December 2009
Removal of tunnel boring machine from the East Side Big Pipe to be completed today - 12/2/09
Sewage release to Fanno Creek - 12/15/09
Tunnel boring machine to be barged through Portland - 12/15/09
Traffic restrictions at NE 20th and Couch - 12/16/09
Environmental Services is accepting stewardship grant applications - 12/24/09
Removal of tunnel boring machine from the East Side Big Pipe to be completed today
December 2, 2009
The lifting of Rosie, the East Side Big Pipe tunnel boring machine (TBM), out of the Port Center Way Shaft was postponed on Tuesday (December 1, 2009). The lift is underway today and the TBM will be out of the shaft by about 2:00 p.m. today (December 2, 2009).
Rosie completed constructing four miles of tunnel on October 30. A 700-ton crane is lifting Rosie’s 460-ton main section out of the 100-foot deep Port Center Way tunnel shaft today. The TBM is tentatively due to reach the surface at about 2:00 p.m. today.
The East Side Big Pipe is the largest construction project in Portland’s 20-year program to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The city will activate the tunnel in 2011 to control CSOs from the east side of the Willamette River.
December 15, 2009
An estimated 150 gallons of sewage spilled from a broken pipe at about 8:30 this morning at the City of Portland’s Fanno Pump Station. The pump station is located on the bank of Fanno Creek at the end of SW 86th Avenue near the Portland Golf Club.
The spill occurred near the creek bank and some of the sewage may have entered Fanno Creek. Environmental Services is posting sewage warning signs at the site. People should avoid contact with the creek in that area for the next 48 hours due to the possibility of increased bacteria in the water.
Environmental Services constructed the Fanno Pump Station and Fanno Pressure Sewer in 2000 to pump sewage from city customers in southwest Portland and eastern Washington County to the city’s sewer system. After several pressure sewer failures, the city deactivated the pump station and began directing sewage by gravity to the Clean Water Services Durham Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant and began planning a pressure sewer replacement project.
Some sewage still flows into the pump station’s wet well, which occasionally needs to be dewatered. About once a week, city maintenance crews pump sewage from the wet well through a temporary pipe to a manhole connected to the Clean Water Services gravity sewer.
When crews began dewatering the wet well this morning they discovered sewage leaking from a break in the temporary pipe and stopped pumping after about 45 seconds. The recent prolonged spell of sub-freezing temperatures probably damaged the aluminum pipe.
Tunnel boring machine to be barged through Portland
December 15, 2009
A big barge with an unusual cargo will move up the Willamette River through Portland tomorrow morning. The barge will carry Rosie, Portland’s East Side Big Pipe tunnel boring machine, from Swan Island to a dry dock near Ross Island Sand & Gravel.
The trip will begin at about 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 16 and take about one hour. The Steel and Hawthorne bridges will both be raised to allow the barge to pass underneath. The barge can haul up to 4,800 tons of cargo. The tunnel boring machine weighs 530 tons and is 25 feet in diameter. Other large objects barged through Portland include Portlandia in October 1985 (38 feet high, 6.5 tons) and the HK-1 Flying Boat, aka the Spruce Goose, in October 1992 (79 feet high, 150 tons).
East Side Big Pipe tunneling began at the Opera Shaft near OMSI in summer 2007, and Rosie arrived at Swan Island on October 30 after constructing nearly four miles of tunnel. A 700-ton crane lifted the machine’s 460-ton main section, followed by its 70-ton tail shield, out of a 100-foot deep tunnel shaft on Swan Island. The crane loaded each section on its own flatbed, self-propelled transport vehicle, and the two vehicles boarded the 300-foot long barge.
The vehicles will move off the barge to a dry dock near Ross Island Sand & Gravel and move the tunnel boring machine sections back to the Opera Shaft to be refurbished and prepared to complete tunnel construction.
The East Side Big Pipe is the largest construction project in Portland’s 20-year program to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs). The city will activate the tunnel in 2011 to control CSOs from the east side of the Willamette River.
Traffic restrictions at NE 20th and Couch
December 16, 2009
A sewer construction project today will close NE Couch Street at NE 20th Avenue and reduce traffic on NE 20th to one lane at NE Couch. Flaggers are directing traffic on NE 20th through the intersection in a single lane.
The traffic restrictions are in place during work hours, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays. All lanes in the intersection are open after work hours.
Motorists should expect delays during construction hours. The work will take several days to complete.
Environmental Services is accepting stewardship grant applications
December 24, 2009
The Bureau of Environmental Services will grant $85,000 in 2010 to support watershed health projects in the City of Portland. Grant applications are due by Friday, April 2, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.
The Community Watershed Stewardship Program (CWSP) provides grants of up to $10,000 for projects that encourage watershed protection and enhancement. Citizen groups, businesses, non-profits, student groups, faith organizations, neighborhood, business or homeowner associations, and service groups in the City of Portland are eligible to apply.
Past projects include invasive plant removal, native plantings, bioswales, ecoroofs, naturescaping, and natural area cleanup and restoration. Since 1994, CWSP has granted more than $800,000 to 183 projects. Grant funds have been matched by $2.4 million in donations of services, materials and volunteer time. Over 32,800 people have donated 293,127 volunteer hours, planted 95,737 native plants and trees, restored over 50 acres of riparian and upland habitat, and enhanced over 25,919 feet of streams.
Get application materials and information at www.portlandonline.com/bes/stewardship, call 503-823-7917 or email bridger.wineman@bes.ci.portland.or.us. Environmental Services will hold three grant workshops in January to help with the application process.
Tuesday, January 12
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Midland Library
805 SE 122nd Avenue
Wednesday, January 20
Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Central Library
801 SW 10th Avenue
Thursday, January 21
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
St. Johns Community Center
8427 N Central Street
Grant information will also be available at these January events.
Fix-it Fair
Saturday, January 9
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
David Douglas High School
1001 SE 135th Avenue
Fix-it Fair
Saturday, January 30
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Parkrose High School
12003 NE Shaver Street
CWSP is a partnership between the City of Portland's Environmental Services, Portland State University and Northwest Service Academy/AmeriCorps.
For more information, contact Linc Mann at 503-823-5328.