All's Swale that Ends Swale

I admit, I've wanted to use that title for a long time and took a photo of one of the neighborhood swales just so I could. But it's also pretty cool. The city of Portland has a number of Green Street Projects that include these attractive and beneficial swales where parking strips used to be. According to the city's website, swales benefit the urban environment by

* Reducing polluted stormwater entering rivers and streams;
* Improving pedestrian and bicycle safety;
* Diverting stormwater from the sewer system
* Reducing impervious surfaces;
* Increasing urban green space;
* Improving air quality and reducing air temperatures

among other qualities. I love seeing these in the neighborhoods. They aren't all as attractive as this one, with the little wooden footbridge, but they sure beat the dead grass and garbage you often see on urban streets.

If you want to learn more about the Green Streets Project, here's some information.