ARTICLE: “A recipe for stormwater management – The Stormwater Planning Guidebook helps make land develolpment compatible with stream protection” (published in Input Magazine, Spring 2003)

Note to Reader:

In 2002, the provincial government released Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia. This established a new direction for urban hydrology and drainage engineering. Introduction of the Water Balance Methodology enabled the setting of performance targets for rainfall capture, runoff control and groundwater recharge:

If we manage the runoff volume, and if we mimic the natural flow pattern in streams, then we can… prevent increased stream erosion, prevent increased risk of flooding, and protect aquatic habitat.

The Guidebook introduced the Integrated Strategy for managing the complete spectrum of rainfall events (see image below). The Integrated Strategy expanded the scope and responsibility of drainage practice to include stream health.

Eliminate the Root Cause of Impacts

“For most of the last century, land development in our communities has followed the same general pattern: clear the trees, put in roads and subdivisions, and direct the runoff into the nearest stream or storm sewer. But pipes carrying runoff speed the flow of stormwater, often creating erosion and downstream flooding, wrote Geoff Gilliard in an article published in Spring 2003.

“Many local governments are under pressure to protect streamside property that is threatened by stormwater development. The new Stormwater Planning Guidebook for BC gives municipal land planners and engineers a tool to help make land development compatible with stream protection.”

“The Guidebook offers a new approach to stormwater management that eliminates the root cause of ecological and property impacts by designing for the complete spectrum of rainfall events.”

“The Stormwater Planning Guidebook uses a series of case studies to illustrate solutions to stormater problems.”

To Learn More:

To read the complete article written by Geoff Gilliard in Spring 2003, and published in Input Magazine by the Real Estate Institute of BC, download A recipe for stormwater management – The Stormwater Planning Guidebook helps make land develolpment compatible with stream protection