Copy

Umbrella Stormwater Bulletin | 11 Feb 2015 : 18

Photo via USEPA

New document confirms Ministry of Environment and Climate Change expectations for stormwater management

 
After months of rumours and delay, it’s finally here: the new interpretation bulletin from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change outlining Expectations re: stormwater management.

The language will be familiar to members of the Umbrella community. The bulletin discusses the effects of urbanization and climate change on water quality and quantity, the importance of managing rain close to where it falls, mimicking the natural hydrological cycle, and the need for cities to adapt to climate change.

The interpretation bulletin is “intended to encourage stormwater management applications that emphasize low impact development techniques while the ministry undertakes the development of a low impact development stormwater management guidance document, targeted for completion in 2016.”

It notes that the 2003 Stormwater Management Planning and Design Manual already spells out a treatment train approach to stormwater management. That document states that “lot level and conveyance controls, specifically infiltration-based controls, are required to maintain the natural hydrologic cycle to the greatest extent possible.”

(Click here to read more on how stormwater guidance in Ontario will be updated... )

POLL: How much will this update change how stormwater is managed in Ontario?

Contribute to the bulletin!

Let us know if you have a green infrastructure project or story that should be featured in the blog, a news item you'd like to share, or an event that Umbrella subscribers would be interested in. Email us or contribute to the thread in The Umbrella.

Latest news

Cities need to be Rain Ready. A new report from Center for Neighborhood Technology shows how urban flooding is having widespread impacts in the U.S, and what can be done about it at the property and community level.

Have you heard of the TrueGrid system for permeable paving? New pavers are made from 100% recycled plastic and are now approved for use in the U.S.
Anyone know about this product and if it is being used in Canada? Start a conversation in The Umbrella.

Getting to green. A new report from the USEPA aimed at local decision-makers gives case studies and examples of how different communities are finding ways to finance green infrastructure. The report includes details of credit and incentive programs, bonds, grants, loans, and public-private partnerships.

Wisconsin soaks up the rain. Stormwater projects in Milwaukee County include a 2 acre permeable paving parking lot, one of the largest in the U.S. Milwaukee is using green infrastructure as a cheaper alternative to sewer separation to avoid combined sewer overflows.

International year of soils.  2015 celebrates soils and all they do for us. This animated video, via Soil Science Society of America, illustrates how soils support urban life.

Keeping Baltimore clean.  A solar-powered wheel patrols the harbour in Baltimore and picks up trash deposited by stormwater runoff. Each time it runs, it collects at least eight cubic yards of garbage.

Events


Green Roof Professional Training. 26-28 February, 2015. Toronto, Ontario. Design and installation, waterproofing and drainage, plants and growing media.

Grow your landscaping business through rain gardens. 2 March, 2015. Barrie, Ontario. Free workshop for landscaping contractors who work in the Lake Simcoe watershed. Register by February 20.

Certified Inspector of Sediment and Erosion Control Training. 4-5 March, 2015. Toronto, Ontario. Presented by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

TRIECA. 25-26 March, 2015. Ontario's premier stormwater and sediment and erosion control conference. Register now.
 

The Umbrella is an online community designed for knowledge-sharing about green stormwater infrastructure. Its members are municipal stormwater professionals, policymakers, academics, engineers, conservation authorities, nonprofits, and interested community members. The Umbrella is managed by Green Communities Canada. Submit an item for an upcoming issue or provide feedback on the bulletin.

Copyright © 2015 Green Communities Canada, All rights reserved.


  

unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp