Portland does see much of its rainfall go into the rivers of the Columbia and Willamette and out to sea.

Higher up in the EcoGreen scale toward a LEEDs Platinum could be in the following:

1. A tap of the in-river-energy from the channel waters’ freed-potential as it moves through the complex

2. Tap rainwater energy (in same manner as #1)

3. A first-of-its-kind water-powered amusement conveyance. And, as far-out and exotic as it might sound; a Portland version of Disneyland’s “It’s a Small World”, or the Las Vegas, Luxor Hotel & Casino subterranean ride, or the San Antonio, Texas, Riverwalk might go-with-the-flow well.

I recall watching one of Oregon’s progressive Congressional Representatives speak on connecting regional creeks and tributaries and remaking some into “Riverwalks” with features similar to those found in and along the San Antonio, Texas, Riverwalk. As cited was this water-feature having provided a huge economic boost to the region, with tangible environmental benefits, in addition to tourism and business.

I am looking at the storm driven state-of-emergency declarations and am seeing an increasing number of damages found within a five-mile radius of the banks of the Willamette River. Obvious to me is the negative side of water-energy and its destruction.

The old Salem Mission Mill “mill-race” was designed to rotate a 19th-century cast iron turbine that transfered water power to its gears, belts, cranks, and pulleys, while now in the 21st-century is still used to power all the lights on the facility, and its also a fish-friendly one.

I speculate a grid system of channels/canals through U.S. towns is a wee bit far-off, yet a resemblance of that has occurred in the United Kingdom through its rebuilding of the centuries old canal system. Tourism was something its creators never envisioned, but has been a watershed event for them, will be during the London Olympics 2012, and probably will be well into the future and centuries far distant. Go to for a sampling.

I look forward to the increasing dialogue on this an related subjects.

Warmest regards, Jeffrey

WHY do we keep putting up 8-story miserable buildings with zero design appeal? Have we not learned from Belltown in Seattle? They built tons of 6-story, totally square buildings that absolutely destroyed any possibility of character, vibrancy or pedestrian-friendliness. They finally learned too late in the process that they needed some stylish towers to mix things up.