Bowker Creek Blueprint demonstrates what can be accomplished through a vision, alignment and collaboration

Bowker Creek is a Provincially Significant Demonstration Initiative

In October 2010, the Okanagan Basin Water Board hosted the 'From Rain to Resource Workshop'. A primary objective was to integrate the perspectives of the people working on-the-ground and those developing and adopting policy. One of the case studies was the Bowker Creek Blueprint, an initiative of the Capital Regional District and three municipalities - Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay. Jody Watson told the Bowker story.

"The Bowker Creek Urban Watershed Renewal Initiative, known by the acronym BCI, is a multi-jurisdictional collaborative effort between local government, community groups, post-secondary institutions and private citizens to improve the health of Bowker Creek and its watershed," stated Jody Watson, Chair of the Bowker Creek Initiative; and Harbours & Watersheds Coordinator with the Capital Regional District.

"The BCI has developed the Bowker Creek Blueprint: A 100-year action plan to restore the Bowker Creek Watershed to provide member municipalities, the Capital Regional District, the community and other land stewards with information and guidance to manage and restore the watershed and creek corridor over the long term -  for example, 50 to 100 years."   

"Based on my experience over the past 30-plus years, the Bowker Creek Blueprint has gone well beyond any other plan in terms of how it has achieved consensus and galvanized commitment to move from planning to action on the ground," adds Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

To Learn More: To read the complete story posted on the Water Bucket website, click on The Bowker Creek Blueprint demonstrates what can be accomplished through a vision, alignment and collaboration.