Water Management

Regional watershed management

Spruce Grove is involved with the management of Big Lake Basin watershed alongside a number of other municipalities and Alberta Environment. A Task Force was created in 2002 to develop a better understanding of the requirements for storm water management within the Big Lake Drainage Basin extending from Lac St. Anne through Big Lake and draining into the North Saskatchewan River.

The major focus of Spruce Grove’s work in this area is managing the rate of stormwater flow after an area has developed specifically in relation to flood-prone Atim Creek. Spruce Grove addressed the Big Lake recommendations through its 2007 update of the Storm Water Management Plan.

This group’s work is significant as it provides a sound example of multi- stakeholder cooperation to address a regional issue. It also shows the potential for regional cooperation to manage water resources at the watershed level.

Stormwater management

Stormwater management reduces flooding, enhances water quality, and protects fish habitat. The three main factors addressed through stormwater management systems are controlling water flow, removing pollutants, and reducing the source of pollutants.

Much of Spruce Grove’s stormwater management is naturalized and uses green infrastructure best practices (opposed to underground piping). This serves a double purpose: not only do naturalized stormwater facilities manage urban runoff, they also act as neighbourhood green spaces.

The Stormwater Management Plan  outlines existing and proposed design, construction, and maintenance guidelines and procedures for stormwater management in the City of Spruce Grove.  Its primary objective is to bring the rates of urban runoff/amount of pollutants within the runoff in developed areas to the same levels they were at prior to development.

The Stormwater management plan for Spruce Grove includes:

• an underground piped system
• naturalized stormwater management facilities (dry ponds, wet ponds, constructed wetlands)
• erosion and sediment control policies for construction (included in development agreements).