YOU TUBE VIDEO: “The Water Balance Express provide us with a means to engage and educate homeowners and the development community on what is possible,” concluded Glenn Westendorp, Town of Comox works superintendent
Note to Reader:
Initiated in 2012, showcased in 2014 and completed in 2015, “A Guide to Water-Wise Land Development in the Comox Valley” was the subject of a Joint Staff Workshop hosted by the Comox Valley Regional District in December 2015. The workshop commenced the formal rollout of this guidance document by the Comox Valley-CAVI Regional Team (CAVI is the acronym for ‘Convening for Action on Vancouver Island’).
Below, the article that follows the YouTube video (16 minutes) features the commentary by Glenn Westendorp, public works superintendent with the Town of Comox, when he walked the audience through a case study demonstration of the Water Balance Model Express for Landowners.
To Learn More: Click on Demonstration of the Water Balance Express to download a PDF copy of the PowerPoint presentation by Glenn Westendorp, and follow along as he elaborates on key messages.
Slow It, Sink It, Spread It
“Slow it – Sink it – Spread it. This is a simple saying that I believe summarizes the means by which we can manage Rain Water to alleviate both drought and flooding. This saying also summarizes the purpose behind the Water Balance Model Express,” stated Glenn Westendorp in his opening comments.
“Faced with ever increasing extremes in our weather, and limited resources to address these extremes, we need to initiate a change in our land use. The Water-Wise Guide and the Water Balance Model Express provide us with a means to engage and educate homeowners and the development community on what is possible.”
“The Express is a simple online tool that allows home owners and small developers the ability to explore the means by which they can compensate for their effects on the environment and our aging infrastructure. With the Express, we finally have a means to engage the general public and educate them on the simplicity of implementing their own onsite rainwater management tools.”
Case Study Demonstration
Glenn Westendorp demonstrated use of the Water Balance Model Express by means of a case study application.
“In my example, I considered the effects of the addition of a Coach House to a lot that already has an existing home. I began by determining the effects of adding this Coach House with no Rainwater Management.”
“By directing the runoff from my proposed Coach house to a 4m2 rain garden, we would have effectively returned our site to its original condition. This feature is no larger than a common landscaped area and serves many of the same aesthetic purposes.”
View the video to follow the steps in the process.
Homeowners Can Make a Difference
Developed in 2003 by an Inter-Governmental Partnership as an extension of Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, the web-based “Water Balance Model powered by QUALHYMO” is the outcome of a building block process that has depended on the commitment of a number of organizations, and especially the efforts of the champions within those organizations, to produce a series of deliverables that have successively advanced the practice of rainwater management within British Columbia.
“The Water Balance Model is a tool best applied to larger development and regional storm water planning. With the introduction of the Water Balance Model Express, home owner and small land owners can begin the process of exploring how they can make a difference in improving our environment and extending the life or our infrastructure,” concluded Glenn Westendorp.
To Learn More:
To test-drive the Water Balance Model Express for the Comox Valley, visit http://comox.waterbalance-express.ca/
To access the supporting resources on the homepage for the Water Balance Model Express for Landowners, CLICK HERE