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Help manage stormwater on your property:
Stormwater Assessment and Management Program (S.W.A.M.P.): Managing stormwater in your backyard
We’re working with homeowners to implement natural infrastructure projects across southwest Nova Scotia to better manage stormwater runoff and improve water quality within the watershed.
This project is in partnership with:
What is S.W.A.M.P.?
CARP is developing the Stormwater Assessment and Management Program (S.W.A.M.P.) to help households and communities across Southwest Nova Scotia tackle stormwater challenges with practical, nature-based solutions. This project focuses on building the tools and resources needed to support homeowners see what effective stormwater management can look like for their property. S.W.A.M.P. will support long-term community knowledge and climate resilience—setting the stage for healthier waterways and more prepared communities across the region.
What is stormwater?
Stormwater is water that originates from precipitation events and snow/ice melt. Stormwater can soak into the soil (infiltrate), be held on the surface and evaporate, or runoff and end up in nearby streams, rivers, or other water bodies (surface water). In natural landscapes such as forests, the soil absorbs much of the stormwater and plants help hold stormwater close to where it falls.
What is natural infrastructure and why is it important?
Improving Nova Scotia’s methods for managing stormwater is critical as communities face increased precipitation and flooding events driven by our changing climate. The mismanagement of stormwater runoff can lead to overburdening of our current sewer systems resulting in water quality concerns, such as E.Coli contamination, nutrient loading leading to algal blooms, and suspended sediment.
By implementing natural infrastructure (NI) (rain gardens, bioswales, etc..) property owners can slow the flow of water during storm events, allow for better filtration of contaminants, redirect rainwater away from sewers, and provide storage area for runoff and floodwaters.
NI can also be implemented in combination with low impact development storage systems, such as rain barrels and cisterns. NI is an easy, low cost, aesthetically pleasing, and sustainable solution to stormwater issues on your property and in your communities.
Problems with flooding on your property? Curious about rain gardens, bioswales, or low impact development? Want to understand how you can improve water quality in your community?
Hot off the press! Download our 2023 Home Resource Kit on Stormwater Management: Click here to download
Success Stories
Digby - ‘Hospital Hill’ Park
Building on the rain garden complex constructed in 2018, we are partnering with the Town of Digby to implement additional natural infrastructure features to manage excess water on site and filter runoff from impervious surfaces (ex. Roofs, parking lots, sidewalks etc). In the fall of 2023, CARP constructed two new rain gardens on-site and advocated for the addition of two new bioswales into the park's design.
Beacon United
In CARP’s newest partnership, we are addressing the large volume of runoff coming from Beacon United’s roof. This project will redirect stormwater away from municipal sewer systems and mitigate flooding issues within the building. In the fall of 2023, staff constructed a 50 square metre rain garden and planted over 350 water-tolerant, native plants!
Raquette Pond
CARP constructed three rain gardens bordering a pond at Frank MacKintosh Memorial Park in 2019. These gardens have helped to capture and filter stormwater runoff from the surrounding impervious surfaces (roads, sidewalks) prior to it entering the pond.
CARP has continued to conduct maintenance on these gardens each year since their completion.
Raquette Pond
CARP constructed three rain gardens bordering a pond at Frank MacKintosh Memorial Park in 2019. These gardens have helped to capture and filter stormwater runoff from the surrounding impervious surfaces (roads, sidewalks) prior to it entering the pond.
CARP has continued to conduct maintenance on these gardens each year since their completion.
NSCC Middleton
CARP partnered with Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Middleton to construct two rain gardens and a dry creek bed to channel surface water and runoff in 2018. Additional work and maintenance for this site was then completed in 2019.
Household Stormwater Management & Water Conservation Home Assessment Program
Throughout 2019-2020 CARP partnered with BCAF recruiting homeowners in the Kings, Annapolis, Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Lunenburg, and Queens counties to participate in a home assessment program to identify actions to improve the management and use of freshwater on their properties. Assessments focused on water consumption and stormwater runoff issues in order to identify conservation and management options.
The information collected was used to create a property specific report that outlined recommendations and established an action plan that could be implemented by residents to manage issues with stormwater (e.g. flooding) or to support water conservation.
