Integrated Rainwater Management Planning: Leaders by Example
ISMP Course Correction Series
During the period November-December 2010, the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia released a 5-part series about considerations driving a course correction in the way ‘Integrated Stormwater Management Plans’ (ISMPs) are undertaken. In February 2011, the Action Plan released the Summary Report for ISMP Course Correction Series.
“To guide those about to embark upon an ISMP process, we recognized the need to provide a consolidated reference source. The Summary Report is actually a compendium: a front-end plus all five documents in the ‘ISMP Course Correction Series’. The front-end is complete with a set of five recommendations,” states Kim Stephens, Executive Director of Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.
Holistic Watershed-Based Approaches
As the stories in Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia demonstrate, there are many champions in local government.
“The City of Surrey, Bowker Creek Initiative and District of North Vancouver stand out because of their sustained commitment to outcome-oriented approaches: Establish the vision, set the target, and then implement,” observes Corino Salomi of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). He is Area Manager, Oceans, Habitat & Enhancement Branch, Lower Fraser Area.
Why Each is a Leader
“Surrey has more ISMP experience than any other jurisdiction in BC. Now in its fifth decade of continuous implementation experience, the City continues to evolve and adapt a watershed–based approach that incorporates lessons learned in getting green infrastructure built right,” reports Carrie Baron, the City’s Manager of Drainage and Environment.
“The Bowker Creek Initiative demonstrates what can be accomplished through a regional team approach. Four partner local governments are implementing the Bowker Creek Blueprint. This is a 100-Year Action Plan to restore the watershed landscape in the heart of the Capital Region,” states Jody Watson, Chair of the Bowker Creek Initiative.
“The District of North Vancouver is working towards a District-wide ISMP. The current Official Community Plan Update has created the opportunity to embed the vision for a Watershed Landscape Restoration Strategy. Over time, this strategy would restore the rainfall absorption capacity of its watersheds, one property at a time,” reports Richard Boase, the District’s Environmental Protection Officer.
Planning Framework
Lessons learned by those who have developed watershed-based plans can help those who are about to embark on an ISMP process.
Focus on values and actions. Keep it simple. Find a starting point that is intuitive to everyone. Ensure actions are practical and easy to implement.
Think at multiple scales. Ask ‘what can I do for the watershed?’.
“The notion of ‘shared responsibility’ is a foundation piece for collaboration, alignment and integration. When these are in place, innovation will follow,” concludes Rémi Dubé, Acting Development Services Manager with the City of Surrey.
Links for Downloading Documents
Click here to download the compendium – that is, Summary Report front-end PLUS the entire 5-part series.
To download a copy of the FRONT-END only, click here.
To access the 5-part series individually, click ISMP Course Correction Series.
