Bridger Rainwater Garden Grand Opening

By Warren Jimenez

Sam attended the grand opening of Bridger Rainwater Garden on Earth Day. After more than five years of hard work, the 12,000-square-foot rainwater garden was recognized by the community. This rolling native plant garden fills the school's center courtyard where there used to be a sea of barren asphalt. Once the plants are fully rooted, the garden will be fed by storm water runoff from its roof. By returning this water to the earth's groundwater through natural filtration, the garden will help divert almost 300,000 gallons a year from our sewer systems. Here are Sam's comments from the event:

Good Morning. With the help and contributions from Urban Water Works, Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Public Schools, the Environmental Protection Agency and the countless volunteer hours from the parents, children and neighbors of Bridger Elementary School, this project became a reality. Give yourselves a round of applause because you deserve it!

This is one of many important partnership projects between BES and PPS. We were pleased to have Urban Water Works join us on this project. BES and PPS have had a long history of collaboration on a variety of watershed improvement projects.

In providing important financial support, the Innovative Wet Weather Program has enabled BES to work with the community in demonstrating a variety of innovative sustainable storm water strategies.

Storm water management projects are an important learning opportunity for students and the community.

Storm water runoff from this area is typically directed to combined sewer pipes, which can contribute to combined sewer overflows to the Willamette River. Runoff from roofs and asphalt can pollute water, destroy habitat, and degrade our watersheds if not properly managed.

Bridger’s Water Garden will reduce the quantity and improve the quality of storm water leaving the site.

Voluntary storm water retrofits like this project support our recently adopted Watershed Plan, help the city meet regulatory and financial requirements and engage citizens in improving local watersheds.

Once completed, this project will manage almost half a million gallons of storm water runoff per year, helping to reduce combined sewer overflows and providing an innovative outdoor learning opportunity for students and the community. That is amazing.

Once again, thanks to all for your commitment to this important project.