DOWNLOAD A COPY OF: “Living Water Smart in British Columbia: History and application of a science-based road map for either protecting or restoring stream system integrity” – released by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in March 2023
Note to Reader:
Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on March 28, 2023 featured Dr. Chris May of Washington State in a conversational interview about his ground-breaking Puget Sound research in the 1990s that correlated land use changes and the consequences for stream and riparian health.
This is the second in a series of articles about tackling the Riparian Deficit. The first introduces the Nested Concepts graphic and the third announces formation of the EAP Partnership. Willing local governments are collaborating with Vancouver Island University to train next generations of local government staffs to understand and apply EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process. There are parallels with Puget Sound experience three decades ago.
Road map for stream system integrity
The Road map for Stream System Integrity (see image below) has its origin in the 1990s “salmon crisis”. Listing of Coho salmon as an endangered species in Puget Sound was a catalyst for cross-border collaboration between BC and Washington State.
Puget Sound research correlated land use changes with impacts on stream system condition. This was the springboard for BC to develop methodologies and metrics for science-based solutions. It led to the Twin Pillars Concept for restoring creeksheds and stream corridors.
The Road Map was an outcome of the seminal research program led by Richard Horner and Chis May at the Center for Urban Water Resources Management in Seattle.
This powerful Washington State precedent exemplifies the benefits to local government of outcome-oriented collaboration with academia. A group of local governments initiated a university-based research centre, secured seed funding for it, and then framed eight key questions for investigation.
The eight questions defined areas of research by a team of graduate students under the guidance of Richard Horner. Chris May led the team and pulled together this original research in his PhD dissertation. His doctoral work is the foundation that the Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC continues to build on as understanding of the science grows.
For two decades, Chris May had a leadership position in Washington State local government – first with the City of Seattle and then with Kitsap County. The latter was his living laboratory. Because he was Director of the Surface & Stormwater Division, Chis May could put science into practice.
In sharing his story behind the story, Chris May reflects on what it means to effect change and make things better. That was his goal as a senior manager in local government – have a positive impact on the community where he lived and worked.
To Learn More:
To read the complete story published on March 28th 2023, download a PDF copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: History and application of a science-based road map for either protecting or restoring stream system integrity
DOWNLOAD A COPY: https://waterbucket.ca/wcp/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/03/PWSBC_Living-Water-Smart_Road-Map-for-Stream-System-Integrity_2023.pdf