Water Balance Model Retrospective: A Decade Ago, City of Kelowna Case Study Validated the Methodology for Interior BC Conditions

Kelowna – An Early Adopter

In February 2011, the Okanagan Basin Water Board released a report that summarizes a comprehensive set of 16 recommendations that came out of the 2-day From Rain to Resource Workshop: Managing Stormwater in a Changing Climate.

One of the key recommendations for local government is to incorporate the Water Balance Model in planning. Application of this scenario modelling tool was a recurring theme throughout the workshop. This recommendation has drawn attention to the leadership provided by the City of Kelowna a decade ago as a founding Water Balance Model Partner.

In her welcoming remarks at the workshop, Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd provided this context --- "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 others being Chilliwack, Surrey and Courtenay - that were early adopters of the Water Balance Model. Beyond the Guidebook 2010: Implementing a New Culture for Watershed Protection and Restoration in British Columbia was an outcome of this related initiative. The Water Balance Model tool is extremely helpful as we all look at the process for developing urban watershed plans that are outcome-oriented."

To Learn More: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click here.

Also, click on Chilliwack, Surrey, Kelowna and Courtenay: Four cities in four regions of British Columbia were early adopters in embracing the Water Balance Model --- The City of Kelowna assisted with the Water Balance Model pre-launch in Spring 2003. City case study experience provided on the ground examples that reassured participants about the paradigm-shift.