1. Maintenance of Rain Gardens, Swales, and Stormwater Planters OLCA Expo December 1, 2011 Photo: EMSWCD

2. Partners Candace StoughtonEMSWCD Gail ShaloumClackamas WES Rob EmanuelClean Water Services Damon RichardsonPacific Sports Turf Henry StevensPortland BES Maria CahillGreen Girl Land Development

3. Agenda What is stormwater? Why manage it? Legal issues Role for landscape contractors Types of facilities Maintenance activities Vegetation Pests Irrigation Soils/Mulch Structures Erosion Control Spills Take home messages

4. What is Stormwater? Rainfall and snowmelt that runs off instead of seeping into the ground. Photo: morgueFile

5. Sources of stormwater? Rainfall and snowmelt that runs off instead of seeping into the ground. Roofs Parking Lots Driveways Streets EMSWCD Green Girl Land Development morgueFile

6. Water cycle

7. Stormwater Can cause unnatural flooding East Portland News

8. Stormwater Can degrade streams Photo: East Portland News Photo: morgueFile Johnson Creek Watershed Council

9. Stormwater Carries pollutants to waterways morgueFile

10. Rain garden-m unicipal Photo: EMSWCD Planted landscape facility designed to collect and absorb runoff and filter out pollutants. EMSWCD

11. Swales (aka bioswales) Long, planted, open channel that carries, slows stormwater and filters out pollutants. EMSWCD

12. Rain garden-r esidential Planted landscape facility designed to collect and absorb runoff and filter out pollutants. EMSWCD

13. Stormwater planter Structural landscape reservoir designed to filter out pollutants, and in some cases, infiltrate stormwater. EMSWCD

14. Stormwater planter/green street EMSWCD

15. Function

16. Anatomy-Infiltration planter Graphic: Clean Water Services, LIDA Manual

17. Anatomy-Flow through planter Graphic: Clean Water Services, LIDA Manual

18. What is involved? Facilities need inspection and maintenance (annually, or more) Maintenance includes: hydrologic and water quality function landscape functions impacts on human health and safety EMSWCD

19. Business opportunity P Landscape Architects Civil Engineers Landscape Designers Landscape Contractors Green industry professionals Specialized training to design, inspect and maintain Example: City of Portland 9000 stormwater facilities ≈ ¼ are LID facilities Metro

21. Maintenance agreements

22. Inspection log Each jurisdiction will have different requirements for inspections, reporting, etc.

23. General observations Before you go… O & M plan or manual As-built or design report Locations of inlets/outlets, plantings, irrigation, historical problems, previous observations Clackamas County Water Environment Service

24. General observations Once you arrive… Current and recent weather conditions? Last rain event? Inlets and outlets clear? Banks stable? Draining as designed or short-cutting? Pavement in good condition? Animal damage? Can you access? Steep or uneven terrain? People entering/cutting through the facility?

25. Contributing area Trash Leaves Oily Gravel Sediment Street or parking lot sweeping Fertilizer or pesticide use Other activities going on upstream

26. Contributing area Clackamas County Water Environment Services

27. Contributing area Clackamas County Water Environment Services Clean Water Services

28. Safety and access Access Need to have access Flat or evenly sloped If fenced, trim fenceline for 3 feet if space allows Consider safety before you begin (do not enter flooded facility) Pacific Sports Turf

29. Safety and access Clackamas County Water Environment Services Metro

30. Safety and access 35 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Sturdy boots Gloves, puncture resistant gloves Ear plugs/earmuffs if operating power equipment Eye protection when “weed wacking” or mechanical trimming, handling large branches Long sleeved shirts and pants Hard hat if cutting overhead Clackamas County Water Environment Services

31. Safety and access Other Equipment Rakes: to clean out under shrubs where you can’t see Grabbers: for trash, sharp objects, or needles First aid kit EMSWCD morgueFile

32. Safety and access Public Safety Vehicle entrances/exits Where people walk through, create a path Clean Water Services OSU Extension

33. Trash Remove trash to prevent clogging and contamination Metro

34. O&M tasks related to vegetation Functions Moving Appearances Pests Irrigation

35. vegetation can be part of the solution…… vegetation can be part of the problem.…..…

36. Planting plans Oregon Rain Garden Guide

37. Aesthetics OSU Sea Grant

38. Aesthetics Clean Water Services

39. Aesthetics vs function Clean Water Services

40. Keeping things moving morgueFile

41. Keeping things moving EMSWCD

42. Inlets Clean Water Services

43. Inlets Clean Water Services

44. Shade and competition Clean Water Services

45. What would you do? Clean Water Services

46. Aesthetics Clean Water Services

47. Aesthetics EMSWCD

48. Do’s and Don’ts for Plants Do strive to keep good plant cover in a WQF Do pay attention to facility design Do replace dead plants promptly Don’t overly trim grasses and grass-like plants Don’t let plants block water flow

49. keeping pests at bay morgueFile

50. Principles of IPM Start with healthy plants Monitor and identify pests Be tolerant of some damage Choose the least toxic control first Combine techniques

51. Pests Clean Water Services

52. Pests Clean Water Services

53. Pests Clean Water Services

54. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) Pests Clean Water Services