In this Section
Issues: Water
Mimicking Nature to Solve a Water-Pollution Problem
Portland, Oregon
|
|
Alarmed by the Willamette River's high pollution levels and vanishing salmon habitat, Portland has begun coaxing private landowners and institutions to curb urban runoff. As an incentive, the city is offering $450,000 to be divided among 15 pilot projects that use landscaping and changes in drainage patterns to reduce the amount of water entering the city's combined stormwater and sewage system, which overflows almost every time it rains. As one of the first projects, vegetation and a sand-filled trench will be added to a Boys & Girls Club property to absorb and filter runoff. Other projects are expected to follow the lead of the Oregon Museum of Science and Technology, which has added rows of plants to its parking lot to capture rainfall. Back to introduction | Previous page | Next page Photo: Willamette Stormwater Control Program |
Sign up for NRDC's online newsletter
Water on Switchboard
NRDC experts write about water efficiency, green infrastructure and climate on the NRDC blog.
Recent Water Posts
- California’s salmon (and salmon fishermen) catch a break today
- posted by Doug Obegi, 6/18/09
- Clean Water Champions Stand Up in the Senate
- posted by Jon Devine, 6/18/09
- Be safe at the beach
- posted by Nancy Stoner, 6/18/09
Related NRDC Press Releases
Related Links
Find Your Favorite NRDC website
- News & Blogs:
- OnEarth/Greenlight
- Switchboard
- Nature's Voice
- Activism:
- BioGems
- Ocean Protection:
- Your Oceans
- Global Warming & Energy:
- Beat the Heat
- Move America Beyond Oil
- Health & Green Living:
- Simple Steps
- This Green Life
- Green Paws
- For Business:
- Building Green
- Market Innovation
- Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
- NRDC Cool Sites:
- It's Your Nature
- GreenDay+NRDC
- For Kids:
- Green Squad


