Services and Resources for Environment

Macroinvertebrates are animals without a backbone that you can see without a microscope. They are excellent indicators of watershed health and are an important food for birds, fish, and amphibians. Use these education resources to find out more about these fascinating creatures!
Native plants provide wildlife habitat, shade to keep rivers and streams cool, and their roots help prevent soil erosion. Invasive plants can reproduce rapidly and spread quickly, taking space, nutrients, water, and light from other plants. Find teaching resources about native and invasive plants.
A riparian habitat includes the land next to water. Learn more about Pacific northwest wildlife that need healthy riparian habitats.
Use these education resources to learn about salmon and other fish species that live year-round in the city's rivers and streams in various life stages — spawning, rearing, and/or migrating. Find out about the challenges they face and how we can help protect and restore fish habitat.
In nature, soil and plants absorb most of the rain. In the city, rain washes over streets and buildings and can carry pollution to rivers and streams or cause erosion and flooding. Check out these stormwater and green infrastructure education resources to learn more!
What happens to the water after it goes down a toilet, sink, bathtub, or a storm drain? Learn what not to flush and how recovering the resources from that “used” water helps keep our community’s rivers healthy and creates renewable resources for energy and agriculture.
How do we know if our watersheds are healthy? Monitoring conditions in Portland’s rivers and streams helps us understand the health of our watersheds and track changes over time. Check out these education resources about water quality.
A watershed is an area of land where all the rain and snowmelt drains to a common body of water such as a river, stream, lake, or slough. People, fish, and wildlife need healthy watersheds to survive. Check out these education resources and learn what we can all do to protect Portland watersheds.
Environmental Services' Columbia Slough Sediment Program works closely with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to investigate environmental conditions in the slough and implement actions to prevent pollution and improve watershed health.
For over 100 years, Portland water customers have enjoyed high-quality drinking water at their taps. We are prepared to adapt and plan for a warming climate to continue to provide water that's safe and abundant for years to come.
This workplan describes the actions Portland can and must take to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050 and make Portlanders more resilient, especially communities of color and those most at-risk and vulnerable to impacts of climate change.
Eating fish is good for you and an excellent source of protein. However, fish from the Columbia Slough may contain contaminants that make the fish harmful to eat. Learn how to fish smart and eat safe to protect the health of you and your family.
This report card summarizes conditions in the Columbia Slough watershed. Highly developed, this watershed faces challenges in improving its habitat and fish and wildlife scores. Thanks to decades of investment, water quality and hydrology scores have improved.
The Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) application process includes a pre-application phase. If your pre-application is approved, the CWSP Coordinator will invite you to complete a full application. Learn more about how and when to apply for a CWSP grant.
Congratulations! Your project has been selected to receive a Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) grant. Find out more about what to do during project implementation and completion.
The eligibility information covers who and what types of projects are eligible for the Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) grants. This section also outlines eligible and ineligible project expenses.
Environmental Services evaluates Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) grant project submissions based on three criteria: watershed and environmental benefits, community involvement and partnerships, and equity and leadership. Find more details about the selection criteria.
Your company may need a permit or other authorization before discharging any wastewater into City sewers. To find out, first complete this environmental survey. Environmental Services will review your completed survey and notify you if your company requires a permit or authorization.
Environmental Services provides sewer service within the City of Portland. Properties outside the City of Portland limits may qualify for City sewer services if they are within the Portland Urban Services Boundary (USB). This page provides guidance on connecting to the sewer from outside the City.
Most developed properties in Portland are connected to the City's public sewer system, but some still have private septic systems. Other properties have nonconforming sewers and require conversion. When first connecting to the city sewer or making a conversion, there are various charges.