Last year, we posted about a project underway in the Ash Creek Natural Area portion of Dickinson Park in southwest Portland. 

Construction to protect the exposed sewer pipe in the stream wrapped up in the fall. The project also stabilized the stream channel and improved in-stream habitat at key locations, which helps improve water quality and habitat in South Ash Creek. Check out the photos here from before and during the construction.

Here’s the site this spring, with native plants starting to grow in:

We monitored the project over the winter to see how the stream enhancement design performed during storms. Stormwater from the I-5 freeway is directed to South Ash Creek just upstream of the project site. Even before the vegetation grew in, the stream handled a large amount of water during a heavy rain storm – as shown in the photo below. 

Ash Creek is a tributary to Fanno Creek, which flows into the Tualatin River. To learn more about the current condition of the watershed, check out the Fanno Creek Watershed Report Card.