Options for Stormwater Management : Suggested infrastructure interventions for stormwater management at the intersection of Chancellor Blvd. and NW Marine Drive, UBC in a 100-year storm event
Creators: name: Fung, Calvin
name: Edwards, Cristyn
name: Shahalami, Hasan
Publisher: name: The University of British Columbia
Year: 2017

description: The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (2014) has identified risks of significant flooding at multiple key points on campus in the event of a 100-year storm. In addition to protecting its own assets, UBC’s major concern is to ensure that stormwater runoff will not cause damage or erosion to adjacent land and infrastructure. In particular, the intersection of Chancellor Boulevard and Northwest Marine Drive has been identified as an area of high interest due to the close proximity to the University Endowment Lands and Metro Vancouver’s Pacific Spirit Park. The location of the intersection and its proximity to the vulnerable cliffs, as well as the nature of UBC’s aquifers are the key challenges of this report. However, other challenges such as cost effectiveness, practicality, sustainability, feasibility, and policy compliance are also considered and collectively form the objectives of this report. The intent of this report is to provide solutions for possible infrastructure interventions at the intersection of Chancellor Boulevard and Northwest Marine Drive in innovative and responsible ways that adhere to the values of UBC. As part of preparing this report, a number of technical studies and planning documents have been reviewed and considered, which are referenced in Appendix C at the end of this report. After careful review of the available resources and a thorough analysis of various stormwater management options, the following strategies emerged as the recommended options for the intersection of Chancellor Boulevard and Northwest Marine Drive. Recommended Options: 1. A floodable basement at the Mary Bollert Hall that can be utilized as a stormwater detention facility as shown in Section 2.3. 2. A combination of tree trenches and gravel pits to retain and channel stormwater in several key locations shown in Section 2.4. In addition, this report recognizes the need for a general focus of stormwater management strategies on campus, outside of specific problem areas. Instead, the emphasis should be on using multiple stormwater management initiatives in various locations across campus such that stormwater runoff can be conjointly managed. The following suggestions are included as a part of this report’s final recommendation: Review and revamp policies to ensure future development meet more stringent construction codes for stormwater handling. Wherever possible, detain stormwater before runoff congregates into main stormwater infrastructure. Investigate possible ways to work with other parties (such as student body, UBC Botany Department, external consultants, and government bodies) to create innovative solutions and establish opportunities for collaboration. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”