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Daylighting buried waterways—show the flow—image gallery

De-pave and re-enliven…

Daylighting the Cheong Gye Cheon River
in Seoul, South Korea

Before daylighting the Gheong Gye Cheon River pre-2005.
The river is buried underneath an elevated highway, Seoul, South Korea. Photo is part of a historic photo tile mosaic along the now daylighted river.
After daylighting Cheong Gye Cheon River in fall 2007.
Now daylighted, the water flows freely again, and it is full of life. During the weekend, thousands of people come to this 10 km long river park for exercise, people watching, performances, art openings, dancing, food, and more. Ducks and fish swim in the water. Butterflies and birds fly about.
My favorite sculpture are the three crumbling pillars in the water flow that used to support the now demolished freeway that had once covered the river.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
After daylighting of Gheong Gye Cheon River.
The Gwangtonggyo Bridge built in 1410, in the background, was rediscovered and renovated when the river was daylighted here beside city hall.
Modern footbridge in the foreground.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Placard describing history of the Gwangtonggyo Bridge rediscovered and restored when the Cheong Gye Cheon River was daylighted.
After daylighting river.
Gheong Gye Cheon River Festival in 2008.
On average, the river park attracts 60,000 people per day. Its become a major draw for tourists as well as residents.
Photo (C) Michael Sotnikov, https://www.flickr.com/photos/stari4ek/
Cheong Gye Cheon River restoration placard.
Daylighted Cheong Gye Cheon River, fall 2007.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Daylighted Cheong Gye Cheon River, fall 2007.
The river paths are a wonderful respite from the car-dominated roads above.
This photo was taken on a weekday. On weekends there are tens of thousands of people enjoying the 10km of river park.
Photo: Brad Lancaster


Daylighting one city block of buried waterway
at Los Angeles Ecovillage, California

Before daylighting buried waterway.
Waterway is culverted and buried under this road.
Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
After daylighting waterway.
Previously culverted and buried waterway is now uncovered and daylighted in a block of city street that has been converted to a neighborhood park.
This is one block east of the previous photo.
Los Angeles Eco-Village, Los Angeles, California.
Photo: Brad Lancaster


Daylighting section of Dolph Creek
at Headwaters Project in Portland, Oregon

The site of the Headwaters project before redevelopment and the daylighting of Dolph Creek.
Red arrow denotes the buried section of the creek.
Blue arrow denotes unburied section of the creek.
Note the vacant triangle and curved road in the foreground. Both will be turned into a water-harvesting park with daylighted stormwater flow.
Portland, Oregon.
Site plan for the now the completed Headwaters project, which includes daylighting section of Dolph Creek (highlighted by blue flow arrow) in the middle of the development.
Red arrow denotes where water flow gets buried in a culvert pipe once it leaves the project and passes under the adjoining road.
Portland, Oregon.
The now-daylighted Dolph Creek running between Village senior housing (left) and Dolph Creek Townhomes (right) in 2009.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
After three more years of growth. Same shot as previous photo, but taken in 2012.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Dolph creek running between the Headwaters Apartments at their entrance, 2009.
Dave Elkin, at left, was my generous guide, and the City of Portland Environmental Service, Landscape Architect, Sustainable Stormwater Management. Thanks Dave!
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Headwaters Apartments entrance, 2012.
Red arrow denotes where the daylighted flow gets buried again as it heads under the street via a culvert pipe.
Photo: Brad Lancaster


Daylighting flows upstream of Dolph Creek
within the Headwaters Project development,
Portland, Oregon

These flows, denoted by blue arrows, can eventually overflow as surface flow into the daylighted section of Dolph Creek in a big storm event. But the vast majority of the flow is infiltrated within, and filtered by, the vegetation and living soils of the water-harvesting landscape.

The rapid infiltration of the stormwater into the soil and plants, along with the slow release, or lingering, of that moisture long into the dry season; reduces flooding and minimizes drought, while enhancing the health and water flows of the creek and its groundwater table.

