City of Portland Coins RAIN Acronym as an Alternative to 'Stormwater' Management

"Integrate Water and Vegetation to Transform Our Cities," advocates Tom Liptan

At the Water in the City Conference held in Victoria, British Columbia in September 2006, Tom Liptan of Portland, Oregon informed his Canadian audience that the City Portland has coined the acronym RAIN to contrast contemporary ‘rainwater management’ with traditional ‘stormwater management’, where: 

• RAIN = Retaining And Integrating Nature

A landscape architect with the Bureau of Environmental Services, Tom Liptan has been the driving force behind the research and development of new urban techniques, codes and policies in the City of Portland. His work has been recognized internationally and he has presented papers at conferences and Universities in the USA, Canada, England, New Zealand, Denmark and Sweden.  A book titled Rain Gardens by Dunnett and Clayton, 2007, has a dedication to his efforts.  He is co-author of the chapter “Stormwater Gardens” in Handbook of Water Sensitive Planning and Design, 2002.

“The language-shift that you have initiated in British Columbia is what we would like to see happen in Portland. This is one reason why the Bureau of Environmental Services has coined the RAIN acronym. We believe this will help promote changes in thinking and practice so that we achieve beneficial outcomes," stated Tom Liptan.

“Rainwater management is all about developing in a way that restores the function and value of trees, soil and open space in our communities. If we develop today with long-term sustainability in mind, future generations can enjoy a vibrant city and clean and healthy rivers, instead of bearing the burden of our actions."

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