CHRONICLE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION IN METRO VANCOUVER: “You have to go back and address the impacts of legacy development. To move the needle, communities must restore riparian areas,” stated Chris May, retired Surface & Stormwater Division Director, Kitsap County Public Works in Washington State
Puget Sound research correlated land use changes with impacts on streams. Hydrology and riparian integrity are of equal importance. “There are many factors that influence stream degradation. There is not a single smoking gun. Impervious area is the main culprit. But you can trash a stream just as badly by deforestation of the riparian zone as you can by paving over the headwaters with a mall,” says Chris May.