Going with the flow: Mimicking Mother Nature may help us ward off floods caused by climate change
In an article written for UVic knowlEDGE in October 2009, Peigi McGillivray opens by posing this question:
- If climate change means more extreme rainfall, as scientists predict, how should we prepare to cope with all the extra water? Should we be installing larger storm water pipes? Diverting streams? Stockpiling sandbags?
“Chris Jensen, a master’s student in geography at the University of Victoria, thinks 
there’s a better way. He’s investigating how to manage rainwater where it falls—on individual buildings, streets, gardens and subdivisions—rather than directing it into storm water systems buried under city streets,” writes McGillivray.
“Funded in part by a graduate fellowship from the UVic-led Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, Jensen is using sophisticated computer models to assess the ability of various low-impact development strategies to cope with rainwater.”
“Because this is the first climate change adaptation study of its kind, we have a chance to show the world how small changes can make a big difference to our cities,” states Chris Jensen.
To read and download the complete the article, click on Going with the flow: Mimicking Mother Nature. The article was also published in the Victoria Times-Colonist on October 25, 2009; and in the campus newspaper The Ring on November 9, 2009.
About Chris Jensen
When not working on his Master’s thesis, Chris Jensen is an Infrastructure Resource Officer in the Infrastructure & Finance Division of the British Columbia Ministry of Community & Rural Development. Chris Jensen is Co-Chair of the Vancouver Island Coordinating Team.
“VICT is a grassroots coordinating team with representation from various jurisdictions and disciplines across Vancouver Island. Beyond building partnerships and strengthening local sustainability initiatives, VICT’s goal is to build local capacity for change,” states Chris Jensen.
Posted November 2009