Restoring Paradise Creek

Toru Otawa, professor of landscape architecture and expert in the management and planning of regional watersheds, and students in his junior-level landscape architecture studio collaborated with the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) to help in the multi-institutional effort to restore Paradise Creek.

Originating in Moscow Mountain, Paradise Creek flows through Moscow to the Palouse River in Pullman, Wash. The creek, which flooded in 1996 causing thousands of dollars in damage in several communities, has been heavily impacted over the decades by urban development.

As part of the project, students examined the Paradise Creek Watershed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), they calculated flood probability and they developed feasible design solutions that included removing concrete channels and restoring wetlands. The students presented their ideas to the PCEI for consideration.

Impact

Floods are a rapidly increasing cause of natural disasters in the United States and world. Student projects like the Paradise Creek restoration raise awareness and help develop a new generation of designers that understand the significance of water as a critical agent in shaping regional landscapes.

THE GOALS

• Reduce potential flooding on campus and in the Moscow community
• Reduce impact of flooding downstream 
• Educate on importance of designing/building with nature 
• Enhance wildlife and recreational opportunities
  

Principal Contributors

Toru Otawa
Associate Professor
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Additional Contributors

Landscape Architecture Studio, junior-level students 

Partners 
Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute 
University of Idaho Facilities Services
City of Moscow engineers 
Washington State University