Project Background
Portland must have sufficient drinking water storage capacity to meet the anticipated growth in demand for water and for fighting fires. The City must also offset the loss of its five open reservoirs (due to federal LT2 regulations). The three Mount Tabor Reservoirs will be disconnected from the City's water system in 2015; the Washington Park Reservoirs disconnected by 2020. Total project cost is estimated at $138 million.

It is for these reasons, the Portland Water Bureau is advancing its plans for a second underground 50-million gallon (MG) reservoir at Powell Butte Nature Park. The Water Bureau's long-range water storage plan includes the construction of four 50-MG reservoirs and a smaller 25-MG on Powell Butte, which was purchased by the City in 1925 for this purpose. The first underground reservoir was built in 1979-1980 and became operational in 1981.

The Portland Water Bureau conducted an extensive 13-year public process, from 1995 to 2008 to review issues related to Powell Butte Nature Park and the region's water supply system. The process included a formal Stakeholders Advisory Committee composed of interests outside of City government, including neighborhood associations, environmental organizations, recreational interests, schools, and outside water districts.

The Powell Butte Master Plan, started in 1995, identifies the City's plans to build a second reservoir by the year 2013. This plan was approved in the Powell Butte Conditional Use Master Plan (CUMP) in 2003.

As required under the CUMP -- at the public's request -- the reservoir project includes replacing the existing maintenance shed and restroom building with a new interpretive center and restroom. A new, permanent single-family residence as the Caretaker's House must be built. 

The CUMP also calls for a separate storage and maintenance facility to be built due to the expanded maintenance needs of both the Water Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreation.  Additional improvements include enhancements to the park's main parking lot, a new natural grass-setting outdoor teaching area (amphitheater) that will be built to better support the educational programs in the park, and a new trail plan to reduce areas of concerns for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians. Funding for the park improvements is included as part of the Water Bureau's Powell Butte Reservoir 2 Project.

The Water Bureau and Portland Parks and Recreation established a Project Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of citizens who helped formulate criteria that was used by building design and landscape architects to develop park facility designs. PAC members represented the three local neighborhood associations, nearby homeowners, and park user interest groups, such as the Friends of Powell Butte Nature Park, the Audubon Society, and Northwest Trails, Inc. The group began meeting in October 2009, and completed their work in May 2010.

Project Schedule
Construction will occur in two phases:

Phase 1:  The first phase was the excavation of the reservoir site began in July 2009 and was completed in May 2010.  During the first phase, hundreds of tons of soil were removed and transported off the butte. An estimated 100 truck trips per day made for a total of approximately 30,000 trips to and from Powell Butte. Some of the soil is being kept on the construction site to reuse on the site once the reservoir is constructed. 

Phase 2: In phase 2, hundreds of workers are constructing the buried concrete reservoir, pipes, vaults, emergency overflow structure, and a number of required park improvements. The second phase began in May 2011, with the project scheduled for completion in April 2014.

Public Impacts
Road and Parking Lot Closures
During construction, the Powell Butte Nature Park's main parking lot and the entrance road from SE 162nd Ave. will need to be closed for extended periods of time to allow for the construction of the new park facilities. When the main lot in the park is not accessible, you can use the parking lot at the nearby Rose Bowling Center, SE 164th Ave. and SE Powell Blvd. The Water Bureau has renewed its lease with the business to use some of its parking spaces. 

Also available is the temporary parking lot located on SE Center Street near SE 144th Avenue at the Water Bureau’s Vivian pump station which is now open for public use. The temporary parking lot on SE Holgate -- east of SE 136th Avenue on former Gate’s Property -- will be open in late fall 2011.

Once reservoir construction starts, the Water Bureau will open the two new temporary parking lots located on SE Center Street at SE 144th Ave. and at the trailhead at SE Holgate near SE 136th Ave. "Road Closed" signs will be posted when the main parking lot is unavailable. Notices also will be posted at the park entrances and the main parking lot kiosk.

Most Trails will be Affected Periodically during Construction
Portland Water Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreation will post the trail route changes on their respective websites and on kiosks located at each park entrance. 

Ongoing Updates 
The Portland Water Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreations staff will continue to keep the public informed about the project through our websites. In addition, there will be project news and park notices posted in the community newspapers and on kiosk bulletin boards stationed at each of the park's official entrances. The Water Bureau also introduced WaterWorks, a monthly electronic news bulletin, with project highlights and features. If you would like to receive it, please email Tim Hall, Public Information, at tim.hall@portlandoregon.gov.

Additional Information
For information about this project, contact Tim Hall, Public Information, at 503-823-6926 or 503-381-0056 (cell).

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as the Portland Water Bureau works to improve the city’s century old water system.