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“Future planners, engineers, scientists, politicians and citizens alike will be called upon to demonstrate both vision and pragmatism, working as a team towards consensus, commitment and collaboration for the common good. Such collaboration is essential and must cross all political and community boundaries given that climate change is no respecter of such creations. The Partnership has accepted this challenge and its implementation,” stated Eric Bonham.

The storyline is built around three regional Water Balance Methodology demonstration applications. “To be useful…the simulation model must be physically based and deterministic, and it must be designed to simulate the entire hydrological cycle…hence it must be a water balance model,” wrote Ray Linsley (1917-1990). He pioneered development of continuous hydrologic simulation as the foundation for water balance modelling. The Water Balance Methodology is a synthesis of watershed hydrology and stream dynamics.

“We also need to apply Watershed CPR to begin the process of moving the land and water back to health.” wrote Fin Donnelly. “A large-scale program to conserve, protect and restore the Fraser’s tributary riversheds would start with a change in attitude. Let’s work together to ensure the mighty Fraser River, one of the world’s greatest salmon rivers, stays mighty for generations to come.”

“The central role of water in these changing circumstances calls for a realignment of the water story, embracing both science and indigenous perspectives,” wrote Eric Bonham. “Interweaving, as well as an intergenerational approach, seeks common ground and inspires community engagement based upon collaboration across agencies and cultures.”

“Shelly Creek is a tributary of the Englishman River, a major watershed system on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Shelly Creek is important to salmonids, and this is why it is necessary to understand what is causing the Shelly Creek stream channel to fill with sediment, as well as what can be done to ensure fish survival over time,” stated Peter Law. “In 1999 the Englishman River was first declared to be one of the most endangered rivers in BC.”

“This Watershed Case Profile celebrates the ‘good work’ done by the Township of Langley. By showcasing and sharing the ‘story behind the story’ of green infrastructure innovation, our hope is that other communities will learn from Township experience,” wrote Kim Stephens. “Design with nature…a whole-system approach…learn by doing and adapt. These three phrases capture the essence of how the Township builds neighbourhoods.”

“The reality today is a very different work environment then what we ‘old guys’ grew up in,” stated Wally Wells. “That leads to a required dialogue of what communicating really means and how the message is received and interpreted by different generations. Maybe, just maybe, we take too much for granted based on what we individually know in trying to communicate asset management. We need to think very hard about the way we carry the message – with, I would suggest, more thought to the perception of the listener.”

“The warming of the planet’s atmosphere is causing water to move more quickly and disruptively through the global water cycle. Flood, drought, fire, wind and cold – extreme events are becoming the norm. Instabilities in the water cycle are increasingly apparent,” wrote Kim Stephens. “All one need do is reflect on what British Columbia has experienced in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Impacts are magnified by human interventions. “

“The Partnership for Water Sustainability is evolving online tools that support implementation of the whole-system, water balance approach. British Columbia, Washington State and California are leaders. We are moving forward in parallel on this journey,” stated Jim Dumont. “Real-world success would be defined as reduced stream erosion during wet weather, and sustained ‘environmental flows’ during dry weather.”

The Partnership for Water Sustainability provides a type of engagement and outreach with local government that provincial staff no longer provide. Collaboration with participating local governments creates sharing and cross-pollinating opportunities that help eliminate the ‘disconnect between information and implementation’,” wrote Kim Stephens. “A desired outcome is that land use and infrastructure practitioners would understand how natural systems support municipal services.”