Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Look at all the really important science that we were able to produce. There is a lot to be proud of in terms of all that material that we produced for the region, the network and the country,” stated Richard Boase, career environmental champion within local government in British Columbia
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 23, 2024 featured North Vancouver’s Richard Boase, an environmental champion in word and deed. His 30-year career history in local government is defined by the partnerships he forged with academia through collaboration with UBC’s Hans Schreier. This form of collaboration is an essential ingredient in the intergenerational baton strategy.
💧 Balancing Act: H2O and Healthy Streams
“In the April 16th edition of Waterbucket eNews, we featured the Partnership’s current collaboration with Vancouver Island University. Thanks to Richard Boase and his longstanding connection to Hans Schreier, the Partnership has an even longer relationship with the University of British Columbia,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“Collaboration with academia is an essential ingredient in what we in the Partnership frame as our intergenerational baton strategy. Our goal is to identify, invest in, and mentor those in the next generation who want to accept the baton because they see the benefits of building on experience.”
How we turn ideas into action
“At a critical moment, members of the Partnership team would have an idea around a research theme that supported our hypotheses,” recalled Richard Boase. “And as often happened, I was the arm that had the energy and willingness to take on the research, apply new science in North Vancouver, and get the work done.”
“One project that everyone involved in is especially proud of,” continued Kim Stephens, “is the North Shore Tree Canopy Rainfall Interception Project. Richard Boase and Hans Schreier ran with the idea, expanded the partnership to include the Canada Water Network, involved community volunteers, and implemented a network of 60 tree canopy climate stations across three municipalities.”
“The research quantified the proportion of rainfall intercepted by the tree canopy in an urban forest. This demonstrates the benefits of maintaining a tree canopy in the urban environment,” explained Richard Boase.
An inter-municipal coordinating team developed tree and site selection criteria and, with the assistance of UBC’s Dr. Markus Weiler (above), implemented an innovative system for capturing rain that makes it through the tree canopy.
Pursuit of knowledge in a quest to improve the urban fabric
“In my moments of reflection, I am proud of my pursuit of knowledge. It was shortly after the Hans Schreier workshop in the mid-1990s that I embarked on applied research that has defined my career with the District,” stated Richard Boase.
“Hans inspired me. Because of that relationship, the District used grad students to carry out vital research.”
“This research was in pursuit of making changes to the fabric of our urbanized areas. I was so encapsulated by what I saw around me, and the need for change, that my mind was always racing. And I needed to find ways to do research into what we were talking about.”
To Learn More:
To read the complete story, download a copy of Living Water Smart in British Columbia: Balancing Act – H2O and Healthy Streams. The downloadable version includes a bonus feature in an appendix which is the complete interview with Richard Boase. The preview is extracted from the Chronicle of the Metro Vancouver region’s Green Infrastructure Journey (1997-2023) which will be published later in 2024.
Comments Off on TURNING THE TIDE FOR STREAM SURVIVAL: “The Partnership for Water Sustainability created the methodology for EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process. Now we are in a 3-year transition strategy to embed EAP at Vancouver Island University,” stated Anna Lawrence, Project Coordinator, Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region Research Institute at VIU
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 16, 2024 features Tim Pringle, Anna Lawrence, and Sam Gerrand who personify the passing of the intergenerational baton.
They tell the story of Year One of the 3-year transition strategy to embed EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, at Vancouver Island University. EAP is a financial tool that fills a gap. It provides a measure of the Riparian Deficit which is a consequence of urbanization.
Local government Asset Management Plans need real financial values in order to include budgets for streams
At the BC Land Summiton May 9 in Nanaimo, Tim Pringle will tag-team with Anna Lawrence and Sam Gerrand to tell the story of Year One of the 3-year transition strategy to embed EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, at Vancouver Island University (VIU). For a session overview,CLICK HERE.
EAP is a financial tool to help streams survive because it yields realistic and defensible financial values —based on parcel data from BC Assessment — on how much to invest in stream M&M (which is the acronym for maintenance and management).
Because local government Asset Management Plans need real financial values, EAP fills a gap. It allows local governments to establish affordable annual budgets for stream M&M. This moves the budget-setting process beyond rhetoric and into “the realm of the substantive”.
Convening for action at the BC Land Summit: Going beyond doing just enough
Human settlement degrades stream systems. A series of reports by the Ombudsperson link weak oversight of riparian areas regulation to continuing degradation.
Meanwhile, the pressure on governments to pave the way for housing is seemingly relentless. So, how do communities find a balance between these competing realities? What are the RISKS and COSTS when we fail to get it right with our land development and drainage policies and practices?
