Greater Vancouver Region Develops Design Guidelines for Absorbent Landscapes
In British Columbia, the technical language is being simplified. Six simplified categories have been defined, one of which is Absorbent Landscapes.
Township of Langley is the latest municipality to become part of the Water Balance Model Partnership
All the major municipalities on the south side of the Fraser River are now partners in the Water Balance Model initiative, namely: Langley Township, Delta, Surrey, Abbotsford and Chilliwack.
Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership Formalizes Operating Structure
Capitalizing on the enthusiasm and early momentum generated by the Okotoks Conference in September 2004, a number of Alberta agencies have come together to form the Alberta Low Impact Develpoment Partnership. The initiative is co-chaired by the cities of Calgary and Edmonton.
Department of Fisheries & Oceans Embraces Water Balance Model
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is one of three federal agencies that is a Water Balance Model partner. Use of this web-based decision support and scenario modeling tool will enable development project proponents to show how they can achieve stream protection objectives.
APEGBC Sponsors Province-wide Seminar Series on Rainwater Assessment and Mitigation
“There is a need for a new approach to hydrologic design. A key message is that a rainfall-based approach does not work effectively. This is why I advocate a runoff-based approach. Duration of discharge is important because it links directly to stream health”, stated Jim Dumont.
Template for Integrated Stormwater Management Planning in the Metro Vancouver Region
The ISMP Template provides a standardized process that includes all of the key components for rainwater and stormwater management. These are categorized in terms of three disciplines – engineering, planning and environmental. “A municipality can decide which components are applicable, and can establish the level of effort required based on risk and local conditions. Not all of the components may be relevant for a given watershed or drainage catchment,” states Robert Hicks.
Going Beyond the Guidebook: City of Surrey Showcases Vision for Green Infrastructure on the Ground
In undertaking the Fergus Creek Integrated Stormwater Management Plan, the City of Surrey is pushing the envelope in pioneering the application of innovative approaches that it believes will achieve noticeable benefits over a 50-year planning horizon. The Fergus ISMP “goes beyond the Guidebook” because it is built around a science-based methodology that correlates runoff volume with stream health, reported Paul Ham.
Water-sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) – Adapting the Australian Experience
“Water-sensitive Urban Design” (WSUD) is a term used in Australia to describe sustainable water cycle management in the urban landscape. To assist practitioners in designing rainwater source control measures, A Handbook for Australian Practice was published in 2005. The Handbook is a compilation of proven approaches that are aimed at solving everyday problems of small-scale rainwater management.
CMHC Hosts First National Web Forum on Watershed and Rainwater Management
Organized by Cate Soroczan, the event was an information exchange amongst agencies from across the country. It was also precedent-setting in terms of laying the groundwork for future inter-provincial collaboration. Twenty-plus representatives from seven provinces participated, namely: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
A Look Back to Formation of the Inter-Governmental Partnership
The practice of low impact development often involves efforts to reduce the impacts of rainmwater runoff using various types of “source controls” designed to minimize runoff volumes. To answer questions about the effectiveness of source controls under a range of land use and climate conditions, an Inter-Governmental Partnership was formed in 2002 to fund development of the Water Balance Model for British Columbia.