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The City of Portland Environmental Services’ Springwater Wetland Restoration Project receives national recognition for reducing local flooding, improving wildlife habitat, expanding community amenities, and naturally managing stormwater in the Johnson Creek watershed.
Published
The National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA) awarded the Springwater Wetland Restoration Project first place in the large-population category of its 2026 Innovative Water Projects Award. The award recognizes projects that pair flood risk management or water quality improvements with additional community benefits, including habitat restoration, recreation and public access.
Restoration construction started in Spring 2024 just north of Johnson Creek, in the Lents and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods, and was completed in Summer 2025. By expanding wetlands and restoring native plants, the project creates more space in the Johnson Creek floodplain to hold water in public green areas when the creek rises. This helps reduce overall flood risk to nearby homes and businesses while improving water quality and providing habitat for sensitive wildlife, including frogs, salamanders, birds, bats, and others.
NAFSMA highlighted several elements of the project, including:
- Restoring approximately 18 acres of urban wetland
- Planting more than 44,000 native trees, shrubs, and other plants
- Reusing clean soil and historic Works Progress Administration stone from other restoration sites
The project also creates new ways for people to experience the restored natural area. Environmental Services worked with the Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Parks and Recreation to add a new bicycle-and-pedestrian connection to the Springwater Corridor Trail, improving access between the trail and nearby neighborhoods.
"The Springwater Wetlands Restoration Project is a great example of how we can work with nature to manage stormwater and meet our infrastructure needs while delivering additional benefits for communities," said Ting Lu, Public Utilities Director. "By reconnecting Johnson Creek to its floodplain in this area, we're building on years of work to create a healthier, more resilient watershed that protects both people and the environment. This national recognition is a credit to the staff, partners, and community members whose years of work made this project possible."
Part of decades of work along Johnson Creek
Springwater Wetlands builds on decades of work by Environmental Services and community partners to reduce flooding and improve the health of the Johnson Creek watershed. Since 1998, restoration projects along the creek have worked to reconnect streams with their floodplains and improve water quality and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Other recent and upcoming Johnson Creek restoration projects include the West Lents Floodplain Restoration Project and the Johnson Creek Oxbow Restoration Project
Together, these projects help restore more natural functions to Johnson Creek, reconnect it with its historic floodplains, and reduce flood risk for nearby communities. By working with nature, these projects protect homes and businesses while creating healthier waterways and wildlife habitat in our urban environment.