In a world of competing priorities when governments must make hard choices on what and how much to fund, what are the affordable and effective measures that might drive changes in policies and practices to achieve a balanced outcome?
How will we course correct to find the balance that achieves a desired outcome such as: create liveable communities and protect stream health? The vision for the EAP Partnership is to continuously train the next generations of local government staffs and build capacity to get the job done.
Embracing the intergenerational baton:
“As we become more familiar with EAP and its applications, it is becoming increasingly apparent that it requires tailored communication to a variety of audiences to emphasize that this is one tool to increase and maintain the health of our stream systems,” states VIU’s Anna Lawrence who is being mentored by Tim Pringle as part of the intergenerational baton strategy.
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“In the 1990s, research by Richard Horner and Chris May at the University of Washington shook the foundations of traditional engineering practice and provided us with a science-based framework for understanding what stream system integrity means. We had our starting point for the goal of balancing use and conversation of land,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“With publication of Beyond the Guidebook 2015, Tim Pringle and I framed water balance accounting and ecological accounting as the Twin Pillars of Stream System Integrity for a whole-system approach to assessing changes in hydrology and the riparian deficit, respectively. This launched the EAP journey!”
“Under Tim Pringle’s direction, we completed 9 case studies in collaboration with 13 local government partners in 5 regions of southwest BC.”
“We also built a relationship with the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Research Institute (MABRRI) at Vancouver Island University and involved students in the data analysis and GIS work. In fact, we relied on students.”
“With release of the EAP Synthesis Report in 2022, the timing was right to embed our EAP knowledge at MABRRI, launch the EAP Partnership, and begin training next generations of local government staff to tackle the Riparian Deficit. Multi-year commitments by local governments to build capacity and co-funding by UBCM make this possible,” concluded Kim Stephens.
Why we need EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, to tackle the “Riparian Deficit”
“A measure of the consequence of human settlement is the Riparian Deficit,” explains Tim Pringle, Chair of the Ecological Accounting Process (EAP) initiative.
“The Riparian Deficit applies to the regulated setback which is the interface between land and a stream. It is the natural systems equivalent of the well-known Infrastructure Deficit for engineered systems.”
“EAP is a land use perspective. EAP provides local governments with the real numbers they need to deliver outcomes: What is the number for the line item in a local government annual budget for community investment in maintenance and management, that is M&M, of streams?”
“Streams need a place to be. If we cannot get our heads around that, we are not going to keep our streams. When something does not get measured, it does not get managed,” Tim Pringle stresses.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: EAP is a financial tool to help streams survive – extracts from a conversation with Anna Lawrence and Sam Gerrand
“The story behind the story is about the importance of embedding knowledge of EAP into the youth who are going to be the future of our local governments. The framework that we have set up ensures this will happen,” Graham Sakaki emphasized in a conversation about what being an EAP partner means to him and to Vancouver Island University.
“There are lots of partnerships that exist for selfish reasons. But the EAP Partnership is selfless, and from all angles. It is a leap of faith for member local governments. Partnership for Water Sustainability commitment to passing the baton is unwavering.”
PART ONE: Reflections by Anna Lawrence about her journey as the coordinator
“Led by Tim Pringle, the Partnership for Water Sustainability created the EAP methodology and refined it with 9 demonstration projects. The success is that EAP has been passed on to VIU as part of the intergenerational baton. Now we are in the midst of a 3-year transition strategy to embed it,” states Anna Lawrence.
“We have just completed three Year One projects through partnerships with three local governments. The work involved four students, two in Geographic Information Systems and two in the Master of Community Planning program, as well as three MABBRI staff who have been trained in the EAP methodology.”
Coming up to speed in Year One
“I came into the EAP process with a completely different background because my master’s degree is in Sustainable Leisure Management.”
“So, it was a journey to get my head around the jargon and the different viewpoints and ways of thinking. This applied not only to the development of the EAP methodology but also to the different stakeholders.”
“The 3-year transition strategy is an opportunity to absorb as much as we can. Not just me but all the others learning beside me.”
“There are many different parts to EAP. With each part comes a pathway with capacity to help local governments. In his Master’s thesis, Sam Gerrand has explored one pathway to apply EAP at a regional scale. This research holds exciting potential.”
PART TWO: Reflections by Sam Gerrand on the potential for EAP as a predictive tool
“I am the first master’s student involved in EAP,” states Sam Gerrand. “It is interesting because my research is an applied project that has direct implications for the local governments that we are working with.”
“My experience has been the same as Anna. A year ago, I was an outsider to the topic. It has been a fun journey learning what EAP is and the potential for its application.”
