The City of Hamilton has many projects under way to help manage stormwater. These are some examples:
Storms and Flooding
Basement Flood Relief Pilot Program
This program implements basement flooding prevention techniques and provides a basement flood relief grant to residents with documented flooding problems related to sanitary sewage back-ups. This will be made possible by the installation of a backwater valve which prevents backwater from entering the basement during a storm event. In addition, where possible, the downspout from the roof leaders will be disconnected and redirected onto the yard.
Department: Strategic Planning, Public Works (Part of Flood Aware Program)
Inflow/Infiltration Reduction Program
Involves monitoring flows in the sanitary sewer to determine if sewers are being infiltrated by external sources or cross connections. Possible infiltrators include ground water and connections from improper source (ie. storm sewers connected to sewage pipes). The monitoring data collected through this program will help determine which pipes need to be fixed or replaced.
Storm Event Response Group (SERG)
SERG is Hamilton’s Storm Event Response Group. It was created in response to a number of significant rainfall and flooding events over the last three years. The group is composed of City workers from various backgrounds committed to enhancing the City’s storm event preparedness and response. SERG has implemented a flooding planned called Flood Aware to educate Hamilton residents about measures to protect their property during significant storms.
Department: City of Hamilton (various departments)
Link: http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/Environment_Sustainable_Infrastructure/StrategicPlanning/StrategicEnvironmentalPlanningProjects/FloodProgram/Storm+Event+Response+Group+%28SERG%29.htm
Flood Aware Preparedness Program
A group composed of City staff with multi-disciplinary backgrounds including representatives from many divisions across the City, including Water and Wastewater, Capital Planning & Implementation, Operations and Maintenance and Risk Management, who are committed to enhancing the City’s storm event preparation and response. Flood Aware provides tips for property owners on flood prevention.
Department: City of Hamilton (various departments)
Link: www.hamilton.ca/FloodAware
Stewardship Initiatives
Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship Program (HHWSP)
The HHWSP’s purpose is to protect, enhance and restore environmentally significant natural areas and watercourses in the watersheds of Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) and Conservation Halton (CH) through developing an educated, empowered group of landowners. The program has been proactively contacting landowners of natural areas and watercourses encouraging them to be good stewards of their land. Since 1994, the HHWSP has contacted over 3,000 urban and rural landowners of natural areas and watercourses and shared information about their individual roles in the protection and enhancement of wetlands, uplands and riparian areas in the conservation authorities’ watersheds.
Department: HCA, CH
Link: http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/watershed-stewardship/hca/programs-services/watershed-stewardship/hhwsp-overview
Spencer Creek Stewardship Action Plans
The purpose of the Spencer Creek Stewardship Action Plans is to create awareness by providing education about the environmental issues within their local Subwatershed and to improve environmental conditions in the subwatershed through restoration and rehabilitation initiatives on both private and public lands. These plans provide a strategy to support environmental watershed stewardship by focusing on activities such as education & awareness, habitat restoration, and mitigation efforts within the Spencer Creek subwatersheds.
Department: Hamilton Conservation Authority
Link: http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/stewardship-action-plans/hca/programs-services/watershed-stewardship/spencer-creek-stewardship-action-plans
Ancaster-Chedoke-Tiffany Stewardship Action Plans (ACT)
The Ancaster, Chedoke and Tiffany Creek subwatersheds were identified as the highest priority for stewardship action of the Spencer Creek subwatersheds, since they have the highest amount of urban land use. The ACT Stewardship Action Plans contain stewardship actions such as water conservation and pervious surfacing to alleviate problems such as increased urban runoff and sediments in creeks. The ACT Plans will be used as a framework for similar plans for subsequence stewardship plans for the Spencer Creek watershed.
Department: Hamilton Conservation Authority
Link: http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/watershed-stewardship/hca/programs-services/watershed-stewardship/ancaster-chedoke-tiffany-creek-subwatershed
Borer’s, Logie’s & Sydenham Creek Stewardship Action Plans
Although primarily rural, the subwatersheds of Borer’s, Logie’s and Sydenham Creeks are relatively urbanized in comparison to the other subwatersheds of Spencer Creek and therefore have been identified as being of high priority for stewardship action. These subwatersheds are predominantly located on top of the escarpment but do reach down below the escarpment; the study area includes: the southern areas of Beverly Township and West Flamborough (Ward 14), the southern portion of East Flamborough Township (Ward 15) and a small portion of the Dundas community (Ward 13).
