CMHC RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: “A Plan for Rainy Days – Water Runoff and Site Planning”

CMHC Research Highlight describes Water Balance Model application to Stratford Case Study

In 2004, the City of Stratford (population 30,000) in Ontario approved a secondary plan for a future city expansion area of 155 ha, based on an evaluation of three plans, one of which was derived from the CMHC (Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation) planning model, the Fused Grid.

Since all three plans protected site watercourses and included stormwater management ponds as a requirement, the evaluation criteria did not include rainwater runoff impacts. In 2006, CMHC initiated a supplementary case study to assess the potential for reducing or eliminating rainwater runoff from the development area.

The case study involved application of the Water Balance Model for Canada, with the goal of enabling planners, developers and municipal officials to make informed choices about the most effective ways to retain more water and reduce or prevent runoff, which promotes groundwater infiltration and regeneration of the water supply.

To Learn More:

To read the complete article, download a copy of A Plan for Rainy Days – Water Runoff and Site Planning. The article was a collaborative effort of CMHC’s Fanis Grammenos and Kim Stephens, Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia.

For background on the Fused Grid, visit: https://waterbucket.ca/gi/category/design_with_nature/fused-grid/