Title: Stormwater Tree Wells - Tree-centric Bioretention Facilities

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Description: Bioretention facilities, which use a combination of soil, plants, and microbes to treat stormwater, have become one of the preferred practices for treating polluted runoff before it infiltrates or discharges to streams and rivers. In the Pacific Northwest, bioretention planters or rain gardens typically focus on the use of facultative wetland vegetation that has deep roots, can handle seasonal inundation, as well as hot, dry summers. Across the globe, and in other cities across North America, trees have been a primary component of bioretention systems, rather than an option which can be added to streetside stormwater facilities. This presentation will highlight some examples of how trees have been integrated into stormwater management in other communities, while focusing on some installations that Gresham has been using over the past several years. In addition to providing shade and improving aesthetics and walkability of streets, managing stormwater using trees may also be more cost effective from a lifecycle cost perspective.

Speaker: Torrey Lindbo, Environmental Program Manager, City of Gresham

Bio: Torrey considers himself fortunate to have spent the past 17 years at the City of Gresham, where he focuses on stormwater management related to MS4 and UIC permit compliance. His current work focuses on updating stormwater development standards and helping identify and implement retrofit strategies to reduce pollutant loads from existing development. He has been engaged in stormwater innovation at the state and national level – he is currently the chair of the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies and has been on the board of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange for the past several years. When he isn’t working, you are most likely to find Torrey running a trail near his home in the Columbia River Gorge.