Brunette Basin

This is the first in a series of the diagram, 75% of the watershed is educational information sheets on in , 20% in Vancouver, 7% Spring/Summer 2001 Information Sheet #1 the Brunette Basin. The primary in , 2% in New distribution will be via the Internet, Westminster, and 1% in Port Moody. Theme: Stormwater with some hard copies available for Management at a community events. Brunette Basin Still Creek and the Brunette River— Watershed Scale residents are the intended audience. the main channels of the The goal is to provide an overview of watershed—flow for approximately Page # Section Title some of the issues facing the Basin 17 km through this densely populated region to the Brunette Basin Overview and present some of the ongoing 1 initiatives and potential solutions in . Although the Basin houses over 175,000 residents, Planning at a Watershed used to addresss these issues. an amazing 20% of the watershed 2 Scale Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on how to improve future remains as green space. Numerous Brunette Basin Watershed information sheets. tributaries and lakes contribute over 2 Plan 200 km of open water to the system, Brunette Basin providing fish and wildlife habitat 3 Coordinating Committee Brunette Basin and offering potential to enhance both. Roles of Stakeholders in Overview 3 Basin The watershed is home to many Initiatives and Future The Still Creek/Brunette River types of fish including: Coho, Watershed, also known as the 4 Events Chinook, and Chum salmon, Contact Information/Web 4 Sites/Reports

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British Columbia Institute of 2000 0 2000 4000 Meters Technology University of Simon Fraser University Brunette Basin is a highly urbanized cutthroat and rainbow trout, Members of Public area covering a portion of 5 Lower steelhead, prickly sculpin, Mainland municipalities. As seen in stickleback and many others. In

...... 1 Spring/Summer 2001 addition, the watershed supports over of the system was piped and paved to municipalities, and has been 200 other wildlife species including meet the needs of the newly supported by the Department of the endangered Snowshoe hare, expanding population. Little thought Fisheries and Oceans, and the Pacific water shrew and Western was given to the effects on fish and Ministry of Environment, Land and grebe. The watershed is part of the wildlife. More recently, the idea of Parks. The Plan was developed by Pacific Flyway migratory bird route treating the entire watershed as one the BBTG with public input at a and is used as a viewing area for entity has changed the traditional series of evening workshops and numerous waterfowl, shorebirds and methods of planning and open houses. The BBTG also passerine species. engineering. Today, watersheds are developed a business outreach widely recognized as the program and made presentations to a Through its lakes and waterways, fundamental management unit for the number of Rotary Clubs and other Greenways and numerous parks, the protection and use of water. business groups. The BBWP is Brunette Basin also provides a available from the GVRD unique urban opportunity for As a result of this new philosophy, a Communications and Education recreational pursuits. new coordination team—the Department and is posted on the Brunette Basin Task Group Internet. (BBTG)—was formed. The group, (www.gvrd.bc.ca/services/sewers/dra made up of members from all levels in/drainage_home.html) of government, educational institutions, and private citizens, Goal, Vision, and Guiding came together in this pilot project in Principles stormwater planning at a watershed Goal scale. They spent almost three years To protect or enhance the integrity of developing the Brunette Basin the aquatic and terrestrial Watershed Plan (BBWP). This ecosystems and the human consensus based document, produced populations they support in a manner with community involvement, that accommodates growth and provides an overall strategy for development. municipalities to follow when Recognizing that all levels of planning future developments and Vision government and stakeholders needed initiatives within the Basin. Through The aquatic and terrestrial to work together to ensure the future its goal, vision and guiding ecosystem is protected and enhanced health of the Basin and to help principles, the BBWP sets the stage while growth is accommodated in the correct past mistakes, a multi- for future planning and management watershed. stakeholder task group was formed. initiatives at a watershed scale, The Brunette Basin Task Group regardless of political boundaries. Guiding Principles came together in 1997 to develop a I. Impervious Area stormwater management strategy that Brunette Basin The increase of impervious area would help establish a framework for should be minimized and stakeholder future watershed development. Watershed Plan agencies should strive for long-term reduction of existing impervious area The Brunette Basin Watershed Plan through Best Management Practices Planning at a is the culmination of more than 3 (BMPs). Watershed Scale years of effort by the multi stakeholder Brunette Basin Task II. Stream Corridor In the past, many urban watersheds, Group. The plan, which was Protection including the Brunette Basin, were released in February 2001, offers a seen primarily as drainage networks. goal, vision and guiding principles to Stakeholder agencies should protect The philosophy of the day was to be followed when making future existing stream habitat and riparian move the problem water out of the plans within the Basin. The BBWP areas and establish an effective system as quickly as possible. Much has been endorsed by the 5 member buffer over the long-term.