“It has also been exciting because I have a background in geographic information science and geography. And so I approached my project with the lens of that technical skillset and an applied topic.”
“As well, I spent a lot of time as a kid growing up around creeks and streams. My dad was involved in riparian area management. So I have an attachment to the research topic.”
What it means to do a deeper dive into the numbers
“The cool part is that because I worked on this project in an academic setting, I was able to investigate in more detail how EAP could be applied in a different way or even changed to be more useful to practitioners.”
“My research looked at ways we could take EAP from a stream-by-stream approach and apply it to a watershed scale or a regional scale. This might be really useful and cost-effective for local governments that have multiple streams in their jurisdiction.”
“The exciting part of what I found is the strong relationship between land use intensity and the financial values of the streams that we are finding in the EAP studies.”
“What makes it exciting is the accuracy of land use intensity as an indicator for use of EAP as a predictive tool at the regional scale. The difference between predicted and actual values for the Natural Commons Asset financial value is within 5%.”
“That finding is really encouraging in terms of what it means for local governments. They can move forward in an affordable and effective way to deliver timely solutions,” concludes Sam Gerrand.
Natural Commons Asset defined:
The NCA is the portion of the stream corridor that lies in the regulated streamside setback zone as defined in the Riparian Areas Protection Regulation Act. The NCA width is the sum of the stream width plus the setback distance on each side of the stream.
PART THREE: Reflections by Anna Lawrence on the layers within the EAP process
“There are lots of layers to this partnership and projects. Not only is there a transition strategy, but there are also the partnerships with the local governments plus integrating other grad students,” emphasizes Anna Lawrence.
“When we started this work. Sam and I were both getting our heads around the EAP methodology. And because we had yet to complete the three Year One partner projects, we were not fully understanding all the implications.”
“But Year One is now behind us and we can see the many directions EAP could take. We are envisioning other areas of research as potential EAP projects. And thanks to a grant from Mitacs, we are able to take on up to six more research projects for graduate students, with opportunities to incorporate this into their thesis.”
Absorb, communicate, and refine the communication
“I am very focused on the 3-year transition strategy because Year One was just trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. And so, in Year Two I think it is time to begin that communication process. And Year Three will be refining that communication process.”
“In summary, there have been and will continue to be multiple layers to EAP. In Year One, it was a juggling process with many moving parts and trying to keep them all in balance. And so, we look forward to sharing our EAP experience at the BC Land Summit,” concludes Anna Lawrence.
Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “A measure of the consequence of human settlement is the Riparian Deficit. It is the natural systems equivalent of the well-known Infrastructure Deficit for engineered systems,” stated Tim Pringle, Chair of the Ecological Accounting Process initiative
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 16, 2024 features Tim Pringle, Anna Lawrence, and Sam Gerrand who personify the passing of the intergenerational baton.
They tell the story of Year One of the 3-year transition strategy to embed EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, at Vancouver Island University. EAP is a financial tool that fills a gap. It provides a measure of the Riparian Deficit which is a consequence of urbanization.
EAP is a financial tool to help streams survive
“In the 1990s, research by Richard Horner and Chris May at the University of Washington shook the foundations of traditional engineering practice and provided us with a science-based framework for understanding what stream system integrity means. We had our starting point for the goal of balancing use and conversation of land,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“With publication of Beyond the Guidebook 2015, Tim Pringle and I framed water balance accounting and ecological accounting as the Twin Pillars of Stream System Integrity for a whole-system approach to assessing changes in hydrology and the riparian deficit, respectively. This launched the EAP journey!”
“Under Tim Pringle’s direction, we completed 9 case studies in collaboration with 13 local government partners in 5 regions of southwest BC.”
“We also built a relationship with the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Research Institute (MABRRI) at Vancouver Island University and involved students in the data analysis and GIS work. In fact, we relied on students.”
“With release of the EAP Synthesis Report in 2022, the timing was right to embed our EAP knowledge at MABRRI, launch the EAP Partnership, and begin training next generations of local government staff to tackle the Riparian Deficit. Multi-year commitments by local governments to build capacity and co-funding by UBCM make this possible,” concluded Kim Stephens.
Why we need EAP, the Ecological Accounting Process, to tackle the “Riparian Deficit”
“A measure of the consequence of human settlement is the Riparian Deficit,” explains Tim Pringle, Chair of the Ecological Accounting Process (EAP) initiative.
“The Riparian Deficit applies to the regulated setback which is the interface between land and a stream. It is the natural systems equivalent of the well-known Infrastructure Deficit for engineered systems.”
