Skip sidebar navigation
Environmental Services

Stormwater Tree Wells

The City is planting trees in Gresham neighborhoods and building tree wells to help filter stormwater naturally.

  • What is a Stormwater Tree Well?
  • Benefits
  • Maintenance
What is a Stormwater Tree Well?

How it works

  • An inlet carries stormwater runoff from the street into a tree well, where it soaks into the soil.
  • The soil and microbes around the tree roots filter and break down pollutants.
  • The tree and soil absorb some of the water and the extra water flows back out into the catch basins.
Benefits

Benefits of a stormwater tree well:

  • Naturally filters street pollutants to reduce the amount of toxins reaching streams. 
  • Provides more shade to streets that don't have enough during hot weather.
  • Supports the growth of healthy trees.
Maintenance
  • The City's stormwater staff design, plan and maintain stormwater tree wells.
  • City staff water and trim trees as needed. 

Tree well projects

Rockwood Neighborhood

Rockwood tree planting

We planted 43 trees in the Rockwood neighborhood. The Rockwood neighborhood was chosen because it has very few trees. Planting more trees adds shade and helps cool the area during hot weather.  Project work included:

  • Building stormwater tree wells along the streets.
  • Planting 35 trees in the new tree wells and eight more trees in existing planters.

Project funding

The City received grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Burnside

We are constructing 30-40 stormwater tree wells along Burnside. They will treat polluted stormwater runoff and add shade.

Project work includes:

  • Building stormwater tree wells along the streets.
  • Replacing sidewalk and curb next to the tree wells.
  • Planting new trees in the tree wells.

Schedule

  • Fall 2026 - Winter 2027
  • Work hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and Friday, 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

What to expect

  • Construction equipment
  • Street lane closures
  • Sidewalk closures

Go slow in construction areas.

Project funding

The City received grant funding from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) Community Green Infrastructure Program.

Powell

Work scheduled for Fall 2027.

1 of 3

  • Stormwater tree wells on NE Burnside Road at NE Cleveland Avenue are helping filter pollutants from the street and provide shade.

  • Stormwater tree wells along East Burnside.

  • Stormwater tree wells in the North Central neighborhood. 

Contact

For more information, call the Department of Environmental Services at 503-618-2525.