Adaptation Measures to Cope with Increased Climatic Variability and Densification

Hans Schreier

The increases in flooding events in cities requires us to rethink how we deal with urban runoff. There is clear evidence that extreme climatic events are becoming more frequent, but urban densification is compounding the flooding problem. Installing simple LID system is clearly insufficient to cope with extreme events unless they are done in combination with watershed wide prevention initiatives. The process starts with property owners responsibility to minimize runoff and improve water storage and infiltration. Different approaches are needed at the neighborhood scale to deal with roads and parking lot runoff and watershed wide action are required to improve the function of riparian buffer zones.
The presentation will focus on documenting a number of extreme climatic events and show how the increases in imperviousness in cities is compounding the flooding problem. Examples of innovative adaptation methods will provided to show how combine LID systems at the watershed scale work.

Presented by Hans Schreier

Hans Schreier is a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Land & Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on watershed management, land-water interactions, soil and water pollution, stormwater management and virtual water issues. He has worked extensively in watershed studies in the Himalayas, the Andean and the Rocky Mountains. In 1996 he was recognized by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for his contribution to improve water resources management in the developing world. In 2000 he developed a WEB-based Certificate Program in Watershed Management at UBC and todate 1400 individuals from 24 different countries have participated in the program. From 2003-2007 he was Co-Leader of the Watershed Program of the Canadian Water Network National Centre of Excellence and from 2003-2011 he was a member of the Water Advisory Panel for the Columbia Basin Trust. In 2004 he received the “Science in Action” Award from The United Nations International Year of Fresh Water, Science & Education Program, for outstanding work in making watershed management knowledge available in Canada and in Developing Countries. In 2008 he received the King Albert International Mountain Award for scientific accomplishment of lasing values to the world’s mountains. King Albert I Memorial Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland.