Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DODSON MARK S
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS CO [NWN] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
220 NW SECOND AVENUE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/10/2010
(Street)

PORTLAND, OR 97209		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 08/10/2010   M   18,000 A $ 34.29 31,000 (1) D  
Common Stock 08/10/2010   S   18,000 D $ 47.5153 (2) 13,000 D  
Common Stock               11,431 I By Trust (3)
Common Stock               22,718.305 I See Footnote (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option to Buy $ 34.29 08/10/2010   M     18,000   (5) 12/31/2011 Common Stock 18,000 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DODSON MARK S
220 NW SECOND AVENUE
PORTLAND, OR 97209		   X      

Signatures

 MardiLyn Saathoff, Attorney-in-Fact   08/10/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Mark S. Dodson exercised an option to purchase 18,000 shares at $34.29 each and then sold those shares at an average price of $47.5153 each on August 10, 2010 and now directly and indirectly holds a total of 47,149 shares.
(2) The sale of Northwest Natural Gas Company stock took place in 169 seperate broker transactions occurring on 8/10/2010. The price in column 4 represents the weighted average sale price for the transactions reported on this line. The range of prices for these transactions was $47.16-$47.82. Northwest Natural Gas Company will provide upon request by the Commission staff or a security holder of Northwest Natural Gas Company full information regarding the number of shares purchased or sold at each separate price.
(3) These shares are held in a trust for the benefit of the reporting person's spouse. The filing of this report is not an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of these securities for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose.
(4) Reflects shares that have been credited to reporting person's account under the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors and Executives.
(5) Option was granted for 25,000 shares pursuant to Northwest Natural Gas Company's Restated Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). Pursuant to the Plan, the remaining 25,000 shares became fully exercisable upon Mr. Dodson's retirement on December 31, 2008. The option expires on December 31, 2011. This is the same option referred to in Footnote 1.

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