Keeping Our Waterways Clean

Best Management Practices to Prevent Pollution and to Protect Our Rivers & Streams

In many places in Wood Village, storm drains flow directly into a river or creek. To protect our natural waterways, City Code prohibits pouring or dumping anything into a storm drain. Learn about requirements and ways you can prevent pollution. Remember, only rain goes down a storm drain.

Report a Spill

If a spill/discharge event is an emergency, call 911.

If a spill/discharge is reportable, visit the Oregon Emergency Response System (OERS) website or call OERS and the Natural Response Center website or call the Natural Response Center.

Report a non-emergency spill/discharge online using our Report a Spill/Discharge tool or call us.

Report a Spill

How to Clean up a Small Spill

Step 1

Collect cleanup supplies (kitty litter, bag, broom, etc.)

Step 2

Spread the absorbent (the pads, pillows, newspaper, etc.) around the spill starting at the leading edge, from outside to inside.

Step 3

Wait for the spill to be absorbed; add more absorbent if needed.

Step 3

Properly dispose of materials. Larger spills might require disposals as household hazardous waste at the local landfill.

Tips for Clean Waterways

Dispose Properly

Compost or bag your leaves & lawn clippings
Don’t blow leaves or lawn clippings into the street
Sweep up any spills or overspray of fertilizers on sidewalks or streets

Fertilize Efficiently

Always follow the manufacturer’s application recommendations
Fertilizing in the early fall promotes healthy root system — leading to stronger, more resilient lawns & plants
Do NOT apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers under windy conditions, or when rain, snow, sleet or hail is predicted within the next 48 hours.

Be Car Smart

Use a commercial car wash, where water is recycled and sent to treatment facilities
Wash your car on the lawn or gravel
Dump your soapy bucket in the sink

Scoop It. Bag It. Trash It.

There are nearly 82,000 dogs in Multnomah County. On average, a dog excretes 0.75 pounds of waste per day, which adds up to nearly 12,000 tons of pet waste in our county per year!

Dog poop is classified as a pollutant not fertilizer. It can destroy grass.
Some dog poop contains harmful diseases.
Rain washes dog poop into streams and rivers, where we swim and get our drinking water.
Dog poop can be a hazard for other animals as well as people.
Cleaning up after your pet is always the right thing to do.

Stormwater Runoff

City of Wood Village Stormwater Inspection Program

The City of Wood Village holds a MS4 Phase II permit, serving a population less than 100,000 within a Census Bureau designated “urbanized area” (UA).

What Does This Mean?

The EPA has developed the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). NPDES attempts to reduce polluted stormwater runoff by requiring operators of Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) to implement best management practices to prevent contaminants from reaching our streams via stormwater runoff.

To maintain compliance, the City of Wood Village operates a Stormwater Inspection program based on federal, state, and local regulations. To learn more about what City requirements project developers must follow, visit our Stormwater Inspection Program page.

Wood Village Municipal Code Chapter 15.24

How Stormwater Runoff Creates Pollution

Rainwater flows from roofs, streets, or other surfaces into waterways, picking up pollutants as it goes. Ultimately, these pollutants end up in our natural waterways, lakes, streams, and oceans, creating health hazards for our communities and overall ecosystem, which is why implementing stormwater best management practices (BMPs) on a construction site is so important.

The Importance of Stormwater BMPs

Besides reducing pollutants in our waterways, there are a number of reasons to use stormwater BMPs at a construction site:

Protect workers and the public from polluted water runoff
Avoid costly delays by creating better flood control at the site
Protect sand, soil, and other materials used on the site
Fulfill legal obligations to reduce pollutants on construction sites
Protect water sources
Create environmental amenities, like ponds, rain gardens, and marshes, for waterfowl, native wildlife, and community recreation