Wetland Inventory Project Open House Cancelled

News Article
CANCELLED: March 26 Wetland Inventory Project open house at the Multnomah Co. Drainage District Office 
Published

With direction from Governor Kate Brown and Mayor Ted Wheeler on limiting large gatherings of people, the Wetland Inventory Project open house scheduled for March 26 is cancelled. Much of the information that would have been provided at the open house regarding the Wetland Inventory Project is now online. Click through the animated PowerPoint to learn more about the project.

About the Wetland Inventory Project 

The City of Portland is updating information about wetlands within the city limits. Project staff assembled data to identify properties that may have wetland characteristics, including maps of soil types and vegetation. Roughly 900 properties in the Columbia Corridor and Portland Harbor were identified.

In late February 2020, the City sent letters to those properties about the project, requesting permission to access properties to conduct a free wetland determination. If you did not receive a letter, your property is likely not impacted by this project. If you aren’t sure or would like to talk with staff about wetland mapping on your property, please call 503-823-4225 or email BPSNRI@portlandoregon.gov and staff will assist you.

Note: Staff are telecommuting during the COVID-19 crisis, and it may take longer than normal to return phone calls. 

What is a wetland? 

Wetlands are areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas. Wetlands are critical natural infrastructure that help to manage stormwater, minimize flood risk, and provide important wildlife habitat. 

How will the wetland information be used? 

The wetland information will be used to update the City’s Natural Resources Inventory (NRI). The NRI includes data that planners use for planning projects and during land use reviews. The wetland information will also be used by City staff when notifying state and federal agencies about potential impacts to waters of the state. 

Learn more