“EAP is a land use perspective. EAP provides local governments with the real numbers they need to deliver outcomes: What is the number for the line item in a local government annual budget for community investment in maintenance and management, that is M&M, of streams?”
“Streams need a place to be. If we cannot get our heads around that, we are not going to keep our streams. When something does not get measured, it does not get managed,” Tim Pringle stresses.
Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “In the urban environment, we cannot bring back the watersheds that were here historically. But we can do things to retain and improve natural areas and the quality of receiving waters,” states Hugh Fraser, former Deputy Director of Engineering, City of Delta
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 9, 2024 featured the City of Delta’s rain garden program for streetscape revitalization. Now in Decade Three, the program is driven by a vision for protection of stream health through the use of green infrastructure that captures and sinks road runoff. The story behind the story is told by Hugh Fraser and Harvy Singh Takhar and showcases the passing of the intergenerational baton from Hugh to Harvy.
Hugh Fraser successfully guided the City of Delta through the first two decades of its green infrastructure journey and streetscape revitalization program. He is an original “streetscape enhancement champion” in the Metro Vancouver region.
Delta’s rain garden program for streetscape revitalization
“Hugh Fraser is a green infrastructure pioneer in the Metro Vancouver region. In the early 2000s, Hugh was a leading voice on Metro Vancouver’s Stormwater Interagency Liaison Group when green infrastructure was in its infancy,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“At the time, this regional group had energy. And they made things happen under the umbrella of the rainwater (aka “streams and trees”) component of the region’s first Liquid Waste Management Plan (LWMP).”
“Delta’s rain garden program began in the 2000s as a demonstration application for operationalizing the region’s LWMP to achieve desired watershed health outcomes. The program is now in Decade Three. Shared responsibility and intergenerational commitment are foundation pieces for enduring success.”
Delta’s rain garden program is a team effort
“The intergenerational aspect of passing the baton within local government intrigues me. One of the things Hugh Fraser told me many years ago was about the need, as he saw it, to embed the green infrastructure ethic in the culture of the municipal organization and community at large,” continued Kim Stephens.
In 2014, Hugh Fraser provided this perspective:
“Everyone involved…students, designers, managers, constructors and operators…must understand and care about the big-picture goal. This is a team effort,” stated Hugh Fraser.
“Yes, we are making progress on the public side, but there is much more that can be done on the private side. The opportunities to work with property owners to retrofit rain gardens result from redevelopment, especially in commercial areas.”
“Creating a watershed health legacy will ultimately depend on how well we are able to achieve rainwater management improvements on both public and private sides of a watershed. There is a huge up-side if the private sector embraces their contribution to shared responsibility.”
Rain gardens cumulatively contribute to restoration of stream health
“Delta urban areas are built out,” states Hugh Fraser. “This reality means there are limited opportunities for slowing, spreading and sinking rainwater. The municipality is effectively limited to retrofitting of rain gardens within road corridors in order to provide rainwater infiltration that protects stream health.”
“Delta has some 500 kilometres of roadways. In 2005, the municipality embarked upon a long-term initiative to incrementally improve the urban landscape though a streetscape revitalization program. The corporate vision is to enhance community liveability by beautifying streets, one block at a time.”
Story behind the story
With the foregoing in mind, Kim Stephens stated that: “Curiosity prompted me to have a 3-way conversation with Hugh Fraser and Harvy S. Takhar about Delta’s rain garden program. Three years after Hugh’s retirement, I wondered, what intergenerational perspective Harvy would bring to what Hugh started? That is the story behind the story!”
Comments Off on STORY BEHIND BRITISH COLUMBIA’S FISH PROTECTION ACT (1997): “Erik Karlsen was the secret sauce who convened the fantastic streamside regulation discussions that created collegiality between municipalities,” recalls Susan Haid, career environmental and urban planner in BC local government, and adjunct assistant professor at the University of BC
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 2, 2024 featured Susan Haid. She has played a leadership role in trailblazing an ecosystem-based approach to community planning in British Columbia. This approach flowed from passage of the Fish Protection Act 1997. Transformational in nature, it spawned an array of initiatives. The need for this approach to land-use planning is ever more important today.
Fish Protection Act spawned an array of initiatives
“BC communities are experiencing the unintended environmental consequences of policy frameworks that have not been well implemented. But despair not. Knowledge and wisdom that would pull us back from the brink are waiting to be rediscovered and mobilized so that communities can change course in time,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“My conversations with Susan Haid and other thought leaders shed light on ‘dots’ that would inform a mindset change. However, wanting to know what dots to connect would be the prelude to an attitude switch by practitioners and decision makers that triggers a course correction. Yet this rich history may be largely ignored and/or forgotten. Reconnecting with this experience can help illuminate the current path forward.”