The flow is all visible. It is not buried and hidden. This saves a lot of money and resources, enlightens/teaches those that interact with it, and grows a lot more life and potential.

Roof runoff from each Dolph Creek Townhome on left is directed to its own rain garden next to building. Those rain gardens overflow to street, which directs its runoff flow to rain gardens on left that freely irrigate the trees growing to shade street and townhomes.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Flow-through rain gardens bring life to a very urban context, receiving driveway and road runoff at Dolph Creek townhomes, Portland, Oregon.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Roof runoff is directed to a raised planter, which then overflows to another planting area beside sidewalk.
Building wall is coated with water-proof material where it meets the planter’s water and soil.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Another view of Dolph Creek townhome seen in the previous photo.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Another view of Dolph Creek Townhomes seen in the previous photo.
Street runoff is directed into a well-vegetated rain garden, while roof runoff is directed to the buildings’ planting beds.
Photo: Brad Lancaster

Showing the flow along public street and walkway near the Headwaters Project, Portland, Oregon

South of the Headwaters Project on SW Marigold St, the road has been narrowed to calm traffic, protect cars parked on-street, and harvest street runoff to grow heat-island-abating vegetation.
Blue arrows denote water flow.
Photo: Brad Lancaster, 2012
Different view of the roadside rain garden seen in previous photo.
There are curb cuts along the street curb and the sidewalk curb to allow stormwater to flow into the rain garden.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Another view of street-side curb cut seen in previous photo.
Note the minimum 2-inch drop from curb cut inlet to bed of rain garden. You want this vertical drop to speed up the flow at the inlet, so the debris carried by the runoff will flow into the rain garden; instead of having flow slow at the inlet, drop out the debris it is carrying, and have a debris dam form at the inlet.
I don’t see the need for the metal cap atop the curb cut.
Photo: Brad Lancaster
Another view of the sidewalk curb cut allowing sidewalk runoff into the rain garden.
Good system, though I like to ask the question: how could this be done without using so much concrete?
Photo: Brad Lancaster


Daylighting the flow
within a public water-harvesting park
next to the Headwaters Project, Portland, Oregon

Parking lot runoff from parking lot (of Barbur Place apartment complex across the street [SW 30th Ave] from the Headwaters Project) is directed into a water-harvesting park where there used to be a curving paved road and a barren triangular-shaped vacant lot.
Photo: Brad Lancaster, 2012
Another view of the water-harvesting park seen in the previous photo.
The blue flow arrows on the other side of the parking lot, show the runoff flow from the apartment complex parking lot into the park.
Blue flow arrows in the foreground show how street runoff is directed into a well-vegetated rain garden between street curb and sidewalk.
Photo: Brad Lancaster, 2012
Another view of the water-harvesting park seen in the previous photo.
The blue flow arrows show how street runoff is directed into the park via a steel scupper that passes the water under the sidewalk.
Photo: Brad Lancaster, 2012
Water harvesting park across the street from the Headwaters Project (which can be seen in the background).
Blue water flow arrow on left is where there used to be a paved road.
Other blue water flow arrows show how well stormwater is spread and infiltrated throughout the water-harvesting park. This provides ample free irrigation water, flood control, and bioremediation (natural filtering) of the stormwater.
Red water flow arrow denotes where the water flow enters a culvert pipe passing under the street to right.
Photo: Brad Lancaster, 2012
Dolph Creek and the overflow from the water-harvesting park after it passes under SW Dolph Ct via a culvert pipe (denoted by red line).
Photo: Brad Lancaster

For more…

See the new, full-color, revised editions of Brad’s award-winning books
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Book Cover #1

Volume 1

THE book to enable you to assess all your free on-site waters, then create an integrated water harvesting plan.

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Book Cover #2

Volume 2

Lots of step-by-step instructions on how to design, build, and plant many different kinds of rain gardens for many different contexts.

And be sure to read

chapter 8:
Reducing Hardscape, Harvesting Its Runoff, and Creating Permeable Paving

and chapter 9:
Diversion swales and its real life examples on daylighting buried waterways and more.

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