Integrated Stormwater Management Plan


New Westminster’s Citywide Integrated Stormwater Management Plan (ISMP) was adopted by City Council in May 2017. The ISMP is a strategy to help manage rainfall, address water quality and quantity issues from stormwater runoff, and enhance our watershed. The ISMP is a requirement under Metro Vancouver’s Regional Integrated Liquid Waste Management Plan.
The ISMP includes a Best Management Practice Toolkit, which highlights Green Infrastructure tools and design guidelines for implementation throughout the City. Green infrastructure is a term used for more naturalized designs to manage stormwater in urban settings. It typically includes both engineered and natural components that mimic natural water flow and promote rainwater infiltration. Green Infrastructure (e.g., rain gardens) improves water quality to protect the environment, supports recreational water use, and meets current and emerging regulatory requirements.
NEW WESTMINSTER ISMP
Integrated Stormwater Management Plan Volume 1
Integrated Stormwater Management Plan Volume 2
RAIN GARDENS
The City has successfully incorporated rain gardens into recent designs for parking lots and roadways. They are designed with the objective of retaining water, allowing water to infiltrate naturally for a period of time before overflowing to the sewer systems. This supports the reduction of water in our sewers, improves water quality before entering the Fraser River, and benefits wildlife/pollinators, allowing for a greater diversity of plant species to survive.