City's First Watershed Improvement Plans Approved

Author: Mike Rosen

The Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) completed work on the Portland Watershed Management Plan in early 2006. With Sam recommendation, the City Council unanimously adopted the plan on March 8, 2006. Since the beginning of 2006, Environmental Services has been "gearing up and getting things done" to implement the plan.

"Gearing up" means putting together and launching a comprehensive implementation process that incorporates the talents of a diverse group of BES staff and continues the cross-bureau collaboration and extensive public involvement used to construct the plan. "Getting things done" means continuing to implement on the ground projects throughout the city as well as taking on new challenges, like the Portland Watershed Investment Fund and Invasive Species. The Portland Watershed Plan also received the Oregon Chapter 2006 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Honor Award for planning.

In spring 2006, the City Council approved Sam Portland Watershed Investment Fund request. The fund allocated $500,000 to BES to implement additional watershed projects. The BES Watershed Division identified 20 additional high priority projects and ranked them in order of importance.

BES looked for projects that would significantly improve watershed health, involve the community, and create lasting partnerships. City Council approved the top four projects for implementation.

1. Invasive Species Management in the Columbia Slough Watershed
2. Hawthorne Hostel Rainwater Demonstration Project
3. Stephens Creek/Willamette Moorings Habitat Enhancement
4. Southwest Street Stormwater Retrofit

Each of these projects is underway and BES expects to spend the $500,000 and complete this work by the end 2006-2007 fiscal year on June 30, 2007.

Weblinks

Actions for Watershed Health

ASLA Oregon

Related Documents

Framework for Integrated Management of Watershed Health

Actions for Watershed Health - 2005 Portland Watershed Management Plan

Milestones

City Council Adopts Portland Watershed Management Plan - March 8, 2006
City Council allocates $500,000 in General Funds to Portland Watershed Investment Fund - October 2006

Partners
• Watershed Science Advisory Group
• Columbia Slough Watershed Council
• Fans of Fanno, Friends of Tryon Creek

• Southwest Neighborhood Involvement
• Americorps
• Office of Neighborhood Involvement
• Friends of Trees
• SOLV
• Johnson Creek Watershed Council
• Portland Public Schools
• Metro Nature in the Neighborhoods
• OWEB