Tualatin SWCD: Urban Regen Ag & Water Funding Webinar
By Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund
TL;DR: Urban regenerative agriculture projects can achieve significant water savings and ecological restoration through integrated water conservation strategies and strategic funding.
- Implement rainwater harvesting systems for up to 50% water reduction.
- Utilize depaving methods to restore soil infiltration rates.
- Integrate native plants for carbon sequestration and hydrological benefits.
- Explore diverse funding for urban agriculture and restoration projects.
- Engage communities for successful, shared regenerative systems.
Why it matters: Implementing regenerative practices in urban settings offers powerful solutions for water scarcity, stormwater management, and biodiversity loss, directly impacting community resilience and local ecosystems.
Do this next: Explore local grants and cost-share programs for urban agriculture and water conservation projects, similar to the SWCD and NRCS offerings mentioned.
Recommended for: Urban practitioners, community leaders, and conservationists looking to implement and fund impactful green infrastructure projects.
This webinar by the Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District delivers an expert presentation on implementing urban regenerative agriculture projects with a strong focus on practical water conservation strategies at community scales. Core techniques covered include rainwater catchment systems design and installation, featuring step-by-step guidance on sizing cisterns (e.g., 5,000-10,000 gallon capacities for 1-acre sites), first-flush diverters to exclude roof contaminants, and pump integration for drip irrigation, achieving up to 50% reduction in municipal water use. Depaving methods are detailed with specifics like removing 1,000 sq ft of asphalt using excavators and jackhammers, followed by soil amendment with compost (2-4 inches depth) and native plantings to restore infiltration rates from <0.5 to >2 inches/hour. Native plant integration emphasizes species like Oregon white oak and red fescue for soil carbon sequestration (targeting 1-3% SOM increase in 3 years) and hydrologic benefits, including reduced stormwater runoff by 70% via biofiltration swales. Habitat restoration results from case studies show biodiversity gains with pollinator populations doubling and water quality improvements via 90% pollutant removal in restored wetlands. Funding avenues are comprehensively outlined, including SWCD grants up to $50,000, NRCS Urban Agriculture EQIP with 90% cost-share, and OWEB restoration funds requiring pre- and post-project monitoring via rain gauges and turbidity sensors. Practical implementation timeline: Year 1 site prep and depaving, Year 2 planting and catchment install, with ROI calculations showing payback in 5-7 years via water bill savings and grant reimbursements. Attendees gain actionable insights on community engagement, such as neighborhood co-ops for shared systems, and metrics like 100,000 gallons annual water capture per site, positioning this as a high-signal resource for urban practitioners scaling regenerative water management.