Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC announces that waterbucket.ca website has a new look

"Just because everything is different, doesn't mean anything has changed" - Irene Porter

The Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia (i.e. the Partnership) has announced that the homepage for the waterbucket.ca website has been updated to be a more current and easy-to-navigate resource that delivers the latest information, tools, and guidance documents, a portal where members can share resources and ideas, and much more… 

 "Recently, the Partnership made a key decision to create a new front page to the website to help strengthen our identity, support forward looking initiatives that tackle some of the most important issues about water sustainability, and to realize exciting new opportunities," reports Mike Tanner, WaterBucket Chair.

"The first step was to develop the branding and logo for the Partnership and this is now prominently displayed on our front page. One of the biggest changes is that the blog is now much more prominently featured. This is because we hope to make the blog a central place for online discussion of issues relating to water sustainability and land management. It is hoped that the blog will draw more people to the site, building a vibrant community in the process."

"But this is only the start of new and exciting things to come. Over time we will expand and improve our site to not only continue to be the key to the communication strategy for the Partnership but also to meet our vision to provide a resource-rich, highly interactive 'destination' location for timely and provocative information about water sustainability in British Columbia," concludes Mike Tanner.

To learn more about waterbucket.ca, click on Convening for Action in British Columbia: Water Balance Model and Water Bucket Website are twin engines for 'water-centric' Outreach & Continuing Education Program

News Release #2011-33

July 19, 2011

Ecological “Tipping Point” for Watershed Health Occurs at Less Than 2% Impervious Cover?

Stream Diversity Declines at Extremely Low Levels of Urban Development

Scientists in the United States have found that there are consistent and widespread declines in stream biodiversity at lower levels of urban development more damaging than what was previously believed. Approximately 80 percent of the biodiversity loss came between ½ and 2 percent of impervious cover, and the remaining 20 percent of loss came between 2 and 25 percent impervious cover. The study appears online in the journal Ecological Applications.

The researchers used samples from about 2,000 streams and compared satellite imagery and land cover datasets to analyze how the water ecosystem and biodiversity responded to various levels of impervious cover.

"Such studies are rare indeed and should receive broad circulation.  This study adds to the work that Jim Karr, Derek Booth, and Chris May have done to define stream health with increments of watershed disturbance," observes Tom Holz. A recognized stormwater authority, Tom Holz is well-known in Washington State for his tireless efforts in leading change in the field of rainwater management and green infrastructure. He is a Director of the People for Puget Sound.

"The implications of this study regarding standards for development are truly sobering.  Our touch must be as light as those builders who used to prepare land with hand tools." 

To learn more, click on United States Scientists Establish that Stream Biodiversity Declines at Extremely Low Levels of Urban Development and read the story posted on the Water Bucket website.

News Release #2011-32

July 5, 2011