Over the past three decades, water and drainage engineers have witnessed a vast change in the practice, design methodologies and regulatory framework encompassing the discipline of stormwater management. The engineering profession is at a crossroads: How will we apply a science-based understanding to truly achieve integrated solutions for protecting life, property and the aquatic environment?
According to Kim Stephens, a decade ago British Columbia and Washington State had the same science and a common understanding of what it meant. The point of departure was the same. A decade later, they are on diverging paths. In British Columbia, the way land is developed is changing. Washington State is not. “Nirvana has by no means been achieved in British Columbia, but green infrastructure is on the right path,” said Stephens.
Published in 2007, “The Green Infrastructure Guide: Issues, Implementation Strategies and Success Stories” builds on a body of work that has preceded it, and is designed to be used in conjunction with the range of important resources available from various organizations and government to support a sustainable approach to community development of infrastructure.
Building on the interest in rainwater / stormwater modelling generated by a province-wide series of technical seminars, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) is collaborating with the Green Infrastructure Partnership to deliver a one-day seminar on how to implement ‘green solutions’ that actually protect stream health. Scheduled for November 15, the seminar is the next step in the rollout of 'Beyond the Guidebook: Context for Rainwater Management and Green Infrastructure in British Columbia.'
Published in 2002, “Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia” was a catalyst for change that has resulted in British Columbia achieving international recognition as a leader in implementing a natural systems approach to rainwater management. “Beyond the Guidebook” is an initiative that builds on this foundation by advancing a runoff-based approach and tool – the ‘Water Balance Model powered by QUALHYMO' – to help local governments achieve desired urban stream health and environmental protection outcomes at a watershed scale.
