DRAFT Approach for more closely integrating the
State of the River Report and Portland Watershed Management Plan Annual Report
1. We send a single, coordinated message soliciting report items…
by emailing from a new, shared email account
(e.g., rivers&watersheds@ci.portland.or.us; BTS says this is easy to set up and would allow each of us as owners to see what’s sent to us in one in-box; it would also allow people we email to Reply and be done with it…)
2. Message contents
a. this is a new effort to collaborate/coordinate SOTR/PWMPAR
b. short background on Why We Do the Reports (because Council requires them, for one reason)…
c. want to make it as easy as possible for people to contribute
d. we’re interested in actions that
• improve watershed function and water quality (preventing spills, installing ecoroofs, green streets, sumps, low-impact pesticide and herbicide management, streamside plantings, etc.)
• protect or restore natural areas (acquiring new lands, natural resource inventories or assessments, controlling invasive species, new mitigation programs, new revenue sources for protection)
• increase river access and experience by expanding the capacity to connect people to rivers and streams, key river access points or developments by…
o getting people out on the water (boat docks, boat ramps, lessons/training on safe boating,)
o getting people next to the water (walking trails, bike trails, adding bike lanes along key river avenues, providing for non-motorized use of bridges, tours that feature the river or go by the river, promenade construction, signage about river history or ecology, etc.)
• provide outreach and education on watersheds, rivers, good practices (classroom presentations, professional workshops, tours)
• help grow our river-based economy by
o keeping harbor industries a vital part of Portland’s economy
o increasing river tourism and recreation
o providing more chances for people to enjoy riverfront settings
o increasing uses or value of riverfront lands (returning areas to productive use);
o improving efficiency of approval processes relating to any of the above (e.g., streamlining processes for state and federal in-water work permits; ------)
• demonstrate partnerships with other bureaus or groups.
• are photo-documented (not to suggest if there are no photos of actions, they’re unimportant)…
e. we’re also interested in your river and watershed actions planned or priorities for the next 12-18 months…[or is this Rick-only?]
f. [Rick may ask specific individuals for statistics needed for the City’s river-related progress measures ]
g. wide range of ways to contribute
• phone call to (either of us?)
• referral to website
• sending/emailing existing documents
h. we’d be happy to brief individuals or a group on what we’re after
i. we request information by Monday, August 4. (?)
j. Matt and Rick will divvy up items for inclusion in their separate reports; there may be some phone-calling to clarify specifics…
k. contributors will get to review drafts of what Matt and Rick write-up.