Department: Hamilton Conservation Authority
Link: http://www.conservationhamilton.ca/watershed-stewardship/hca/programs-services/watershed-stewardship/borers-logies-sydenham-subwatersheds
Adopt-a-Creek
Adopt-a-Creek is a program targeting urban homeowners and high school students, presented by the Bay Area Restoration Council and the Hamilton-Halton Watershed Stewardship Program (HHWSP). The program pairs community and high school groups to provide information and support in their efforts to rehabilitate local creeks. The intent is to directly impact local creeks and improve the health of the watershed, with a focus on Cootes Paradise Marsh and Grindstone Creek.
Department: Bay Area Restoration Council
Link: http://www.hamiltonharbour.ca/programs-adoptacreek.htm
Education Opportunities
Yellow Fish Road
Yellow Fish Road is a storm drain marking program presented by the Bay Area Restoration Council. Launched in May 2005, the program uses elementary student volunteers to place yellow fish markers at storm drains, and a marker with the message “only rain goes down the drain”. Volunteers also distribute information to households in the city. The purpose of the program is to remind city residents that material dumped into storm drains ends up in the harbour, and encourages protection of water.
Department: Bay Area Restoration Council
Link: http://www.hamiltonharbour.ca/programs-yfr.htm
Eco-house
Eco-house is a building that demonstrates environmental technologies for an education purpose. The house allows visitors to see sustainable technology being used and learn more about such projects. Features of Eco-house include a garden maintained without use of pesticides or chemicals, an irrigation system connected to rain barrels.
Department: Green Venture
Link: http://ecohouse.greenventure.ca/
Children’s Water Festival
The Children’s Water Festival is a free educational festival for children in grade 4 to learn about water conservation, water awareness, water science and technology, and water protection. The Festival occurred over three days (May 21 – May 23 2008) and was run by the City of Hamilton Public Works.
Department: City of Hamilton, Public Works, Water & Wastewater
Link: http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/WaterAndWasteWaterDev/HamiltonChildrenWaterFestival/Childrens+Water+Festival+Main.htm
Rain-Catcher Pilot Project
The Rain-Catcher Project is a project presented by Environment Hamilton and the City of Hamilton to educate elementary school children about storm water issues and decrease stormwater runoff. The pilot project will work with Woodward School in East Hamilton to teach students about stormwater runoff, install rain barrels and the school, plant trees, and decrease the school’s impervious area by installing pervious pavement.
Department: Environment Hamilton, City of Hamilton, Public Works, Strategic Planning
Link: http://www.environmenthamilton.org/
Programs and Projects
Stormwater Master Plan
This City-wide master plan contains stormwater policies and strategies for the next 30 years. The study area includes the portion of Hamilton serviced by a separate sewer system. The master plan evaluates Alternative Management Strategies for each watershed and discusses measures to manage stormwater in urban and rural settings.
Department: Strategic Planning, Public Works
Link:http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/Environment_Sustainable_Infrastructure/StrategicPlanning/StrategicEnvironmentalPlanningProjects/GRIDS/Stormwater+Management+Master+Plan.htmSource
Water Protection
The Source Water Protection Planning Group is part of Public Works, Water & Wastewater. Its mandate is to ensure long term protection of potable groundwater and surface water as specified in the Clean Water Act. The Group is responsible for community outreach programs and developing guidelines and policies for projects with water risks. Offers tips for groundwater protection including rain barrel usage, rain gardens, and reducing aquifer pollution.
Department: Water & Wastewater, Public Works, City of Hamilton
Link: www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/WaterandWasteWaterDev/Drinking+Water/SourceProtection.htm
Wise Water Use Program
Gives water conservation tips for indoor, outdoor and business water uses. Wise Water Use is a public education and outreach program in partnership with Green Venture and the City of Hamilton. Outdoor tips include downspout disconnection and rain barrel use, washing cars with a bucket and sponge, and using only one inch of water per week for lawn care in order to conserve water and reduce runoff. Business tips include use of rain/moisture sensors for irrigation systems so not to water after rain in order to conserve water and reduce runoff.
Department: Water & Wastewater, Public Works, City of Hamilton
Link: www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/WaterandWastewaterDev/Programs/WiseWaterUse.htm
Catch the Rain (Pilot Program)
Catch the Rain is a pilot project by the City of Hamilton Public Works and Green Venture. The program encourages downspout disconnection and rain barrel installation in order to prevent stormwater runoff and conserve water. In 2007, rain barrels were offered to residents at a reduced rate, which sold out. These residents participated in a survey to measure community interest and conservation benefits of using rain barrels. This program is now complete.
Department: City of Hamilton, Public Works & Green Venture
Link: http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/WaterAndWasteWaterDev/Education/Rainbarrel.htm