Development & Use of Groundwater
Development
Since 1895, Portland has relied on the Bull Run watershed as its primary source of drinking water. For most of that time, it was Portland's only source.
A number of events in the 1960s and 1970s spurred interest in a backup source of water. Floods, landslides and high turbidity underscored the vulnerability of Bull Run as a single unfiltered water source. Population growth and security concerns also contributed to the city's decision to secure an additional water source.
In the early 80s, the City invested $30 million to develop the Columbia South Shore Well Field.
Groundwater Protection
In 1987, the city adopted a well field protection plan in response to concerns about potential contamination from industrial pollutants. This plan was one of the first of its kind in the U.S.
The increasing importance of the well field led to the 2003 adoption of a new and improved well field protection program that greatly expanded the protection area and the ability of the city to restrict activities that could threaten groundwater quality.
Groundwater Use
The table below shows all of the times groundwater has been used for drinking water.
MGD = millions of gallons per day. (1 MGD is about 700 gallons per minute)
BG = billion gallons
|
Start date |
Days used |
Total Volume Pumped (BG = Billion Gallons)
|
Range of Daily Production (MGD= Million-Gallons per Day)
|
Reason for Groundwater Use |
|
August 6, 2012 |
18 days |
0.03 BG |
0 - 5 MGD |
Maintenance Operation |
|
February 23, 2012 |
5 days |
0.22 BG |
23.6 - 52.4 MGD |
Turbidity* (Not a full Bull Run shutdown)
|
|
January 21, 2012 |
11 days |
0.82 BG |
18.0 - 83.6 MGD |
Turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
August 9, 2011 |
6 days |
~0.03 BG |
0 - 22.3 MGD |
Maintenance Operation |
|
January 16, 2011 |
17 days |
~1.3 BG |
8.5 - 88.7 MGD |
Turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
August 9, 2010 |
6 days |
~0.03 BG |
4.1 - 5.4 MGD |
Maintenance Operation |
|
September 28, 2009 |
31 days |
~1.1 BG |
36.0 MGD |
Supply Augmentation |
|
August 5, 2009 |
7 days |
~0.03 BG |
4 - 5 MGD |
Maintenance Operation |
|
November 13, 2008 |
9 days |
~0.65 BG |
27.4 - 96.0 MGD |
Turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
August 18, 2008 |
6 days |
~.003 BG |
4.7 - 6.4 MGD |
Maintenance Operation |
|
September 28, 2007 |
13 days |
~0.43 BG |
18.3 - 36.4 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
June 25, 2007 |
60 days |
~1.44 BG |
7.7 - 87.1 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
November 7, 2006 |
14 days |
~1.1 BG |
27.8 - 92.2 MGD |
Turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
August 14, 2006 |
78 days |
~3.58 BG |
4.5 - 72.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
July 27, 2004 |
29 days |
~1.01 BG |
36.5 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
January 29, 2004 |
4 days |
~0.04 BG |
18.4 MGD |
Turbidity* (Not a full Bull Run shutdown) |
|
July 22, 2003 |
63 days |
~3.7 BG |
20.8 - 72.6 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Oct. 8, 2001 |
12 days |
~0.44 BG |
6.9 - 45.8 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Aug. 9, 2000 |
41 days |
~1.7 BG |
10.0 - 36.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Nov. 25, 1999 |
19 days |
~1.5 BG |
19.0 - 89.0 MGD |
Flood and turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
Dec. 28, 1998 |
5 days |
~0.35 BG |
29.0 - 93.6 MGD |
Turbidity* (rain on snow event) |
|
Sept. 4, 1996 |
27 days |
~0.7 BG |
13.0 - 31.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Feb. 7, 1996 |
8 days |
~0.5 BG |
4.9 - 86.6 MGD |
Flood and turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
Nov. 28, 1995 |
27 days |
~0.7 BG |
5.1 - 29.8 MGD |
Landslide in Bull Run watershed (Damage to conduits, not a turbidity event) |
|
Aug. 2, 1994 |
73 days |
~2.5 BG |
2.0 - 36.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Aug. 17, 1992 |
45 days |
~1.5 BG |
17.0 - 30.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Aug. 7, 1990 |
23 days |
~0.22 BG |
4.7 - 14.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Sept. 4, 1987 |
88 days |
~5.3 BG |
28.0 - 86.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
|
Feb. 25, 1986 |
22 days |
~1.2 BG |
21.0 - 84.0 MGD |
Turbidity* in Bull Run supply |
|
July 20, 1985 |
19 days |
~0.38 BG |
21.0 MGD |
Supply augmentation |
*Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles.