On March 8, our second Soak It Up! event took place at 16th and Jackson streets in South Philly. Neighbors joined city officials and PWD employees to celebrate the stormwater tree trenches that absorb runoff and make 16th Street a green street. Above, children from the neighborhood plant flowers around the trees.

PWD commissioner Howard Neukrug, Newbold Civic Association's Naomi Geschwind and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson after the ribbon-cutting.

These kids are both expert gardeners and professional chalk artists.

Another PWD-sponsored yarn bombing by ishknits

Photo: Mia Rotondo

Attention artists: Enter now to participate in the third annual Art In The Open, an opportunity for artists to create their work along the banks of the Schuylkill River. Taking place May 18-20, Art In The Open inspires Philadelphians to see the Schuylkill in a new light and draw inspiration from our environment. Painters, sculptors, installation artists and designers will line the banks of the Schuylkill, from the Fairmount Water Works to Bartram's Garden, for the three-day event.

The deadline for artist entries is February 10. Click here for more information on participating.

PWD's Watersheds blog closes out the year with a list of 11 green missions accomplished in 2011, from innovative stormwater management projects and stream restorations to groundbreaking policy agreements and energy-generating solar arrays.

View of City Hall from the green roof bus shelter

Merry Christmas—and remember that good things come in small packages. Such is the case for PWD's green roof bus shelter demonstration project at 15th and Market streets. It's only 60 square feet, but its debut in June showed the city that green stormwater management can happen one small space at a time. We hope this project inspires Philadelphia residents to undertake their own green projects at home.

PWD's Watersheds blog closes out the year with a list of 11 green missions accomplished in 2011, from innovative stormwater management projects and stream restorations to groundbreaking policy agreements and energy-generating solar arrays.

On Nov. 1, city officials broke ground on Venice Island in Manayunk, the site of a $46 million project whose main component is a large underground storage basin that will prevent stormwater runoff from entering the Schuylkill River. The basin has the capacity to store 4 million gallons of water, and some speculate that it could have prevented flooding near Main Street and Shurs Lane during Hurricane Irene. But there's plenty more to be excited about, including the construction of a new performance arts center, a sprayground and larger basketball courts. The hockey rink and 3,200-square-foot playground currently on the site will be replaced one-for-one.

For more information, check out our Venice Island web page.