STORMWATER SOLUTIONS
Stormwater is any precipitation (rain, snowmelt, hail) that flows over and through the ground and ends up in the watershed. In urban areas or areas with human land development, stormwater picks up pollutants and carries them to nearby streams. Our stormwater solutions program aims to reduce the effects of stormwater pollution on nearby waterways through volunteer-based wetland construction and education and outreach campaigns.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In 2020 the second phase of the Stormwater Solutions project kicked off, with a lot of prep setting us up for 2021. Several weedpulls throughout the summer of 2020 and 2021 removed invasive plants from the stormwater ponds around Fernie, with 91 volunteers removing 32 garbage bags of weeds.
In 2021 we planted native aquatic vegetation around these ponds and installing three floating wetlands in Maiden Lake to improve filtration and provide greater habitat to aquatic animals. We will also be creating an educational film and installing interpretive signs to improve water literacy and encourage community members to take steps to improve the water quality in the Elk Valley.
In total 90 volunteers donated a total of 185 hours to restoration and enhancement activities on Maiden Lake and Annex Park.
Accomplishments
Maiden Lake, Canadian Tire Pond & Annex Pond weedpulls and baseline Water Monitoring
Accomplishments
1. Installed 3 floating wetland islands (105 sq ft) on Maiden Lake with native wetland species (with plans to double floating island square footage in 2022)
2. Maiden Lake, Canadian Tire Pond & Annex Pond weedpulls and baseline Water Monitoring
3. Planted over 1500 native riparian and wetland seedlings, including rushes, reeds and cattails
Accomplishments
1. Educational video (complete)
2. Signage at Maiden lake and Fernie Annex ‘Duck Pond’ (complete)
5 WAYS TO DECREASE STORMWATER POLLUTION
HOW DO WETLANDS HELP MITIGATE STORMWATER POLLUTION?
As water washes over areas with agricultural or urban land-use, it picks up fertilizer and carries it to the watershed.
Wetlands are nature’s filter. Our floating wetlands at Maiden Lake aim to clean the water before it enters Elk River, and contribute to a thriving ecosystem.
PROJECT FUNDING FROM
