Brooklyn bioswale to help prevent street flooding
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, August 1, 2012
- A new city bioswale at S.E. 14th and Powell Boulevard aims to reduce street flooding.
With Woodstock at last finding a solution to its frequently-reported “Lake Carlton”, the Brooklyn neighborhood has had its own street-flooding issue to address. And now, a new bioswale installed in the parking lot at the Brooklyn Post Office aims to reduce heavy street flooding at S.E. 14th and Powell Boulevard.
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In the past, stormwater pooling at the intersection has impeded traffic heading south onto S.E. 17th Avenue. This project is part of Portland’s “Tabor to the River” program, which integrates sewer improvements and “green” stormwater managemen, to protect rivers and streams.
Although the bioswale, and the adjacent sloping, eliminated some four or five parking spots, it’s expected to redirect rainwater runoff from area businesses. Since its completion, at least one vehicle has accidentally driven into the structure, however, and required towing.
Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) says the bioswale should annually manage 150,000 gallons of rain runoff, drain 6,800 square feet of pavement, and help further reduce any remaining combined sewer overflows into the Willamette River.
According to BES Environmental Specialist Josh Robben, the bioswale is planted with rose creek abelia, heather, lavendar cotton, lily turf, and sedge.
For more information on the “Tabor to the River” stormwater management program, go online to: HYPERLINK “http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/tabortoriver” www.portlandonline.com/bes/tabortoriver — or call 503/823-7740.