Portland State University
OP-23: Stormwater Management

Stormwater management policy from 2005 IPM plan adopted 2012 Sustainable stormwater management principles are adopted as Portland State University’s (PSU) preferred approach for the management of stormwater. These principles have and will be demonstrated in the planning and retrofitting of current and future campus development with the intent of managing all stormwater on site within a 50-100 year time period. Includes such initiatives as: Eco-roofs, rainwater harvesting, bioswales, porous pavers, better irrigation practices, and more. Goals: •Decrease impervious surfaces and/or increase stormwater surfaces which allow for water reuse on the Portland State University campus, especially through methods which continue to allow urban density. •Improve water quality, decrease water runoff peak rate, increase and improve natural habitat systems. •Decrease resource usage including pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation water. •Implement designs which allow for stormwater to be reused on-site. •Decrease sediment losses through sustainable erosion control. •Implement consistent monitoring and auditing of systems. •Implement all levels of the Stormwater Management Plan and Integrated Pest Management Plan. •Become a leader in the research, development and successful implementation of sustainable stormwater management in the Pacific Northwest.

Ecoroofs are an aesthetically pleasing way to enhance the lifespan of a roof, reduce the building’s stormwater runoff, and reduce energy consumption by mitigating rooftop heat loss in cold weather and maintaining cooler indoor temperatures during warmer months. PSU has Ecoroofs on: Broadway Building Engineering Building Native American Student & Community Center Blumel Hall Bike Shelter Ecoroof Research: Ecoroof & solar panel research project, SRTC Shattuck Hall Ecological Learning Plaza The Broadway Housing Building sports an 18,000 sq. ft. ecoroof (the largest in Portland!), the Native American Student Center features a native plants rooftop garden, and three small ecoroofs are located between Smith Center and Neuberger Hall atop a community gathering space, cob oven, and informational kiosk, respectively. PSU was awarded a 2005 BEST Award for the Broadway Housing Building's ecoroof. http://www.pdx.edu/sustainability/water

Pervious pavers replace conventional asphalt or concrete paving, allowing stormwater to percolate through areas that would otherwise be impervious to the soil below. They reduce erosion, help filter pollutants, and help recharge groundwater. Locations: Native American Student & Community Center Biology Research Greenhouses ASRC 5th floor patio Shattuck Hall Ecological Learning Plaza

Stephen Epler Hall has stone swales that infiltrate water and lead to a tank that collects rain water for flushing toilets.

Stormwater planters slow and filter runoff reducing the rate, quantity and pollutants before water flows back to the river/watershed. Planter locations: 12th & 4th Avenues Montgomery Green Street Urban Plaza Science Research & Teaching Center (SRTC) Walk of the Heroines Bioswales contain plants that filter stormwater runoff, helping to remove oil, sediment, exhaust, dirt, and chemicals. Locations: Helen Gordon Stephen Epler Courtyard

From PSU's Stormwater Management Policy ... h. Use of slow release fertilizers and/or carefully managed fertilizer applications timed to ensure maximum root uptake and minimal surface water runoff or leaching to groundwater. i. Avoid the widespread application of broad spectrum pesticides by involving only purposeful and minimal application of pesticides, aimed at identified targeted species. j. Coordinating pesticide application with irrigation practices to reduce runoff and leaching to groundwater. k. Incorporating features into the design of fertilizer and pesticide storage, mixing and loading areas that are designed to prevent/minimize spillage. l. Continually looking for alternatives to traditional pesticide use and stormwater practices, by seeking out natural methods that are also socially and economically acceptable. m. Educating maintenance personnel about the need to maintain motor vehicles to prevent the accumulation of oil, grease and other fluids on impervious surfaces, where they might be conveyed to surface and ground waters by runoff, and the need to regularly collect and properly dispose of yard debris. ... o. Vehicles may not be washed onsite. All vehicle washing must be done at a car wash connected to the City sanitary system.