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Development within the watershed the entire Stoney Creek watershed. facilitate the implementation of the should employ stormwater Best Representatives from each BBWP. The Committee meets on a Management Practices (BMPs) to municipality, senior government regular basis to discuss common reduce post development runoff and agencies, and stewardship groups issues and to continue developing maintain and augment baseflows. participated in the strategy’s initiatives that provide a Basin wide development through a steering benefit. Some current initiatives, New in-stream structures should be group and numerous public including the production of this info- designed to accommodate fish workshops. sheet, are listed in the Initiatives passage. section. The resulting strategy, which has The stream corridors should be been endorsed by each municipal protected and managed with a council, provides a detailed look at Roles of balanced approach to stormwater stormwater management in the Stakeholders in conveyance, protection of life and Stoney Creek sub-watershed. This property from flooding, aquatic plan received the Association of Basin habitat protection and recreational Professional Engineers and use. Geoscientists of B.C. Environmental There are diverse stakeholder groups Award. The watershed strategies developed within the Basin. Some of their under the plan must be cost effective, general functions are listed below. affordable and reliable. Brunette Basin Cities of Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Coordinating Westminster, Port Moody, and III. Integrated Approach Vancouver: stormwater and The strategic options should be Committee watershed management, approval of integrated with land use planning, development plans, emergency spill The BBCC is made up of operations and maintenance, response, education programs. stakeholders from the Brunette development programs, and other Greater Vancouver Regional Basin. It has succeeded the Brunette agency programs. Basin Task Group which disbanded District: convey flows in the main channels, the lower portions of after successfully developing the Stormwater management and stream Eagle, Stoney, and Chub creeks. enhancement activities within the BBWP. The agencies and groups watershed should be coordinated to represented on the BBCC are listed The Ministry of Environment, provide continued and effective on the front page of this info-sheet. Lands, and Parks: issue water partnership and participation among Part of the committee’s mandate is to licences, applications for changes in all levels of government, regulatory provide coordination between groups water use or in-stream works, agencies, businesses and the local and agencies that are performing wildlife and habitat protection. work within the Basin and to community. . Fisheries and Oceans Canada: application of federal Integrated Stormwater Fisheries Act, Management Strategy for approval of in-stream Stoney Creek Watershed works, Salmon A detailed example of planning at a enhancement watershed scale was recently programs; Salmonids completed through the Integrated in the Classroom Stormwater Management Strategy Public Involvement for Stoney Creek. This plan, using Program and, support the goal and guiding principles for Streamkeepers. outlined in the Brunette Basin Watershed Plan, brought watershed BCIT, SFU, & UBC stakeholders together to develop a mapping and water stormwater management strategy for quality sampling, fish counts and other ...... 3 Spring/Summer 2001 community outreach. City of New Westminster— Stormwater Practices and developing the Brunette Creek Expenditures Survey, March 1998. Stewardship Groups: Sapperton Fish Neighbourhood plan which will and Game Club, Stoney Creek Best Management Practices Guide present options for future Environment Committee, Beecher for Stormwater, Oct. 1999. improvements near the mouth of the Creek Streamkeepers, Eagle Creek Options for Municipal Stormwater Brunette River. Public and agency Streamkeepers—provide day to day Management Governance, April involvement is currently underway. stewardship of local creeks and 1998. pursue enhancement opportunities. GVRD—“Enviroscape” stormwater Climate Change and the Greater and run-off demonstration models Vancouver Regional District Initiatives and available for community events, groups, schools—contact Bruce Related Web-sites Future Events Ford, GVRD C&E, 604-432-6203. BBCC members: The BBCC is currently facilitating www.city.burnaby.bc.ca the development of a GIS/web based Here www.city.coquitlam.bc.ca database for the Brunette Basin. Fishy… www.city.port-moody.bc.ca When complete, this project will www.city.new-westminster.bc.ca provide an important resource management database and www.city.vancouver.bc.ca information tool to assist resource www.gvrd.bc.ca managers, community stewards, www.gov.bc.ca/elp/ planners, enforcement/protection www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/ staff and others in the protection, enhancement and sustainability of www.rem.sfu.ca salmon stocks and salmon habitat www.bcit.ca within the Brunette Basin. The www.ire.ubc.ca website will also serve to provide Stewardship Links: Basin residents with detailed environmental information and other www.bcfisheries.gov.bc.ca/fishhabita information concerning their specific ts/stewardship.html neighbourhoods. www.env.gov.bc.ca/sry/fwh/index.ht Events: m The BBCC is also facilitating the City of Burnaby—Environment www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/GeorgiaBasin/gbie production and distribution of this bi- Week—June 4-10, 2001—theme is Index.htm annual info-sheet. Each will focus Climate , Energy and Change, on a different aspect of stormwater www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/ec/frap/fin.html please contact City of Burnaby for and watershed management. www.fraserbasin.bc.ca/about.html more information. www.stewardshipcentre.org Some other initiatives are as follows: GVRD—Burnaby Lake Park, canoe www-heb.pac.dfo- BCIT—Watershed Pledge Program, trips, nature walks, children’s mpo.gc.ca/PSkF/home.htm Burnaby Lake System Project. activities—contact GVRD Parks for more information—432-6359 Contact Info City of Burnaby—developing a comprehensive standards manual for Other Reports If you have any questions or stormwater management. comments for the Brunette Basin The following reports and guides are Coordinating Committee, or if you City of Vancouver—conducting a available on the GVRD website: have an event you would like Still Creek Corridor Study. Outcome included in future issues please send to provide potential options for Assessment of Current and Future an email to: [email protected] improvements along Still Creek—to GVS&DD Area Watershed and be developed with input from public. Catchment Conditions, Aug. 1999.

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