The Assiniboine Watershed Stewardship Association (AWSA) and the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA) hosted a Saskatchewan Low Impact Development (LID) Conference Friday March 18^th, 2011 from 9am – 4pm at the Gallagher Convention Center in Yorkton, SK.

** For full conference details, including agenda and speaker line-up, see the attached document at the bottom of the page **

Background

In light of the record amounts of rainfall Saskatchewan received in 2010 and the widespread flooding that ensued, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority (SWA) has initiated drought and flooding preparedness planning for various pilot site watersheds across the province. The AWSA was chosen to work with SWA to develop such a plan in the east-central area of Saskatchewan (Yorkton Creek Sub-basin of the Assiniboine River Watershed). 

This conference was created as part of SWA’s planning initiative to facilitate an understanding regarding the use of Low Impact Development (LID) to manage stormwater runoff.  Simply put, LID is the term given to a whole suite of innovative stormwater management practices that use planning, engineering, and landscape design to naturally manage and treat stormwater. LID application can range from the community level, right down to individual homeowners. Examples include such things as permeable paving surfaces, rain gardens, green roofs, bioswales (vegetated ditches), bioretention ponds, rain catchments, innovative landscape architecture, etc., all of which are aimed at reducing the quantity and improving the quality of stormwater runoff by preserving the infiltration, storage, and evaporation of water within its natural environment.

Conference attendees included an amalgamation of planners, developers, academics, government, non-profits, and other professionals invited from across Saskatchewan.

We had a great turnout and want to thank everyone that attended, especially all of our speakers that made the day a success!