Thermal Loading Offsets
Project Description
Clean Water Services (CWS) is an independent special services district in Northwestern Oregon, operating in wastewater and storm water management, among other functions. In order to mitigate in-stream temperature increases produced by wastewater treatment, CWS invests in landscape projects that cool stream water. This project is now serving as a model for other cities in Oregon, such as Ashland, that are looking for alternatives to mechanically cooling treated effluent.
Participants: 93% of the watershed is privately owned, much of that being in farmland. Payments are a large incentive f...
Project Map
County: Multnomah County, OR; Washington County, OR
Project Sites
- CWS Administrative Building
- CWS Forest Grove Treatment Plant
- CWS Treatment Facility
- Tualatin SWCD Office
- West Multnomah SWCD Office
Goals and Targets
Primary Motivations:
-
Conservation Mission
To preserve land and habitat in the watershed -
Financial Incentive
To compensate landowners for land management changes -
Mitigation
TMDL for temperature
Primary Goals:
-
To provide incentive for landowners to protect the services that watersheds provide. Water temperature is targeted by enhancing riparian vegetation to shade streams.
Progress: Please refer to the primary contact, supplementary materials, or the project website.
Targeted Habitats:
- Aquatic
- Rivers and Streams
- Forests and Woodlands
- Human Habitats
- Agriculture
- Pasture / Hay
- Cultivated Crops
- Old Field, Abandoned Cropland or Recent Clearcuts
- Wetlands and Riparian Habitats
- Lowland Riparian Forests and Shrublands
Targeted Species:
No targeted species were identified for this project.
Conservation Actions
| Action | Status | Start Year | End Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant native riparian, wetland or aquatic vegetation | Ongoing Management | 2004 | -- |
| Create or maintain aquatic habitat buffers | Ongoing Management | 2004 | -- |
Outcomes
Is the success of this project's actions being monitored? No/UnknownLessons Learned and/or Suggestions for Similar Activities
Benefits: Over the first five years of the crediting program, CWS reduced their net thermal loading to 0 kcal. Ancillary benefits include erosion prevention, carbon sequestration, runoff filtering, and habitat expansion. Challenges: Landowners are reluctant to give up any rights to the land.