Oregon Environmental Council to host series of ‘Stormwater Solutions’ workshops for the Willamette Valley

The Oregon Environmental Council is partnering with OSU Extension / Oregon Sea Grant, local Homebuilders Associations and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to organize a series of "Stormwater Solutions Workshops" about more sustainable stormwater management practices, commonly known as "Low-Impact Development." The announced fall workshops will be in Albany, Corvallis, Keizer, Salem and Eugene. More information and registration is available at www.oeconline.org/stormwater.

Low-Impact Development (LID) is an approach to land development that preserves natural resources and mimics natural systems for managing stormwater runoff while meeting development goals. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the costs and benefits of LID, see examples of projects relevant to growing Willamette Valley communities, identify the key components of successful implementation, and hear lessons learned from LID programs in Oregon.

Making Low-Impact Development a Reality in Your Community (Corvallis workshop)
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 24, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
WHERE: LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis, Oregon 97331-3101
COST: $35 for general public, $20 for HBA members
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Steve Fancher is implementing LID and sustainable stormwater management in Gresham, Ore. where he is the City's watersheds division manager. Ed MacMullan is an economist with ECONorthwest who authored the report, "The Economics of Low Impact Development: A Literature Review." Event includes panel discussion with local builders, designers and planners followed by optional tour from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm.

Making Low-Impact Development a Reality in Your Community (Salem workshop)
WHEN: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
WHERE: Pringle Creek Community, 2110 Strong Road SE, Salem, Oregon 97305
COST: $35 for general public, $20 for HBA members
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Same agenda and speakers as Corvallis workshop above.

Green Streets: Coming to a Town Near You (Albany workshop)
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 22, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
WHERE: Linn County Extension Office / Old Armory Building, 104 4th Ave SW
Albany, OR 97321
COST: $35 for general public, $20 for HBA members.
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Mike Faha and Jason King are landscape architects at GreenWorks PC, a landscape architecture and environmental design firm based in Portland. Their experience includes numerous green streets projects, large and small. Pervious surfaces panel: Learn the latest from the experts. The integration of stormwater management into the street right-of-way has evolved from catch basins to roadside grassy swales, to a number of current "green street" examples that allow for parking access, pedestrian movement, street trees, and more. See case studies of green streets ranging from urban environments to residential streets and county roads. Then, get the latest information about pervious surfaces for streets and parking areas.

Rain Garden Training (Salem workshop)
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
WHERE: Pringle Creek Community, 2110 Strong Road SE, Salem, Oregon 97305
COST: $50. Scholarships are available.
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Trainers Rob Emanuel and Derek Godwin, Oregon State University Extension Service and Oregon Sea Grant, authors of the forthcoming Oregon Rain Garden Manual. The rain brings many benefits for watersheds and residents. But it can also be a bane for both if it carries pollutants or excessively floods our local streams. Capturing, controlling and filtering some of this stormwater runoff in rain gardens is one way to help beautify our landscapes while we improve the health of our watersheds. The purpose of the training is to help gardeners and homeowners learn the skills needed to design, build and maintain rain gardens and serve as local resources to other community members interested in building rain gardens. It will include both an indoor and outdoor component. Seating priority will be given to those willing to work with OSU as rain garden representatives and provide assistance to local communities in which they live.

Untangling the Codes and Maintaining Stormwater Systems (Keizer workshop)
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 12, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
WHERE: Keizer Civic Center, 930 Chemawa Rd NE, Keizer OR 97303
COST: $35 for general public, $20 for HBA members
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Lori Faha is an engineer and consultant who has reviewed planning and development codes and standards for local governments including Oregon City, Gresham, Springfield, Rogue River, and jurisdictions in Washington County. Carrie Pak is engineering division manager at Clean Water Services. Make the most of the current construction slowdown to ensure that you will be ready when things pick back up again. Learn how local governments around the region and the state are encouraging innovation, protecting water quality, and ensuring that local development codes and incentives make it easy for developers to do the right thing. Learn what maintenance is required for green stormwater facilities and how to ensure that public and private facilities continue to work well over time.

Low-Impact Site Development from Start to Finish (Eugene workshop)
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
WHERE: 500 East 4th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401
COST: $50. Scholarships are available.
SPEAKERS & AGENDA: Maria Cahill, sustainable site development specialist with Green Girl Land Development Solutions and Derek Godwin, watershed management specialist and Marion County chair for OSU Extension Service and Oregon Sea Grant. Learn how the site development process impacts sustainability goals for stormwater management in this hands-on workshop. Multidisciplinary teams will collaborate with guidance from trainers on a case study to prevent and mitigate these impacts throughout the master planning, design, construction, and operations and maintenance phases, revisiting earlier phases and updating the plan as new insights are made.

About the Oregon Environmental Council
The Oregon Environmental Council safeguards what Oregonians love about Oregon -clean air and water, an unpolluted landscape and healthy food produced by local farmers. For 40 years we’ve been a champion for solutions to protect the health of every Oregonian and the health of the place we call home. Our vision for Oregon includes solving global warming, protecting kids from toxics, cleaning up our rivers, building sustainable economies, and ensuring healthy food and local farms. Find out more at www.oeconline.org.

For More Information:
Oregon Environmental Council
Jeremy Graybill, Communications Director
503-222-1963 ext. 111 (work)
jeremyg@oeconline.org