Collaborative Solutions to Urban Stormwater Management

The Murphys Creek Collaborative Stormwater project arose in response to mounting public opposition to a stormwater resource consent discharge proposal in an urban catchment in Blenheim. The project employed a people-centred, collaborative decision making approach to explore alternative solutions to stormwater infrastructure challenges. By bringing together a range of stakeholders and local iwi representatives to form the Murphys Creek Collaborative Stakeholder Group (MCCSG), the project worked through a structured decision making process to ultimately resolve the controversy, restore damaged council-community relationships, and arrive at a solution that carried the endorsement of all. This abstract provides an overview of the project, including the background and context in the leadup to the project’s initiation, through to its conclusion. It is intended to be of interest to council stormwater planners, stormwater engineers, urban freshwater and social scientists, and anyone affected by or involved in stormwater management and decision making.