Stormwater : A Collaborative Project

1. Stormwater: A Collaborative Project Lorne Taylor Ph. D Susan Davis Schuetz B.A. (Hon) M.A. • Alberta Irrigation Projects Association Conference • November 28, 2012 info@albertawatersmart.com

2. Stormwater: A Collaborative Project • The Players • Stormwater Challenges • Stormwater Opportunity • Co-operative Stormwater Management Initiative (CSMI) • Strategic Options Assessment Phase • Dealing with Change info@albertawatersmart.com

3. The Players of the Future • Who are You? • Irrigator • Non-irrigator (part of the larger community) • Does the definition of who you are need to change? info@albertawatersmart.com

4. The Players of the Future • What is your Role? • Irrigation Districts Act: • Purpose of an Irrigation District is to construct and maintain irrigation works for conveyance and delivery of water to its members. • Has the role of the Irrigation Districts changed? • The future is a more urban Alberta. • Social License to Operate. info@albertawatersmart.com

5. Stormwater Challenges • Irrigation District Challenges • Water quality • Water quantity • Community Challenges • Residential development • Commercial development info@albertawatersmart.com

6. Stormwater Challenges • Irrigation District Challenges • Water quality • Water quantity • Community Challenges • Residential development • Commercial development info@albertawatersmart.com

7. Stormwater Opportunity • Western Irrigation District contracted WaterSMART. • To undertake research by accessing the global knowledge pool and looking to places that have had, or have similar challenges. • Systems Perspective: management alternatives (structural and non-structural activities, conveyance controls and end-of-pipe controls), treatment options, stormwater use opportunities, policy and regulations, and facility management. • To develop, implement and facilitate a community-based process. • Co-operative Stormwater Management Initiative. info@albertawatersmart.com

8. Why CSMI? • Collective understanding of complex, cross-boundary problems through shared information = better informed. • Enhanced communication = build more positive go-forward relationships. • Development of solutions that are more sustainable: • proactive versus reactive decision making; • participants explore, search and implement solutions that go beyond one party’s own limited vision of what is possible; and • unearth solutions that accommodate multiple interests. • Sustainable solutions = reduced costs. info@albertawatersmart.com

9. CSMI Goals • Based on a shared ownership of the stormwater system’s current challenges, CSMI goals are to: • Create a mechanism to engage in ongoing dialogue for the purposes of sharing information and proactively adapting to an ever-changing stormwatercontext; and • Develop and update a flexible plan for a sustainable stormwater management system that accommodates multiple interests. info@albertawatersmart.com

10. CSMI Roles • Current CSMI Participants: • Partners • Calgary Regional Partnership • City of Calgary • Rocky View County • Town of Strathmore • Western Irrigation District • Wheatland County • Observer • Environment & Sustainable Resource Development • Facilitator and domain knowledge contributor • Alberta WaterSMART info@albertawatersmart.com

11. Alberta WaterSMART • Who is Alberta WaterSMART? • Mission: We are committed to improving water management through better technologies and practices, for the social, economic and environmental benefit of current and future Albertans, and then sharing these solutions with Canada and the World. • Alberta WaterSMART’s CSMI role • Developed partnerships (participants and funders). • Honest broker at table. • Coordinate and facilitate meetings, including preparation of meeting processes and materials. • Domain knowledge contributor – advance work between meetings. info@albertawatersmart.com

12. CSMI Desired Outcome • A flexible plan for a sustainable stormwater system that: • Provides ongoing support of irrigation needs in terms of water quality and water quantity; • Meets Bow River re-entry requirements; • Ensures the various parts to the system are integrated; • Adopts a collaborative approach to management and funding of the system; • Is developed using transparent and fact-based processes; and • Produces a stormwater system that, together with the irrigation system, is resilient in wet years and has the capacity for meeting irrigation needs in dry years. info@albertawatersmart.com

13. CSMI Strategic Options Assessment Phase • CSMI activities to date: • Partner development. • Develop a shared understanding of the current stormwater system (challenges and opportunities). • Identify partner interests. • Brainstorm a robust list of strategic options to managing stormwater. • Bundle options into regional scenarios and assess these scenarios against the four indicators - economics, technical, policy / regulatory and partner interests. • Identify regional scenarios for more detailed assessment. • Develop the framework (Terms of Reference) for CSMI discussions. info@albertawatersmart.com

14. Dealing with Change CHANGE IS COMING info@albertawatersmart.com

15. Dealing with Change • CSMI clearly represents a collaborative effort to solve a shared, larger problem. Collaboration and community represents the future for Irrigation Districts. • How will you deal with change? • Fight change and die. • Be a follower. • Lead change and prosper. info@albertawatersmart.com

16. Thank you. • Questions? info@albertawatersmart.com