mill Creek, enters from the right. The combined waters then flow under Commercial Street and a former Boise Cascade mill to Willamette Slough on the Willamette River.