Mission Possible: Capital Region’s ‘Bowker Creek Blueprint’ demonstrates that “Outreach is a Powerful Tool”
”People eagerly embrace the opportunities for engagement and education. They really want to share their thoughts and experiences. Residents have a stake in restoring watershed health. There is so much experience that we can mine. We who live in the watershed are the experts,” stated Soren Henrich.
City of Spokane wins prestigious EPA award for urban rain garden project
“The project demonstrates a low cost way to capture, treat and infiltrate stormwater runoff as close to where it falls as possible,” said Mayor Mary Verner. “The storm gardens have enhanced the beauty of Broadway Avenue and improved water quality by reducing the contaminants going to the Spokane River.”
Metro Vancouver Develops Design Guidelines to Complement Water Balance Model
“Our focus was on the technical details of practices in landscape areas that treat rainwater through plant materials and soils by infiltration, retention, detention and evapotranspiration”, states Ed von Euw. “The objective of this project was to reduce information barriers that previously stood in the way of effective implementation of rainwater source controls.”
BC Environment Minister Strengthens Metro Vancouver's Visionary Plan for Managing Rainwater Resources
“Member municipalities will develop a coordinated program to monitor stormwater and assess and report the implementation and effectiveness of Integrated Storm Water Management Plans (ISMP). The program will use a weight-of-evidence performance measurement approach,” stated Environment Minister Terry Lake.
Water Bucket publishes excerpts from "Beyond the Guidebook 2010" about why and how to re-focus ISMPs on outcomes
“Outcome-oriented planning is a problem-solving PROCESS. It is not a procedure. It is not a matter of applying a regulation or a checklist. Participants have to be committed to the outcome. Going through a process becomes talent development. Participants have to be committed to the outcome,” stated Tim Pringle.
City of Burnaby honours members of Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society with Environmental Awards
Louise Towell is a founder of the award-winning Stream of Dreams Murals Society that delivers a watershed education and community art program nationwide. With her persistence and dedication, Louise forged a partnership among streamkeepers, various City of Burnaby departments, local schools, firefighters and developers.
Integrated Rainwater Management Planning: Summary Report for ISMP Course Correction Series
“The genesis for ISMPs was a desire to integrate the community, engineering, planning and environmental perspectives. Local governments knew they had to do business differently to protect or restore watershed health,” states Robert Hicks.
VIDEO: "Why DOE drainage standards will not protect Puget Sound
“The consequence of the Department of Ecology's 'flow-duration' standard will be development that will result in exactly the opposite of a healthy watershed,” says Tom Holz.
Story #1 in the ISMP Course Correction Series: Re-Focus on Stream Health and Watershed Outcomes
“In integrating actions at four scales, the intended purpose of an ISMP is to provide a clear picture of how local governments can be proactive in applying land use planning tools to protect property and aquatic habitat, while at the same time accommodating land development and population growth,” states Peter Law.
VIDEO: CIty of Philadelphia sets sights on "the most comprehensive network of green infrastructure" in the United States
Video describes how city will deploy green roofs, absorptive pavement, and expanded park space to clean up Philadelphia’s water, and generally make the city a more pleasant place to live.