Ottawa's Storm Water Management Inspired by Nature

Urbanists worldwide are proposing to use the principles of nature when designing urban stormwater management systems.

Green roofs spread atop buildings, green strips run along streets and boulevards, buried creeks come to the light of day and cattail colonies develop around new stormwater ponds.

Instead of pumping tax dollars down municipal drains, this approach puts our stormwater investments in plain sight. It brings a more natural feel into town and creates places everyone can enjoy. That’s more attractive from a political point of view.

With all its waterways and creeks, Ottawa has fantastic bones for becoming a model of this new approach. We even have a few long-standing, proven examples of green infrastructure.

Patterson Creek, for example, connects to the canal, it floods in spring and gets all soaked up whenever it rains. It filters all that stormwater and lets it drip, slow and clean, into the canal. It is a boon to all the houses around it and a true neighbourhood hub.

There is a plan for creating more of these ponds, as was done recently near Algonquin College and Tunney’s Pasture. And there is an agreement among experts that we need more. The only step missing is to see the landscaping opportunities and run with them.

Source: Ottawa Citizen