The First Thirty Years of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Portland, Oregon

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68407700%3A21450%2F25%3A00384940" target="_blank" >RIV/68407700:21450/25:00384940 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157159" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157159</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su17157159" target="_blank" >10.3390/su17157159</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

The First Thirty Years of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Portland, Oregon

Original language description

Over the past 30 years, the City of Portland, Oregon, USA, has emerged as a national leader in green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). The initial impetus for implementing sustainable stormwater infrastructure in Portland stemmed from concerns about flooding and water quality in the city’s two major rivers, the Columbia and the Willamette. Heavy rainfall often led to combined sewer overflows, significantly polluting these waterways. A partial solution was the construction of “The Big Pipe” project, a large-scale stormwater containment system designed to filter and regulate overflow. However, Portland has taken a more comprehensive and long-term approach by integrating sustainable stormwater management into urban planning. Over the past three decades, the city has successfully implemented GSI to mitigate these challenges. Low-impact development strategies, such as bioswales, green streets, and permeable surfaces, have been widely adopted in streetscapes, pathways, and parking areas, enhancing both environmental resilience and urban livability. This perspective highlights the history of the implementation of Portland’s GSI programs, current design and performance standards, and challenges and lessons learned throughout Portland’s recent history. Innovative approaches to managing runoff have not only improved stormwater control but also enhanced green spaces and contributed to the city’s overall climate resilience while addressing economic well-being and social equity. Portland’s success is a result of strong policy support, effective integration of green and gray infrastructure, and active community involvement. As climate change intensifies, cities need holistic, adaptive, and community-centered approaches to urban stormwater management. Portland’s experience offers valuable insights for cities seeking to expand their GSI amid growing concerns about climate resilience, equity, and aging infrastructure.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_SC - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the SCOPUS database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

20101 - Civil engineering

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Sustainability — Open Access Journal

ISSN

2071-1050

e-ISSN

2071-1050

Volume of the periodical

17

Issue of the periodical within the volume

15

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

23

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001551174100001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105013365415