Chair of Vancouver Island Coordinating Team reduces his 'hydrological footprint'
Jay Bradley, Chair of the Vancouver Island Coordinating Team (VICT), is 'walking the talk'. He is converting his backyard into a rain garden. VICT is a sub-group of the Inter-Governmental Partnership that developed and maintains the Water Balance Model for British Columbia. This provincial initiative encourages land development practices that minimize the 'hydrological footprint'.
What is a 'Rain-Smart' Backyard?
“I have decided to make my backyard as “rain-smart” as possible,” says Jay. I'm doing this not only to be ecologically sensitive but to demonstrate and teach what can be done by the average home-owner to maintain rain water quality and manage run-off.
“My back yard is in the process of being transformed with new gardens, a studio and a patio area. Raised beds have been added throughout the yard; these alone are a great place to start to improve water storage.”
“The soil absorbs and holds water for longer periods and releases it at much slower rates.”
“The roof of the studio and the concrete patio comprise about 50 square meters of Impervious surfaces. Rain chains bring water from the studio roof to collection barrels, which I use to store water for the dry season. 
Overflow runoff is otherwise carried by a number of French drains and infiltration galleries to a series of rain gardens.”
“These gardens are positioned well away from foundations, and are excavated to a depth of about 18 inches. Because the native soils are clay, I chose to install deeper basins and to size the cumulative area of the gardens to 60% of the impervious surface area. The rain gardens have been re-filled with infiltration-friendly materials, comprised of about 60% sand-gravel, 20% top soil, and 20% brown/green compost material.”
“The facilities are not only relatively easy to install and care for, they are much less expensive than connecting pipes to the storm sewer, and have improved the overall drainage in my yard,” concludes Jay Bradley. “And they are both attractive and value-added features for my property to boot!”
About VICT
Initiated by three provincial Ministries in December 2006 to facilitate a consistent, 
science-based approach to rainwater management, the Vancouver Island Coordinating Team (VICT) is moving forward with an outreach program that involves meeting with local governments to generate dialogue and build bridges.
The three Ministries represented on VICT are Environment, Agriculture & Lands, and Community Services. VICT also includes First Nations and local government representatives.
“VICT is part of the water-centric coalition that comprises CAVI – Convening for Action on Vancouver Island,” states John Finnie (Regional District of Nanaimo), CAVI Chair. “While the mandate of CAVI is to look at all aspects of the Water Cycle, the specific focus of VICT is the rainwater management component, and in particular the relationship with green infrastructure.”
Posted February 2009