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Construction continues on enhancements to the Portland International Airport deicing system. The construction began in August 2009, is expected to conclude by December 2010, and was designed to not interfere with air or road traffic or with ongoing deicing activities during inclement weather.
The Port designed the enhanced system in partnership with PDX air carriers and regulatory agencies to better protect water quality in the Columbia Slough. The enhanced system:
- Expands the existing system to capture storm water runoff containing deicing materials from the western airfield
- Increases storage capacities for concentrated and dilute runoff
- Adds an on-site anaerobic treatment facility
- Includes a Columbia River outfall, which was completed in January 2010
- Will treat concentrated effluent prior to discharge to the Columbia River in compliance with permit requirements
An environmental review of the project was completed in September 2009. This process included an approved National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and a Biological Opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Biological Opinion determined that there will be no significant impacts from the project construction to endangered salmon in the Columbia or Lower Willamette rivers.
The entire project is part of an agreement with DEQ to ensure the Port meets environmental regulations for deicing operations while maintaining safe airport operations. After the construction period, a Port contractor will commission the new system and test over the 2010-2011 winter. During the 2011-2012 winter, the Port will conduct start-up testing. We are required to have a fully operational expanded system by April 2012, our compliance date with DEQ.
Project History
The Port's deicing stormwater runoff collection system became operational in November 2003, after extensive collaboration with citizens, airlines, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Columbia Slough Watershed Council, and other stakeholders. The $31-million system took three years to construct. It protects the Columbia Slough through the monitoring, collection, treatment, and controlled release of deicing stormwater runoff to the slough and City of Portland sanitary system.
DEQ regulates the discharge of deicing storm water runoff to the slough through a deicing permit issued to the Port of Portland and co-permittees. Deicing runoff can temporarily reduce dissolved oxygen in water as it biodegrades. The reduced dissolved oxygen can be unhealthy to aquatic life.
During the winter seasons of 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, low water flows in the Slough contributed to exceedances of the deicing permit. Although the deicing system works well, the low rate of water flow in the Slough limits the discharge of deicing stormwater runoff. In response to the exceedances, the Port and co-permittees constructed a number of system modifications beginning in 2003, at a cost over $4 million, to further improve the system's effectiveness and began work on a larger project to enhance the system. Port Commissioners approved a conceptual design of more significant enhancements to the deicing system in May 2007, and the project team completed schematic design in June 2008 and final design in June 2009.