Stormwater Management in Portland

Bioswales & Bioretention

We provides environmentally-friendly methods to manage stormwater runoff, offering bioswales and bioretention basins that filter and slow the drainage of stormwater. We also provide regular maintenance and annual check-up services to keep these systems working as designed.

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Dry Well Decommissioning in Portland, Oregon

Dry Wells

We have years of experience with dry well sampling, dry well maintenance, dry well decommissioning and seepage pits in Portland, Oregon. Dry Wells are a common means of stormwater management in the Pacific Northwest. All designs, except those that service only residential rooftops, are required to be registered with the Oregon DEQ.

Portland Stormwater Services

Alpha Environmental offers a number of different remedies to everyday stormwater issues in Portland. Some of the services offered include the following:

Maintenance 

Just like a car requires regular check-ups to ensure proper functionality, the same can be said about stormwater systems. Often times, improper maintenance and upkeep of various inlets, septic systemsdry wells, bioswales, and catch basins may lead to clogging and overflow. Some common problems with stormwater systems include the following:

  • Debris buildup 
  • Chemical build-up
  • Oil contamination
  • Sewage contamination
  • Organic and Inorganic chemical build-up

Inspection And Testing

  • Stormwater sampling
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP)
  • Drywell permitting and decommissioning

What Is Stormwater?

On a heavy precipitation day, most people can often expect flooded streets, parking lots, and other urban areas. In the event of hail, snow, or rain, the precipitation that flows into our storm drains is fittingly known as Stormwater. 

In natural landscapes with no development, stormwater is usually absorbed into the soil or forms bodies of water. This provides needed water to animals and plants as well as replenishes reserves of ground and surface water.  

In urban and residential areas, stormwater falls onto hard, nonabsorbent surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, rooftops, or parking lots. Much of the water collected in these areas are swept across said surfaces, generating run-off water. 

Stormwater Systems

To mitigate overflow, residential and municipal stormwater collection and conveyance systems have been set to drain the run-off stormwater. Here are a few of those systems:

  • Dry Wells
  • Catch Basins
  • Street Inlets
  • Storm Drains
  • Stormwater Basins
  • Bioswales
  • Pervious Pavement

Pollutants

Stormwater passes through a wide variety of natural and artificial environments. In doing so, it often sweeps through organic and inorganic constituents along its watercourse through storm drains and conveyance systems. This, in turn, provides a transport for a number of pollutants and debris.

Knowing what pollutants are being carried into natural waterways is a crucial first step towards maintenance, monitoring and remediation. Here at Alpha Environmental, we undergo due process inspection and testing protocols to pinpoint the source and its contribution to the overall pollutant load. This is to ensure the proper course of action.

 The constituents of concern for stormwater, especially in Portland, include inorganic and organic chemicals such as metals, compounds, bacteria, and miscellaneous suspended solids and debris. Most municipalities and residential areas use sewer systems and street inlets to flush the flooding stormwater into greater bodies of water such as the ocean, rivers, streams or lakes. Despite this, investments in urban infrastructure have created new ecologically and environmentally-friendly ways to combat contaminated run-off water channels. 

Stormwater Pretreatment

Clean Water Act & Green Solutions

To remedy the surface water/stormwater pollution, the federal government created a bill known as the Clean Water Act, which places regulations on the discharge of contaminants and pollutants that are run-off into rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans; it is regulated and enforced at a federal level by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by State programs, in Oregon, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has implemented the Water Quality Program to meet these requirements; local municipalities may have additional regulations. To meet the regulations, pretreatment systems such as bioretention, filtered dry wells and others steadily became a part of urban life. These green solutions are known as Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Low-Impact Developments (LIDs). 

Bioretention

To combat stormwater pollution and overflow run-off, bio-retentive systems known as bioswales were invented to recycle and filter run-off water. Simply put, most bioswales are constructed linear channels that guide, filter and recycle runoff stormwater. Its uses include recharging groundwater and filtering debris that often finds its way into urban storm inlets. Most bioswales serve a dual purpose as it restores natural water cycles and contributes to overall urban aesthetics. Like regular inlets and drains, bio-retention systems require regular maintenance and annual check-ups.

Contact Us

A trusted member of our team will reach out within 1 business day to schedule

Why Choose Alpha Environmental

Our goal is to get the job done right while protecting our client. We are committed to ensuring you are safe in your residence, no matter what. We are fully licensed, bonded, insured, and here to help with all of your environmental needs.

Family Owned & Operated

We pride ourselves on strong company values that translate into service levels which go above and beyond average service providers

21+ Years Experience

For over two decades we've been doing the dirty work, serving residential and commercial customers in the greater Portland area

Care & Ownership

Our entire team is committed to ensuring your home or place of business is safe and every job gets done the right way

David D.
Lake Oswego, OR
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My wife and I experienced a hot water pipe busting in the crawlspace. It has been a total nightmare. However, Chris and his team provided expert quality care, with timeliness and the greatest degree of professionalism. I would HIGHLY recommend Alpha Enviornmental!
Zhanna S.
Beaverton, OR
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Can’t say enough about Alpha Environmental! Their costumer service is 10/10, they have really good systems in place, responsive, and professional. The gals in the scheduling department are always so kind! As a real estate agent, I use Alpha’s services numerous times a year. Either it’s for Mold bids, oil tank decommissioning, radon etc. They always do a fantastic job! Thank you for all the work you do!
Kristen L.
Portland, OR
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Wow where do I even begin?? We’re absolutely thrilled by the work Alpha has done for us and we’re eternally grateful to them for ridding our house of asbestos tile! They’re polite, kind, professional — from estimator Filo to manager Dame to Jake, Melvin and the other two guys on the crew (so sorry we didn’t get your names) — you guys are awesome and we so appreciate your help. Our house looks amazing. The peace of mind you’ve given us is priceless. We can’t thank you enough. We’ll certainly be in back in touch if we ever need any of your services again. Thank you thank you!!!
Jeff S.
Salem, OR
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Alpha environmental's employees were punctual, pleasant to work with and there services are reasonably priced. I highly recommend them because I would use them again in the future.
Lea C.
Tualatin, OR
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Took a water sample in for lead testing and they were so fast and helpful. Rodolfo was so nice and informative in explaining the testing and what it meant! Would definitely recommend everyone to go there and will go to them for any future needs!
Claire B.
Portland, OR
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Alpha environmental was extremely helpful in navigating me through the process of testing some leftover construction debris for asbestos so I could take it to the dump. Their office manager spent time with me on the phone discussing the options for sample collection, and was extremely friendly in answering my many questions. Sample drop off at the office was easy and the results even came back a few days earlier than expected. Will definitely return if I need more sampling done!
Jeff C.
Tigard, OR
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I would highly recommend anyone wanting, quick efficient services relating to environmental testing to check out Alpha Environmental. Not only was the staff friendly and responsive, but also professional! If I could 6 stars out of 5, I would!
Jotham P.
Portland, OR
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We used Alpha Environmental Services to conduct our home inspection, radon testing, sewer scope and oil tank decommissioning. Every part of their service was really professional. They took so many great photos of the house during the inspection and offered lots of explanation on what they found. Great team. Highly recommend!
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A trusted member of our team will reach out within 1 business day to schedule