Historical context for streamside regulation
“In late 1996, in came Erik Karlsen from the Province as the spokesperson for the first Fish Protection Act. He convened discussions with environmental, engineering and planning staff,” Susan Haid recalled.
“Those were such fantastic discussions and collegiality between municipalities. There was a really good alignment and call to action on making streamside regulation work.”
“Passage of the Fish Protection Act 1997 was the culmination of an attitude switch in response to the salmon crisis of the 1990s. Transformational in nature, it spawned the Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR), Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs), and the Partnership for Water Sustainability,” added Kim Stephens.
Ecosystem-based approach is needed more than ever to adapt to weather extremes
“As I reflect on my career in local government, there has been a lot of learning that has raised awareness and driven changes in land planning practice. A defining moment for me was the Salmon in the City Conference in 1998. It was a memorable event,” stated Susan Haid.
“It is really heartening to observe the recent renewed interest in what I think of as ecosystem-based planning and is now often called green and blue systems in cities. It sounds simple, but it is heartening because this has NOT really been a key theme in the public dialogue for some time. The pandemic has reminded us of the importance of green space and access to nature.”
“It is even more important now because in 1997 we did not have the kind of weather extremes such as atmospheric rivers and heat domes we are now regularly experiencing. There is a resurgence of ideas that is influencing policy making!”
SHARPENING THE EDGE: Policy framework for a sustainable and resilient Salish Sea region
“Concepts of mentorship and reflecting real-world examples are things that I really espouse in teaching. But I also find that it is an opportunity for me to learn and to continue growing,” says Susan Haid.
“In many ways, what I am teaching comes back to the same kind of framework around ecosystem-based planning which Erik Karlsen, Kim Stephens. and others were advancing in the 1990s, and which is synonymous with watershed-based planning.”
“Since January 2023, I have been teaching a master level course in urban design policy at UBC. Titled Policy for a Sustainable Region, it is big picture and is about policy frameworks to influence urban design.”
“A lot of it is case studies and reflection. But I also bring in resiliency and ecological frameworks, with lectures on what are the best practices going forward. I call these sessions SHARPENING THE EDGE.”
“By that I mean here are the provincial, regional and local frameworks and what you do at the site level. But then there is sharpening the edge through emergent sustainable development practices and looking at them through a lens of resiliency, equity and reconciliation.”
Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Steve Jobs described creativity as ‘connecting dots’ and argued that creative people were able to connect experiences they have had and synthesize new things,” stated Kim Stephens, Partnership for Water Sustainability in BC
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on April 2, 2024 featured Susan Haid. She has played a leadership role in trailblazing an ecosystem-based approach to community planning in British Columbia. This approach flowed from passage of the Fish Protection Act 1997. Transformational in nature, it spawned an array of initiatives. The need for this approach to land-use planning is ever more important today.
Policy frameworks to shape urban design
“A terrific Steve Jobs quote (above) encapsulates why processes and outcomes go awry when there is a ‘don’t know, don’t care’ mindset about the history behind the WHY and HOW of policy frameworks that shape urban design,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“Further, Steve Jobs explained that dot-connectors ‘have had more experiences or they have thought more about their experiences than other people’.”
“It is unfortunate, he added, that ‘a lot of people haven’t had very diverse experiences’ which is why they are ‘without a broad perspective on the problem’. This results in missed opportunities to learn from and build upon the innovation and experience of others.”
Connecting dots to chart a course
“BC communities are experiencing the unintended environmental consequences of policy frameworks that have not been well implemented. But despair not. Knowledge and wisdom that would pull us back from the brink are waiting to be rediscovered and mobilized so that communities can change course in time.”
“My conversations with Susan Haid and other thought leaders shed light on ‘dots’ that would inform a mindset change. However, wanting to know what dots to connect would be the prelude to an attitude switch by practitioners and decision makers that triggers a course correction. ”
Fish Protection Act spawned an array of initiatives
“Charting a course through perilous waters starts with understanding WHY certain ‘dots’ from the period 1995 through 2005 are foundational.”
“The Fish Protection Act 1997 is one such dot. Yet this rich history may be largely ignored and/or forgotten. Reconnecting with this experience can help illuminate the current path forward.”
“Passage of the Fish Protection Act 1997 was the culmination of an attitude switch in response to the salmon crisis of the 1990s. Transformational in nature, it spawned the Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR), Stormwater Planning: A Guidebook for British Columbia, Integrated Stormwater Management Plans (ISMPs), and the Partnership for Water Sustainability.”
