Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd
Channel: waterbucket
Date: 2010-10-31

“In 2006 I was a member of a Mayors and Chairs Focus Group that yielded insights regarding how to lead and implement green infrastructure changes. Also, Kelowna was one of four cities – the othersbeing Chilliwack, Surrey and Courtenay – that were early adopters of the Water Balance Model."

"Beyond the Guidebook 2010 was an outcome of this related initiatives. The Water Balance Model tool is extremely helpful as we all look at the process for developing urban watershed plans that are outcome-oriented.”

In October 2010, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) and the BC Water and Waste Association (BCWWA) co-hosted a 2-day workshop titled 'From Rain to Resource: Managing Stormwater in a Changing Climate'. 

The workshop shared positive and innovative developments in rainwater management and discussed how barriers to change are being overcome in communities in B.C. and beyond. 

The majority of the workshop presentations are about case studies featured in Beyond the Guidebook 2010, in particular: 

- the experiences of these 'convening for action' partners: City of Surrey, District of North Vancouver, City of Courtenay, Capital Regional District, Metro Vancouver; and 

-these tools and resources: the Water Balance Model, the Topsoil Primer Set.

Released in June, "Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Urban Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia" demonstrates that the practitioner culture is changing as an outcome of collaboration, partnerships and alignment; and provides local governments with 'how to' guidance for developing outcome-oriented urban watershed plans.