An innovative online calculator which allows any property owner in British Columbia, Canada to zoom in on their property and quantify landscape water needs is now live.

Announcing that the online calculator, which is linked to a 500 metre gridded climate data set covering the entire province is now live, Ted van der Gulik from the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, said:

“The tool allows any property owner in BC to zoom in to their property and quantify their landscape water needs based on climate, soil, plant type and irrigation system.”

The tool educates users because they are able to compare water use for separate landscape profiles. By following the Users Guide, and through experimentation with the dropdowns, they learn that ‘water need’ varies depending on plant type, irrigation system, local climate and soil type.

The BC Landscape Water Calculator is the newest tool in the Partnership toolbox – the Partnership develops tools and resources for use by communities to facilitate a ‘design with nature’ approach to water-centric planning in British Columbia. The calculator is in the public domain and offers both a decision support and educational tool for local government water conservation programs.

Tool can be accessed and used by all BC local governments for water resiliency planning and management of outdoor water use

This means it can be accessed and used by all BC local governments for water resiliency planning and management of outdoor water use.

Kim Stephens, Executive Director, at the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia commented:

“The rhythms of water are in flux – winters are warmer and wetter; summers are longer and drier. This is British Columbia’s new reality. Adapting means that we must view water differently. Adapting requires that our use of water be in balance with a changing water cycle. A core concept for an adaption strategy is this: Water sustainability in the built environment would be achieved through implementation of green infrastructure policies and practices.”

The BC Landscape Water Calculator is available to all residents of British Columbia - the City of Kelowna was the first local government in the province to become a project partner.

Ted van der Gulik added:

“The City’s participation as a project partner is key because the BC Landscape Water Calculator supports Kelowna’s water regulation bylaw and Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper program (QWEL). In addition, the City facilitated a grant from the RBC Blue Water Project to jointly fund tool development.”

The Calculator, the outcome of a multi-year investment by the provincial government and other partners to develop science-based tools, is the latest spin-off tool from the BC Agriculture Water Demand Model. Another spin-off tool is the BC Agriculture Water Calculator which supports the provincial government’s application process for all new water licences.

Catalyst for developing the tools was Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan

The catalyst for developing the tools was Living Water Smart, British Columbia’s Water Plan which provided the policy framework for a new era of water management in BC.

Living Water Smart was a catalyst for action because it established 45 actions and targets for doing business differently, preparing communities for change, and choosing to be water smart.

The platform re-build for the BC Agriculture Water Calculator was the opportunity to spin-off the BC Landscape Water Calculator as a stand-alone tool for use by local governments and their residents.

At the same time, the City of Kelowna was implementing a landscape bylaw that established an allowable water budget at the individual property scale.

The City of Kelowna has an oversight system in place to manage outdoor water use and ensure that landscape design and irrigation design work together to achieve water efficiency. The City’s approval process is keyed to three requirements:

• Limit use of turf-grass to a maximum of 60% of the site.
• Design the system so that water use would not exceed the allowable annual water budget.
• Submit a Landscape Water Conservation Report for the City’s approval.

Any property owner in BC can now zoom in to their property and quantify their outdoor water need based on climate, soil, plant type and irrigation system. The Partnership for Water Sustainability said:

"We believe this is quite likely the first application of this kind in the world. Over time, province-wide use of the tool would result in enhanced resiliency of community water supplies."

“Our vision is that province-wide mainstreaming would begin in 2021."

In the meantime,the Partnership is inviting expressions of interest from local governments wishing to be part of the program to contact them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Click here to test drive the BC Landscape Water Calculator

Click here to download Living Water Smart - British Columbia’s Water Plan

Click here to to see an online demonstration of the British Columbia Landscape Water Calculator tool on the Waterbriefing Watch Channel