“Unfortunately, RAPR was not well-implemented and that undermined good intentions. In response to scathing critiques in a series of reports by the Ombudsperson between 2014 and 2022, the current provincial government is working to reinvigorate riparian enforcement.”
“The Ombudsperson’s 2014 investigation identified ‘significant gaps between the process the provincial government had established when RAPR was enacted and the level of oversight that was actually in place’.”
“The 2022 update states that ‘many of the issues we identified remain as pressing as they were in 2014; there is work ahead to ensure that the systemic issues are fully addressed’,” concluded Kim Stephens.
Ecosystem-based approach is needed more than ever to adapt to weather extremes
“It is really heartening to observe the recent renewed interest in what I think of as ecosystem-based planning and is now often called green and blue systems in cities,” states Susan Haid.
“It sounds simple, but it is heartening because this has NOT really been a key theme in the public dialogue for some time. The pandemic has reminded us of the importance of green space and access to nature.”
“It is even more important now because in 1997 we did not have the kind of weather extremes such as atmospheric rivers and heat domes we are now regularly experiencing.”
“There is a resurgence of ideas that is influencing policy making!”
Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “Mike Wei, a former Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights, is passionate about water. He cares, he really cares about getting it right at a pivotal moment in BC history,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on March 26, 2024featured Mike Wei, former Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights in British Columbia. An invitation to appear before a House of Commons Standing Committee gave Mike Wei a reason to step back, see things from afar, and describe what a path forward for groundwater management could look like in BC.
Path forward for groundwater in British Columbia
“Nominally the story is that Mike Wei went to Ottawa to talk about groundwater. But that is not the story behind the story. Mike Wei is passionate about water. He cares, he really cares about getting it right at a pivotal moment in British Columbia history,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“Weather extremes. Drying rivers, frequent wildfires. Our land ethic has consequences. The water balance is out of balance. We need both a mindset change and an attitude switch. Mike Wei, as an ambassador of the Partnership, is involved in an ongoing conversation about how to reconcile this need.”
“His meeting with the House of Commons committee created an opportunity for reflection by Mike Wei. It gave him a reason to step back, see things from afar, and describe what a path forward could look like. In the story behind the story, Mike Wei presents broad brush solutions in clear terms.”
Learn to look back to see ahead
“Getting it right means understanding the historical context for surface and groundwater management in this province. This requires that decision makers at all levels learn to look back to see ahead.”
“Mike Wei’s over-arching message is that BC needs help because water invariably gets bumped by other priorities.”
“It got my attention when Mike pointed out that the 1200 mapped aquifers are typically tiny. And so they are ignored because they are not viewed as important. But you live and die at that scale.”
“So, what is the path forward that Mike Wei suggests? Well, it has three elements that make sense to me.”
Unless it is legislated, it is not a priority
“In theory, few would argue against a science-forward approach to inform legislative design,” Mike Wei stated during our conversation.
“It is common knowledge that government-mandated commitments and legislation inform government budgets,” he continued. “Prior to the coming into force of the Water Sustainability Act in 2016, the BC government was less likely to prioritize and fund comprehensive groundwater studies.”
“The reason is that it had no legislated mandate to protect or manage that resource, especially as the BC government underwent budgetary constraints in response to the economic recession in the 1980s and political instability in the 1990s.”
“The lesson from BC is that the historical regulatory context cannot be ignored in regulatory design,” Mike Wei emphasized.
Comments Off on PATH FORWARD FOR GROUNDWATER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “If we have to wait for the cycle of provincial priorities to come back to water, the wait could be awhile for a water champion to show up at the political level,” states Mike Wei, former Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on March 26, 2024featured Mike Wei, former Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights in British Columbia. An invitation to appear before a House of Commons Standing Committee gave Mike Wei a reason to step back, see things from afar, and describe what a path forward for groundwater management could look like in BC.
The Canada Water Agency, created in 2023, provided context for interaction with the committee. Members asked Mike Wei for his thoughts and insights. His reflections form the basis for the story behind the story that follows. His observation is that we view water differently in BC and in profound ways.
So, why would the House of Commons committee seek out Mike Wei? Is it because he is knowledgeable and credible in three insightful ways?
One, he was the Province’s technical expert in developing and implementing groundwater legislation.
Two, Mike Wei was in the room and helped write the legislation for the Water Sustainability Act.
Three, he is a member of a small band of former civil servants who represent the Province’s institutional memory for water and remain committed to the “water-centric mission”.
