Portland’s Vulnerability to Flooding: Mitigation and Restoration Strategies

Executive Summary

• Portland’s climate and topography make floods a possibility in many areas of the city and the surrounding areas.
• With the potential risks, it’s necessary to take steps to prevent flooding, like flood-preventive landscaping, catch basin maintenance, and dry well installation.
• Home and business owners can take several steps to both prevent flooding and protect their property if a flood does happen.
• A professional service can help property owners along the mitigation and remediation processes.

Portland is a relatively safe area with few natural hazards to worry about. Still, flooding is a risk that can happen almost anywhere, so it’s helpful to be prepared no matter where you are. With an average of 42 inches of rainfall each year and a unique topography that features multiple local waterways and floodplains, Portland home and business owners must be especially aware of the potential threat of floods.

With over 21 years of experience serving Oregon residents, Alpha Environmental understands the potential flooding risks that face Portland and the surrounding areas. This guide covers flood risks in Portland, flood mitigation strategies that can prepare and protect their property, and what residents and business owners should be aware of.

Why Is Portland Vulnerable to Flooding?

Portland’s geography leaves it more vulnerable to flooding than other regions. For one, Portland receives heavy amounts of rainfall each year. Plus, the city is also in close proximity to rivers, creeks, and other bodies of water like the Johnson Creek and the Columbia and Willamette rivers. This combination creates the perfect formula for potential flooding.

During the winter, Portland sees significant amounts of rainfall that can build up on surface streets and overwhelm storm management systems. Then, as we move away from the winter, snowmelt in the mountains can lead to floods as the runoff comes down to join local waterways. Especially after seasons of heavy snowfall, this runoff can overwhelm water systems and fill some of the several floodplains in Portland.

With Portland’s vulnerability to flooding, it’s important that residents in and around Portland practice flood preparedness. Fortunately, protecting your property against the risks of floods can be as simple as installing flood-preventive landscaping or maintaining a storm drain.

Flood Prevention Strategies for Portland

It’s crucial to always be prepared for flood risks, no matter where you are. You can assess your risk for floods to determine how to prepare. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) produces Flood Insurance Rate Maps that outline areas with greater threats for flooding. From there, you can start to devise a plan for stormwater management to protect your property.

The following are important potential steps for flood prevention:

• Understand your risk – Use resources like the Flood Insurance Rate Maps and know where Portland’s and the surrounding area’s floodplains are so that you are aware of potential risks and able to respond if a flood does occur.
• Install bioswales – Bioswales and bioretention basins are landscaped depressions on a property that can direct water to an area and contain it with native plants and soil to absorb the water. 
• Construct flood barriers – If a flood risk is an immediate threat, flood barriers may include sandbags or plastic barriers. You can also use natural flood barriers like plants and landscaping to help protect your property against water from building up on your property.
• Use flood-friendly landscaping – Floods are often unpredictable, and it can be hard to get ahead of a flood threat. Flood-friendly landscaping with tools like bioswales, water absorbent plants, and sloping water away from structures can all help to minimize flood risks on a property. 
• Install a dry well – Dry wells capture stormwater from the ground level and direct it into the soil and the local water system to prevent water from building up on the ground surface.
• Maintain catch basins – Catch basins require regular maintenance to prevent sediment buildup and keep them functioning properly. Consider consulting a professional service for catch basin cleaning and maintenance on at least an annual basis or more, depending on your property.

Alpha Environmental supports home and business owners with bioswale and bioretention system installation, dry well maintenance, catch basin maintenance, and more. Our team has extensive experience and will pull out all the necessary stops to ensure that your property is in its best condition to handle a flood event.

Flood Restoration Strategies in Portland

Unfortunately, flood prevention strategies can only go so far, and sometimes restoration is necessary if a flood event does occur. Although flood restoration can be a stressful process, there are several steps that business owners can take to alleviate the burden.

The following steps can help support a strong restoration strategy:

• Consider flood insurance – Most home and business insurance options If you are in a flood-prone area, exploring flood insurance options in advance may provide you with some security and peace of mind.
• Have a plan – Part of protecting your property from a flood is having an action plan if it occurs. Have a plan for how you will respond to a flood event and protect your property to minimize the need for an extensive restoration process.
• Inspect for signs of water damage – After a flood event, inspecting for signs of water damage will allow you to understand how much of your home was affected so that you can conduct full repairs.  
• Contact a professional service – The best way to handle a flood restoration is to leave it in the hands of a professional restoration team. Professional services will be able to identify the full scope of the issue and address it accordingly.

Alpha Environmental is here to support businesses and homeowners with flood remediation and restoration. We’ll assess the full scope of the flood damages, identifying all water damage, performing comprehensive mold inspections, and conducting a full water damage restoration to get your property back to its best possible condition.

How Alpha Environmental Services Can Help

The abundant rainfall and waterways in and around Portland make the area a greater risk for flooding than other areas. Oregon residents should make flood prevention a priority to minimize the risk of flood damage.

Alpha Environmental can help—we work diligently to support residents and businesses throughout Portland and surrounding areas in Oregon in flood remediation and prevention. We’re available 24/7 to respond to flood emergencies and ensure you have the support you need to protect and restore your property.

We support flood prevention and restoration efforts through a variety of methods. Whether you need a bioretention system installation, catch basin maintenance, or dry well maintenance, we can help. If you do experience a flood event, we can support you with a thorough restoration to get your property back in order, including performing mold inspections. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support you in flood prevention and restoration strategies