Port officials discussed replacing and expanding floating treatment wetlands in the Terminal 4 stormwater pond, utilizing native plants to naturally filter pollutants and heavy metals from the water. Additionally, the Terminal 1 waterfront project incorporates environmental measures to improve aquatic habitat, such as using fish-friendly gravel and bubble curtains during dock reconstruction, alongside public displays highlighting the Columbia River watershed.
Wildlife_habitat
Port of Vancouver Board of Commissioners · Apr 14, 2026 · 28:01–28:19 · Watch on CVTV ↗
Keywords: wetlands watershed habitat
What was said
26:56 And we are also granted $3,918,936 to help us construct that later this year. Another project we've been working on since 2024, the port has been piloting basically the same system that we had at the terminal four pond, but at terminal two to pretreat storm water before it enters our biofiltration system shown here. This facility has been utilizing rental equipment just to prove the concept, and it's kept the port under those storm water benchmark values since we've installed it. So once that terminal four polishing system is constructed under operation, we'll be moving the port-owned equipment from that facility to this facility, just to alleviate all that rental equipment and put in port-owned equipment. And that should happen sometime in the first or second quarter of next year.
27:49 Another project we've been working on this year is replacing our floating treatment wetlands. We started piloting those back in the terminal four pond back in 2014. And floating treatment wetlands help improve storm water quality by reducing algae growth and removing pollutants like nutrients and heavy metals and suspended solids. And that's primarily through plant root uptake and their microbial biofilm development from being suspended in water. The pilot program showed really good results using natural products to help filter storm water, but unfortunately in 2024 when we had to dig out the pond, the remaining pilot floating wetlands that were in there just weren't salvageable. So we'll be purchasing new ones this year. We purchased 500 square feet of floating treatment wetland that'll include about 1,200 native plants.
28:45 It'll look similar to the pictures on the left on a larger scale. But we're gonna use more native plants for our area, like the ones pictured on the right there in our pilot study. So we're pretty excited to get those installed and going. Next slide. Well, that's all I have for updates, but we're really excited about these projects this year and just the continued success of our storm water management program here at the port. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. >> I do have a question. >> Go for it. >> Matt, what's the lifespan for the floating treatment islands?
Evidence (1 match)
direct keyword 28:01–28:19 wetlands, watershed, habitat
happen sometime in the first or second quarter of next year. Another project we've been working on this year is replacing our floating treatment wetlands. We started piloting those back in the terminal four pond back in 2014. And floating treatment wetlands help improve storm water quality by reducing algae growth and removing pollutants like nutrients and heavy metals and suspended solids. And that's primarily through plant root uptake and their microbial biofilm development from being suspend