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Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project

Sewer and Stormwater
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Environmental Services is designing a project to enhance wetlands on about 30 acres along the Springwater Corridor Trail. The project will reduce the risk of flooding to homes, businesses and streets.
Design for the project began in Fall 2019. Construction is expected to begin in the Spring of 2024 and will take about a year and a half to complete.
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Project Area

The project will take place in the wetlands and natural areas along the Springwater Corridor Trail from Beggars Tick Natural Area to Zenger Farm. The project is located on public property between SE 111th and 122nd Avenues, from SE Harold Street and SE Foster Road. 

Map of Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project areas. The map reflects project boundaries of the work zone, in comparison to where the Springwater Corridor Trail, Zenger Farms, and Johnson Creek.wetlands storage and habitat restoration areas

Simplified map for the Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project. Please note - this map is not up to scale. 

What’s Happening Now?  

Project designers have reached the 90% design milestone. Final design should be completed in the coming months. During the project design process, crews will be in the neighborhood conducting various investigations to collect information to further help determine project needs. Project design is focused on reducing the risk of flooding to homes, businesses, and streets.

In addition, the project aims to improve water quality, provide improved pedestrian and bicycling routes, and restore healthy habitats for wildlife: birds, pollinators, protected red-legged frogs, as well as other amphibians.   

Week of August 7 

Brush cutting and removal services will occur during daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.at the following locations: 

  • North and Central Wetlands - Brush cutting will target and remove blackberry and other tall vegetation starting from the northwest section of the North Wetland. The contractor will work their way south and east through the Central Wetland and into Zenger North. All brush cutting services will happen from August 9 to August 11. 

Brush cutting helps to reduce nesting habitats in preparation for construction next year. Additionally, the removal of nuisance plants will give access to tree work that will take place later this year. All work is weather-dependent and subject to change. 

This work will temporarily restrict some travel lanes and sidewalk crossings in work zones, remove on-street parking, and may create traffic delays. Please obey all traffic control signs and follow the directions of flaggers. 

Week of August 14 

Brush cutting and removal services will occur throughout the week during daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Locations will be determined at a later date. 

Reducing the Risk of Wildfire

The contractors are expected to finish up saw work around 1p.m. daily. The contractor will stay at the work zone from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for fire watch and hand work tasks. All crew are trained wildland fire fighters and will have suppression equipment with them at all times. 

We Want to Hear from You

Environmental Services will inform residents and businesses about project activities and respond to questions and concerns in a timely manner. The following resources will help you stay informed and report concerns: 

  • Questions: Call 503-823-5759 or email city staff stating that Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project is your area of concern. Outreach staff will return your call by the next business day. 

  • Sewer Emergency: In the event of a sewer backup or basement flooding, call the Maintenance hotline immediately at 503-823-1700. It is staffed all hours and all days, 24/7.

Project Background

Background

The Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project will be Environmental Services' third floodplain project east of the I-205 Freeway in the Lents and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods. The Brookside Wetlands Project was built in 1997. The Foster Floodplain Natural Area was completed in 2012. While those projects reduced local flooding and improved the health of Johnson Creek, more work is needed. 

The Project will restore publicly owned property. This project will hold more floodwater on public land to reduce flood risk to local homes and businesses. As part of the project, BES will update the National Flood Insurance Maps for the Johnson Creek floodplain in this area. 

What will this project do?

  • Reduce how often homes, businesses, and streets flood in the project area.
  • Enhance habitat for sensitive wildlife. 
  • Improve the water quality of Johnson Creek. 

How will this be done?

BES will make several changes in the wetlands to restore the natural areas and reduce flood risks. The project will: 

  • Add places on public property where flood water can go when Johnson Creek is high.
  • Install culverts under the Springwater Corridor Trail and between the wetlands. 
  • Remove non-native plants and replace them with native plants. 
  • Build trails for maintenance access and emergency response.

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Sign up for weekly email or text message updates for Springwater Wetlands and Floodplain Restoration Project through our free GovDelivery subscription service. These updates are the best way to stay informed about what’s happening and what to expect. You can also sign up for bulletins on other projects and topics.