| Title | City of Calgary – varous stormwater management projects and initiatives |
| Organization(s) | The City of Calgary, Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership |
| Water quality issues |
|
| Location/place | The City of Calgary – various locations |
| Sector | Municipal |
| Timeframe | Pre-1960 – present (ongoing) |
The City of Calgary has undertaken numerous projects and initiatives to protect the health of the Bow and Elbow rivers from urban snowmelt and stormwater runoff. As the City continues to grow, urbanization increases the area of hard surfaces and decreases the amount of natural ground cover and wetlands. This increases the volume of surface runoff and the amount of solid materials that eventually end up in the river. There is a need for increased stormwater management to mitigate the impacts of urbanization in Calgary, both historical and future. The following projects initiated by the City of Calgary address stormwater quality and aim to protect watershed health:
Urbanization increases the area of hard surfaces and decreases the amount of natural ground cover and wetlands. This increases the surface runoff carrying materials that eventually end up in the river. These materials are often accompanied by higher concentrations of bacteria, nutrients, pesticides and metals. The City has undertaken a wide variety of initiatives to address stormwater quality issues with existing infrastructure as well as new developments. These include on the ground retrofits, Low Impact Development (LID) installations, and policies and practices to promote better design right from the beginning.
Video: The first bioretention demonstration gardens constructed by the City of Calgary are located in the community of Winston Heights-Mountview. Video courtesy of Alberta Low Impact Development (ALIDP).
Figure 1. Existing cul-de-sac that was retrofitted with a demonstration rain garden in Calgary. Source: http://www.alidp.org/assets/pdfs/Vopicka_-_CoC_demonstration_rain_garden_initiative.pdf
Figure 2. Final design for Marlowe Pl. NE demonstration rain garden. Source: http://www.alidp.org/assets/pdfs/Vopicka_-_CoC_demonstration_rain_garden_initiative.pdf
Figure 3. Year 1 of demonstration rain garden at Marlow Pl. NE. Source: http://www.alidp.org/assets/pdfs/Vopicka_-_CoC_demonstration_rain_garden_initiative.pdf
City of Calgary Stormwater Management Report, City of Calgary Water Services. http://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Documents/Water-Documents/stormwater_report.pdf
City’s first natural stormwater-filtering Rain Garden underway (September 2011), Calgary City News Blog. Retrieved from http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2011/09/citys-first-natural-stormwater.html
Resources and municipal examples of stormwater management (October 2017), Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. Retrieved from https://auma.ca/sites/default/files/Advocacy/Programs_Initiatives/Water/watershed_management_-_resources_and_examples_of_stormwater_management_pdf_2.pdf
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