A SHORT HISTORY OF STORMWATER MANAGEMENT EVOLUTI0N IN SURREY: “By the time I retired in 2008, Surrey was ready to move beyond pilot projects and set watershed-based objectives and targets,” stated Paul Ham,former General Manager of Engineering, City of Surrey
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNews celebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on November 7, 2023 featured Paul Ham, former General Manager of Engineering with the City of Surrey. A generation ago, his quiet and unassuming leadership behind the scenes made the green infrastructure movement possible in British Columbia. As chair, he provided the Green Infrastructure Partnership with early credibility.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Surrey’s green infrastructure evolution from pilot projects to watershed-based actions – a conversation with Paul Ham
“When I joined the City of Surrey in 1974, the municipality was looking at a way to deal with its stormwater drainage. The driver for action was the need to protect the agricultural lowlands from flooding caused by uplands urban development,” recalls Paul Ham
“First came the Natural Drainage Policy in 1975. This led to the requirement that every development build a detention pond. The next evolution was the move to community ponds.”
A short history of stormwater management evolution in the city of Surrey
“Ponds were then done on a development-by-development basis. At the time, this approach was described by some people as chickenpox ponds because they were dotted all over the place. Small ponds are difficult to make attractive or be of benefit to the community for alternative purposes. This led to a re-think.”
“The move from there was to get developers to join together to build larger joint facilities. Eventually a Development Cost Charge was introduced where Surrey would take the lead in putting those facilities in, using parks space and soccer fields.”
“After that, the next evolution was the introduction and use of wet ponds for water quality purposes.”
“When different neighbourhoods wanted to move from rural to urbanized zoning, there was a requirement to come up with Neighbourhood Concept Plans and neighbourhood servicing plans. Those would include a drainage plan for the neighbourhood.”
East Clayton Sustainable Community: Game changing for green infrastructure!
“By the mid-1990s, the need for change was clear. The East Clayton Neighbourhood Concept Plan provided the first large-scale opportunity to test a new approach advocated by UBC’s Patrick Condon. Described by Patrick as the future is the past, the approach to drainage embodied a design with nature way-of-doing.”
“It was 1999 when the City of Surrey entered into a precedent-setting partnership agreement with UBC’s James Taylor Chair (Patrick Condon). Our shared vision was to create the Headwaters Project. Often it is referred to as the East Clayton Sustainable Community.”
“Patrick Condon chaired the multi-constituent East Clayton Advisory Committee. It was uncharted territory for everyone involved.”
A once-in-a-generation opportunity
“The 250-hectare East Clayton neighbourhood was designated as urban in 1996. This set the stage for an unprecedented plan to increase residential density, promote social cohesion and maximize affordability and walkability.”
“Guided by Patrick Condon, the Headwaters Project was the first real-life demonstration in BC of how to implement sustainable development principles and performance standards at the neighbourhood scale.”
Surrey then evolved from pilot projects to setting watershed-based objectives and targets
“As years pass, we tend to forget or take the early innovation for granted. We learned a lot from our East Clayton experience, and we adapted our approach in subsequent Surrey neighbourhoods.”
“The East Clayton experience gave us confidence to implement new green infrastructure objectives in the next two plans. Council made green infrastructure practices a condition of the Campbell Heights Economic Development Plan in 1999-2000, and the Highway 99 Corridor Land Use Plan in 2002.
“The Fergus Creek watershed plan followed. It was the inspiration for going beyond the Stormwater Guidebook. Surrey provided core content for the seminar that launched the provincial initiative in 2007.”
“By the time I retired in 2008, Surrey was ready to move beyond pilot projects. Council passed a bylaw which enables setting of watershed-specific performance targets for rainwater runoff volume and rate reduction at development sites.”
To Learn More:
To read the complete story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Surrey’s green infrastructure evolution – from pilot projects to watershed-based actions. The downloadable version includes a Bonus Feature – the complete interview with Paul Ham.
