Workers from the Portland Parks department came by Portland’s newest Green Street on Wednesday, 5/21 to add some finishing touches, including plants. The Green Street’s filtration swale is planted largely with grasses and also includes ferns and Oregon grape, among others.
City workers also shaped the swale by adding river rock at the inflow to slow water velocity. Two “check damns” where also created. These low berms, constructed of clay and river rock, cut across the swale, further slowing stormwater runoff so it can better soak into the soil.
Most advanced methods of storm water managements are soakaways or by attenuation. Both these methods are extensively utilized to reduce flood risks by dramatically adding sustainability of building schemes. The infiltration system is insufficiently permeable that allow water to infiltrate away naturally.