Competing priorities and the wait for a provincial “water champion” to emerge
In his exchange with the committee, Mike Wei observed: “Given all that I have seen in BC over my 40-year career – recession in the 1980s, political instability in the 1990s, current crises in housing and food affordability, drug overdoses, health care system for an aging population, gang violence, etc., it will be difficult for water to receive sufficient and sustained attention from the BC government alone.”
“Canada’s investment and collaboration, done in a spirit of enabling provincial and territorial capacity to manage water would allow us to keep moving forward. Doing it by ourselves will only mean stalled efforts as other issues take priority time and again.”
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“Nominally the story is that Mike Wei went to Ottawa to talk about groundwater. But that is not the story behind the story. Mike Wei is passionate about water. He cares, he really cares about getting it right at a pivotal moment in British Columbia history,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“Weather extremes. Drying rivers, frequent wildfires. Our land ethic has consequences. The water balance is out of balance. We need both a mindset change and an attitude switch. Mike Wei, as an ambassador of the Partnership, is involved in an ongoing conversation about how to reconcile this need.”
“His meeting with the House of Commons committee created an opportunity for reflection by Mike Wei. It gave him a reason to step back, see things from afar, and describe what a path forward could look like. In the story behind the story, Mike Wei presents broad brush solutions in clear terms.”
Learn to look back to see ahead
“Getting it right means understanding the historical context for surface and groundwater management in this province. This requires that decision makers at all levels learn to look back to see ahead.”
“Mike Wei’s over-arching message is that BC needs help because water invariably gets bumped by other priorities.”
“It got my attention when Mike pointed out that the 1200 mapped aquifers are typically tiny. And so they are ignored because they are not viewed as important. But you live and die at that scale.”
“So, what is the path forward that Mike Wei suggests? Well, it has three elements that make sense to me.”
Unless it is legislated, it is not a priority
“In theory, few would argue against a science-forward approach to inform legislative design,” Mike Wei stated during our conversation.
“It is common knowledge that government-mandated commitments and legislation inform government budgets,” he continued. “Prior to the coming into force of the Water Sustainability Act in 2016, the BC government was less likely to prioritize and fund comprehensive groundwater studies.”
“The reason is that it had no legislated mandate to protect or manage that resource, especially as the BC government underwent budgetary constraints in response to the economic recession in the 1980s and political instability in the 1990s.”
“The lesson from BC is that the historical regulatory context cannot be ignored in regulatory design,” Mike Wei emphasized.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Think beyond water flows downhill – extracts from a conversation with Mike Wei
“The different regional perspectives quickly became clear during our panel interactions with the committee. MPs from Eastern Canada focused on environmental chemicals. MPs from the Prairies focused on agriculture and water availability and storage.”
“In Western Canada, while we do care about contamination, water supply or the lack thereof is a big one going forward.”
“The Bloc Québécois MP said water is a Quebec matter. In my career, I have heard this from many, many people in other provinces. The feds have probably developed an overly sensitive attitude toward water as a provincial matter as a result of this constant reminder.”
British Columbia needs help
“Even though water use is a provincial responsibility, the invitation from the House of Commons committee allowed me to turn my mind to what the feds might be able to do through the Canada Water Agency.”
“If we have to wait for the cycle of provincial priorities to come back to water, the wait could be awhile for a water champion to show up at the political level.”
“And so my message to the committee was that WE NEED HELP from the federal government. Helping us build infrastructure and capacity is an obvious way to help. Lending their scientific arm to do projects with us would be really helpful as well.”
BC’s Water Sustainability Act is a guide for scientific enquiries and collaboration
“But I also cautioned that, from my observer perspective, the various federal water programs seem disconnected. Not that they have to be totally coordinated but they do have to be consistent.”
“Virtually all of the federal groundwater people, for example, are in Ottawa and Quebec. It is very difficult for them to come here and build relationships and do studies.”
“While BC did have a very strong relationship with the Geological Survey of Canada as recently as ten years ago, we did not have the Water Sustainability Act (WSA) to guide our scientific enquiries. Now we do.”
First, deploy the WSA legislative framework to ask the right questions
“Before the WSA became law in 2016, we did not know exactly what scientific questions to ask. For example, we knew in our minds that hydraulic connection between surface and groundwater was important. But we did not know if the government thought that way because it was not written in law.”
“A big lesson for me is that the WSA legislation gives us that framework to ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT to that legislation.”
“The science forward approach which some academics advocate is a good idea but has practical challenges. When groundwater was vested in 1960, the Province did start the groundwater program with a science forward approach.”
“But we did not have the legislated context to ask the right questions. Legislation drives scientific questions; in turn, science informs legislation. It is not a one-time thing, but rather iterative.”
