The Port of Hood River’s engineering intern, Andrew Porter, worked on a Lot 1 Stormwater Treatment Plan this past summer before heading off to graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.
A recent graduate of Santa Clara University School of Engineering, Porter delivered the results of his study to the Port Commission in early August. Porter was tasked with comparing the 2013 Group Mackenzie “Lot 1 Preliminary Concept Plan” with the 2016 Walker|Macy “Lot 1 Development Plan,” plus incorporating future development requirements for stormwater treatment imposed by the City of Hood River Waterfront Overlay Zone. Porter received input from former Hood River City Engineer Dave Bick, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Bell Design, and Gary Lindemyer.
Porter’s Stormwater Treatment Plan arrived at the following conclusions:
- Further geotechnical investigations should be undertaken to confirm the suitability of soil conditions to detain and infiltrate stormwater runoff.
- Non-Mechanized Biofiltration Systems, commonly referred to as bioswales, can be installed to provide water quality and quantity treatment for stormwater runoff for up to 90% of 24-hour rain events.
- Vegetated conveyance systems can be used to transport runoff from impervious surfaces to bioswales and can be installed at strategic locations throughout the Lot 1 site to assist with stormwater treatment and conveyance.
- Stormwater runoff can also be managed through various environmentally-conscious systems, including green or blue roofs, pervious pavement, and limiting conversion of existing pervious surfaces to impervious ones.
- Common festival street characteristics, including the elimination of curbs between the sidewalk and street, a uniform elevation cross section, and textured pavements to visually to separate pedestrian and vehicular areas could be implemented along a section of N. 1st to create a festival style street in that area. Various cities locally and internationally have experimented with festival street layouts to a high degree of success.
Porter recommended more research to confirm that on-site stormwater quality and quantity control measures with regards to runoff treatment would meet City and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality design standards. If soil conditions are suitable for sustainable stormwater management systems including bioswales and vegetated conveyance systems, then further exploration of implementing such management systems should be done.