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More floods are coming to Nova Scotia—and not just from storm surges on the waterfront. While coastal communities are already battling rising seas, a sinking crust and increased storm surge, inland areas now face a different but compounding threat: extreme rainfall overwhelming drainage systems and saturating the ground. Climate change is fueling heavier and more unpredictable rain events, turning streets into rivers and overwhelming infrastructure never designed for this volume of stormwater.
Link Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather
Nova Scotia’s 2022 climate change risk assessment—Weathering What’s Ahead—identified flooding as the greatest threat to provincial well-being in the 2030s, warning that storm surges, river flooding, and urban drainage failures will only become more severe. Without proactive solutions, homeowners will continue to suffer increasingly frequent and devastating flood damage.
In 2023, Nova Scotia faced catastrophic flash flooding that resulted in four fatalities and caused extensive damage to a province still recovering from wildfires. On July 21, an atmospheric river brought over 250mm of rain—more than three months’ worth—in just 24 hours, washing out roads, causing severe erosion, and flooding countless basements. The hardest-hit areas—including Halifax, East Hants, West Hants, Lunenburg, and Queens—experienced catastrophic flooding, triggering a provincial state of emergency and causing significant damage to infrastructure, homes, and businesses.
In total, the flooding caused over $257 million in insured damage, according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. This disaster served as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for stronger flood protection measures to safeguard Canadians from the increasing risks of extreme weather.
As extreme weather events become more frequent, Fusion Landscaping, also known as rainscaping, provides a sustainable, property value-enhancing, and aesthetically enriching solution to manage stormwater while stewarding the environment. Instead of relying solely on overburdened municipal drainage systems, this approach works with nature to absorb, filter, and redirect rainwater into groundwater or a collection basin, reducing flood risks, enhancing beauty, and increasing property value.
This innovative approach has been pioneered and championed by Michael Albanese, founder of Avesi Stormwater & Landscape Solutions, a recognized industry leader in ecological stormwater management, also who introduced Oakhill to the topic. As both a practitioner and mentor, Albanese has helped shape the field by developing nature-based solutions that blend ecological and functional stormwater design with landscape aesthetics. His work has inspired a movement toward landscapes that are as resilient as they are beautiful.
Read Michael Albanese’s blog on the topic here!
Fusion Landscaping follows Albanese’s philosophy, balancing two key elements:
By integrating stormwater management with ecological landscaping, Fusion Landscaping provides a practical way to mitigate flood risks while creating beautiful outdoor spaces. This approach incorporates:
Thanks to the vision and expertise of Michael Albanese, Fusion Landscaping has become a proven, forward-thinking method for managing water sustainably. By designing landscapes that reduce flood risks, support biodiversity, and enhance property value, Fusion Landscaping is not just a response to climate change—it’s an investment in a more resilient future.
The logical side of this decision is crucial—homeowners want to protect their property, manage stormwater effectively, and reduce reliance on costly irrigation systems. Over the past few decades, annual precipitation in Nova Scotia has increased by 5-10%, and climate models predict a 10-20% rise in heavy rainfall events by 2050. Proactive water management has never been more important.
At the same time, municipal water use in Nova Scotia is rising, with higher demand during drought periods and extreme heat events. Many residents experienced water restrictions last summer, demonstrating the growing strain on the system. So why continue relying on municipal water when we’re receiving more rainfall than ever? By implementing rainwater harvesting strategies, we can reduce pressure on municipal systems while ensuring landscapes remain healthy, even during dry periods.
Halifax Water’s 2024-2025 Business Plan projects an operating deficit of $18.7 million, up from $16.4 million the previous year, underscoring the increasing strain on municipal water infrastructure. Aging systems and rising maintenance costs make it harder to handle stormwater effectively, contributing to urban flooding when drainage networks become overwhelmed. By reducing runoff through rainwater harvesting and Fusion Landscaping, homeowners can ease pressure on Halifax’s overburdened water systems, lowering the risk of localized flooding and infrastructure failures.
But beyond the practical benefits, using rainwater as a resource leads to some of the most beautiful and dynamic landscapes imaginable. Instead of dry, patchy lawns and stressed ornamental plantings, rainwater-fed landscapes thrive with lush greenery, vibrant blooms, and rich biodiversity. Native plants, chosen for their ability to withstand drought by evolving with natural rainfall cycles, create thriving pollinator gardens, rain-fed meadows, and resilient urban ecosystems.
Permeable pathways, rain gardens, and bioswales don’t just serve a functional purpose—they add striking visual appeal to any property. Thoughtfully designed rainwater-fed landscapes incorporate flowing contours, layered textures, and a variety of plants that bloom at different times of the year, making them far more engaging and visually captivating than traditional, water-intensive lawns.
By capturing and using rainwater efficiently, homeowners can cultivate landscapes that feel alive, ever-changing, and deeply connected to the natural environment. The result is not just a resilient landscape but a more inviting, biodiverse, and aesthetically stunning space—one that is as functional as it is beautiful.
At Oakhill Outdoor, our Environmental Services and Design-Build Divisions are dedicated to implementing these sustainable practices across Nova Scotia. By capturing and filtering rainwater through well-designed landscapes, we can:
The beauty of Fusion Landscaping lies not only in its functionality but in its ecological impact. Permeable driveways, rain gardens, and native plantings protect watersheds from pollution, improve soil health, and create thriving natural habitats.
As we navigate the challenges of climate change, extreme weather, and water management, Fusion Landscaping offers a practical, beautiful, and necessary way to adapt.
Don’t wait for another flood. Reach out to Oakhill Outdoor to see how Fusion Landscaping can transform your property into a climate-adaptive haven. Contact us today!
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