Workshop and Tradeshow
October 28 and 29, 2010
Best Western Hotel, Kelowna, BC
More than 100 delegates gathered in Kelowna, Oct. 28 and 29, representing every corner of B.C., to learn about the newest information and technologies available to prepare their communities for the tremendous rains that are expected with climate change. The event was presented by the Okanagan Basin Water Board in partnership with the BC Water and Waste Association and with funding support through Natural Resources Canada’s Regional Adaptation Collaboratives Program.
Delegates included planners, engineers, and landscape architects, both in the public and private sector, as well as elected officials – those who will be integral to changing the way we develop our communities.
We would like to thank our sponsors, Associated Engineering, Summerhill Pyramid Winery and Urban Systems for helping ensure a successful learning event.
Below, you will find presentations from the workshop, news releases and news clippings. We invite you to view the materials and work with us, recognizing the value of rainwater as part of building a sustainable future for all.
Water Board releases “From Rain to Resource 2010: Managing Stormwater in a Changing Climate” report
On October 28 and 29, 2010, the Okanagan Basin Water Board and the BC Water and Waste Association co-hosted “From Rain to Resource: Managing Stormwater in a Changing Climate.”
The purpose was to learn about the newest information and technologies available to prepare B.C. communities for the tremendous rains expected with climate change.
The OBWB has now released a report that summarizes a comprehensive set of recommendations that came out of the workshop, and provides an overview of the topics and case studies presented.
“For the last half a century we’ve been trying to control runoff with dikes, storm sewers, curbs and gutters,” explains Anna Warwick Sears, OBWB Executive Director. “Now, increased development and increased storm intensity from climate change are increasing peak flows and altering the rules of the game. We can’t engineer away our problems fast enough. We have to look at other, lower impact solutions.”
For the full report, click here.
Videos
- Where it falls – Reinventing rainwater management, Environmental Law Centre
- Rain to Resource Conference – CHBC/Global Okanagan
Brock Dolman of the California-based WATER Institute was the keynote speaker at Okanagan Rainwater Workshop
Presentations
October 28, 2010:
- Why is Rainwater Management a Critical Tool for Adaption to Climate Change?- Chris Johnston, P.Eng.
- Site Adaptive Planning & Design – Paul de Greeff, RLA. & Scott Murdoch, RLA, R.P. Bio.
- Innovative Stormwater Management Techniques for Steep Slopes – Rob Dickinson
- Rain Gardens – Top 10 Design Considerations – Craig Kipkie M.Sc., P.Eng.
- Rain to Resource – Stories from the CRD – Jody Watson
- Managing Stormwater in a Changing Climate – Home Depot development, Courtenay – Innovative On-Site Rainwater/Stormwater Measures – Kevin Lagan P. Eng.
- East Clayton Development – Low Impact Development Techniques and Facilities – Jim Dumont
- Stormwater Retrofit planning and design – Scott Murdoch, RLA, R.P.Bio.
October 29, 2010:
- Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing A New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection & Restoration in British Columbia – Ted van der Gulik
- Rainwater Management & Policy – District North Vancouver – Richard Boase
- The Topsoil Law and Policy Primer – Deborah Carlson
- From Stormwater Management to RAINwater Management: Implementing a Course Correction in Metro Vancouver – Kim A Stephens
- Adapting to Climate Change in Prince George – Dave Dyer, P. Eng.
- Water Balance Model – A Technical Application – Jim Dumont
- Topsoil Technical Primer – Rémi Dubé, P.Eng.
- Stormwater and Watershed Vulnerability: Connecting Rural and Urban Risks Using PIEVC – Ehren Lee and Don Dobson
- The Bowker Creek Blueprint – Jody Watson
- A Hydrological Assessment of using Low Impact Development to Mitigate Future Flooding – Chris Jensen AScT
News Releases
- “Rain to Resource” attracts delegates from across BC looking to prepare for climate change (Oct. 28, 2010) – PDF
- “Rain to Resource” aims to prepare communities for climate change (Sept. 27, 2010) – PDF
- “Rain to Resource” workshop encourages new thinking on managing stormwater – PDF
In the News
- Water runoff shouldn’t be wasted, Kelowna Capital News (Nov. 5, 2010) – PDF
- Protect Okanagan Lake from excessive urban runoff, Kelowna Capital News (Nov. 4, 2010) – PDF
- Wild weather beating path to BC, Kelowna Daily Courier (Oct. 29, 2010) – PDF
- Turning rain into a resource, CHBC News (Oct. 29, 2010) – PDF
- Municipalities touting rain garden option to developers, Kelowna Capital News (Oct. 29, 2010) – PDF
- Hydrological illiteracy stops utilizing of valuable resource, Kelowna Capital News (Oct. 29, 2010) – PDF
- Stormwater cause of great concern, Castanet (Oct. 29, 2010) – PDF
- Public needs to think more about rainwater management, Kelowna Capital News (Oct. 28, 2010) – PDF
- Climate change workshop, Kelowna Capital News (Sept. 30, 2010) – PDF
- Managing stormwater focus of workshop – PDF
- Workshop on managing stormwater seeks new ideas – PDF
- Kelowna hosts rainwater talk – PDF
Photos
Photos of “From Rain to Resource” can be found on the OBWB’s Okanagan WaterWise Facebook gallery page. We invite you to take a look and continue the conversation by following Okanagan WaterWise on Facebook.
With federal funding support through Natural Resources Canada’s Regional Adaptation Collaboratives Program.
