Where Does the Rain Go?

From rain gardens and bioswales to storm sewers, the campus is home to a range of green infrastructure designed to manage rainwater while protecting natural ecosystems. The recently updated rainwater management plan for the campus will guide how rainwater is managed across campus for years to come, helping reduce flood risks, and protect the Point Grey cliffs in the face of a changing climate. 

Below are a few examples of green rainwater infrastructure on campus.

Image	The CIRS Green Roof collects rainwater, which is stored in a cistern for fire suppression. The green roof helps insulate the building, slows runoff entering storm drains, and the native and adaptive plants atop the roof provide a supportive habitat for pollinators.
Image	The AMS Nest green roof helps manage rainwater by capturing and retaining rainfall on the roof, reducing and slowing down runoff that enters storm drains, and improving water quality through natural filtration.
Image	The green roof and courtyard at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum and Biodiversity Research Centre helps manage rainwater by capturing and retaining rainfall on the roof, reducing and slowing down runoff that enters storm drains, and improving water quality through natural filtration. It also help to insulate buildings, keeping temperatures lower in the summer, and heat in during winter.
Image	The rain garden outside the Campus Energy Centre collects and slows rainwater to reduce flooding, clean runoff, and support pollinators. In areas like these that are near steep slopes, rain gardens use liners to help prevent rainwater soaking deep into the ground, then seeping out of the slopes and causing erosion.
Image	This Bioswale on Memorial Road helps manage rainwater by collecting runoff, slowing it down, and cleaning it naturally through soil and plants. It reduces flooding, protects nearby landscapes from erosion, and creates healthy habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

Learn more about UBC's Integrated Rainwater Management Plan