PDX SPLASH month long series of activities and events created to celebrate, honor, and amplify the importance of one of our city's most important natural resources, our water. Whether it's water conservation, and environmental stewardship, public accessibility and equity, or recreational activities we are a city that revolves around our rivers and waterways!

STEWARDSHIP
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies the responsible caretaking, planning and management of natural resources. PDX SPLASH Month specifically focuses on stewardship of water resources including but not limited to our lakes, rivers, tributaries, reservoirs, aquifers, and drinking water.

PRESERVATION
Preservation of our water resources is the protection and conservation of ecosystems in our streams, lakes, rivers, wetlands, oceans and seas. Marine and water preservation focusses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring systems impacted by human development. 

LOCAL
Local speaks to our sense of place, sufficiency, and reducing carbon footprints. Portland is a unique city with creative and progressive thinking. Local represents our commitment to keeping things local, and supporting small businesses, groups, organizations which help to preserve diversity, locally sourced goods, and equity.

ARTS
Art is a creative and powerful medium that is able to evoke awareness and deep feelings. Art is an expression or application of human creative skill and imagination as it is applied to advancing the greater mission of water stewardship, preservation, and sustainability. Activism and advocacy take many forms. We honor the powerful influence artistic endeavors have over the evolution of of consciousness. We amplify the voices of creatives provoking thought and promoting social change through artistic expression.

SUSTAINABILITY
Water sustainability embodies the approach required to manage our water resources and the services they provide to both humans and the natural world. In some circles, sustainability has come to mean maximizing human consumption of natural resources by pushing nature to the brink of capacity for the purposes of only of promoting human development. We do not believe this definition represents the true spirit behind the concept of natural balance. Sustainability should not be guided by a human centric approach. Instead, sustainability should be the pursuit of conservation and preservation strategies to maximize biodiversity and ecosystem health for all, humans being but one part of the natural world.

HERITAGE
Water is our ancestor. Water is our heritage. Heritage represents the legacy of tangible and intangible assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. We do not typically think of heritage in terms of the natural environment, but it is. The natural environment is part of the living legacy of the Earth, and all of its inhabitants. We celebrate this heritage by sharing water history and the influences it has had, and currently creates over culture, places, people, and the natural world. In sharing this heritage, we acknowledge and recognize the harms created by colonial history. We openly share and educate about harms that have robbed, and continue to rob our waters of health. We acknowledge the harms and decimation that has come to the indigenous communities, such as the Kalapuya people of the Willamette Valley. We serve as allies in the efforts of decolonization. We support and amplify voices, stories and narratives that will help Portlander's understand the true history of our waters, so that as a community we may learn, grow, repair, and build a better future.

In an effort to raise water awareness we invite organizations, community, groups, government agencies, businesses, and individuals to host a PDX SPLASH Month event. It is FREE to register your event. If accepted, your activity will be posted on the official PDX SPLASH Month Calendar and shared widely with the community.

To qualify your event:

--> Submit your event request by clicking on the register button. Fill out event registration form, and provide a detailed description explaining what your event is, and how it specifically seeks to support or amplify one or all of the SPLASH criteria.

--> Organize your event for a date in July (please check the SPLASH calendar and find a day not already competing with another event, unless you are doing an event collaboration).

What type of events are considered? 
Any event which helps bring the community together, to educate, inspire and generate awareness around Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability, Heritage of water! Types of events may include but are not limited to: symposiums, educational events or activities, demonstrations, gallery or art showings, performance art, water/beach clean-ups, water recreation, installations, exhibitions, book readings, water recreation, water healing arts, and more! 

PDX SPLASH Month does not fund or provide direct resources for events. PDX SPLASH Month is also not responsible for any personal, or organizational liabilities or risks associated with any events registered on the community PDX SPLASH Month calendar. Individual event organizers and hosts are solely responsible for any risks or liabilities that may arise due to hosting their events, and should ensure their events meet all public health and safety needs required to run their event.

Whereas, Portland is a port town surrounded by rivers and waterways leading to the Ocean, and is steeped in a history of economic development, colonization and industrialization. We acknowledge that the Willamette Valley, its tributaries, and the land Portland currently resides on was once the original home to the Kalapuya peoples.

Whereas, We also acknowledge the once open streams and lakes that existed across
Portland’s downtown, and what is now the NW industrial area. These waters included Tanner Creek, Couch Lake, Guilds Lake, and the Marquam Gulch which is now buried under I-5. The areas were destroyed for the purposes of creating sewer pipelines, and industrial expansion. In the beginning, Portland expansion efforts gave little thought to the indigenous communities living here, or the long-term consequences of pollution.

Whereas, In recognition of our history, and our obligation to repair, Portlanders remain committed to environmental protection, conservation, and stewardship, as well as creative efforts to inspire social and environmental change protecting Portland rivers and waterways.

Whereas, PDX SPLASH month is a month-long series of events taking place each July dedicated to water, river, and ocean awareness, specifically as it relates to the Willamette Valley, and it’s tributaries. Events include but are not limited to: outdoor activities, art events, educational symposiums, films, parades, and festivals. S.P.L.A.S.H. stands for Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability, and Heritage.

Whereas, PDX SPLASH month provides an opportunity for Portland creatives, local organizations, businesses, community, and advocacy groups as well as members of the public to participate and collaborate in activities all benefiting Portland’s mission to be a leading city in sustainability and environmental responsibility.