Natural Infrastructure Solutions

Natural infrastructure can support four functions that help provide water services, often complementing or replacing expensive grey infrastructure:

• Deliver the service directly, with the ability to entirely or partially substitute for the grey infrastructure asset.
• Enhance the service delivered by a grey infrastructure asset to support the functioning, quality, and efficiency of service provision. This function can reduce the need for maintenance and inputs.
• Protect the service delivered by a grey infrastructure asset, for example, from extreme climate events.
• Render multiple benefits or co-benefits, in addition to the primary infrastructure service. Co-benefits may be social, economic, or environmental such as boosting jobs, improving health, or supporting biodiversity.

Across the Canadian Prairies, natural infrastructure assets are helping to bridge the growing water-related infrastructure gap while delivering social, economic, and environmental co-benefits. Natural infrastructure, including natural or restored assets (e.g., wetland) and constructed assets (e.g., green roof), supports three critical water management areas: 

• Natural Infrastructure for Flood Mitigation
• Natural Infrastructure for Water Supply and Drought Mitigation
• Natural Infrastructure for Water Quality