Unless it is legislated, it is not a priority
“One of the challenges with science forward is if it is not legislated, it is not a priority for government. Also, you do not know what the hydrologic values are going to be 30 years from now. So it is very hard to figure out those questions out totally or even fairly well.”
Then use battleground watersheds for scientific research guided by this mantra: “show communities the benefits”
“There are real opportunities to do things differently today because the WSA has shined a light to what might be the future 5 or 10 years from now. Whereas without the legislation, the view forward lacked a legal mandate that government often responds to.”
“What could drive the science going forward is a philosophy that I frame as show communities the benefits. Show water users the benefits of complying with the WSA and curtailing water use in watersheds when absolutely necessary (such as in a drought).”
“Water managers know which streams are going to have recurring supply problems. And that may mean either a Section 87 or Section 88 order will be issued every other year. Science can help show the benefits of protection of streamflow when curtailing use during a drought.”
“The Province can make these battlegrounds their research watersheds for the next 10 years. Monitor and set up experiments to look at how streams and aquifers behave when use is regulated. Show the community.”
Next, protect the local interest and do it well; and do it well everywhere
“Going forward, any science that is done should involve the public. We need the mass of citizenry to understand that surface and groundwater are connected, and hydraulic connection and response are important concepts.”
“In rural regions, the agricultural sector is one of the biggest users of water in BC watersheds. The more agricultural water users understand that hydraulic connection and response are important, the more likely it is they will support and comply with the WSA.”
“Something that I have been thinking about a lot is that 1200-plus aquifers in BC have been mapped by the Province. If you were to pick the median size of an aquifer, it is 6.6 square kilometres. That is maybe twice the size of downtown Vancouver. This is tiny.”
Build partnerships that are top-down and bottom-up
The importance of aquifers that are of limited extent needs to be viewed in a different way. Instead of comparing them to the immense size of BC, compare them within a more local context.”
“Because these aquifers of limited size are a priority for local communities and local governments, there is an opportunity for the Province to leverage this local interest and work with local governments and communities. It is about having an attitude that encourages forming local partnerships to deal with resources which are of limited size but equally as important as big ones.”
“It is very much a bottom-up, grassroots thing. We need to build more partnerships for water sustainability because local interest is significant and provides momentum that cannot come from the Province alone.”
Comments Off on LIVING WATER SMART IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “The Marine Science Thesis Course was my favourite. A big part of that enjoyment was just because the students were so excited to learn, and I was able to help them learn,” stated Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, Comox Lake Watershed Protection Coordinator
Note to Reader:
Published by the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia, Waterbucket eNewscelebrates the leadership of individuals and organizations who are guided by the Living Water Smart vision. The edition published on March 19, 2024 featured Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, watershed protection coordinator with the Comox Lake Regional District. She reflects on her experience as a college instructor in Hawaii in the 2000s and how it has influenced her thinking on motivating changes in behaviour through hope and optimism rather than doom-and-gloom.
Hope and optimism do make a difference
“In 2008, the four Comox Valley local governments stepped up and volunteered to be a demonstration region for rollout of the provincial Living Water Smart and Green Communities initiatives. As of 2012, this “convening for action” process morphed into the present-day Georgia Basin Inter-Regional Educational Initiative, aka the IREI,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“While inter-regional collaboration in combination with her watershed coordinator role was the context for my conversational interview with Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, the story behind the story went in an unexpected direction.”
“It started innocuously when I asked, what is the story behind you teaching at the University of Hawaii Maui College? Before we get to that, however, Zoe’s thoughts on the Comox Lake Watershed Protection Plan are summarized below.”
“At the end of our conversation, Zoe connected her reflections about Hawaii and interweaving Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Blue Ecology, the water-first approach that bridges cultures. Zoe represents the Comox Valley Regional District on the Partnership’s Watershed Moments Team.”
What it means for local governments to have a united inter-regional front
“The Comox Valley approach to watershed protection has benefitted, and continues to benefit, from relationships that we have developed over years with our peers in other regional districts.” explains Zoe Norcross-Nu’u.
“These relationships are the result of inter-regional collaboration made possible by the IREI. It is really valuable how the other regions have become an integral part of a coordinated approach in responding to the provincial government.
Inter-regional collaboration is powerful:
“When the regional districts on the east coast of Vancouver Island present a united front in response to requests from the Province, it is so much stronger than us trying to speak as an individual local government, especially for a small one within a larger provincial context when you are one among many.”
“Inter-regional collaboration allows us to support each other in addressing problems that transcend boundaries. In a provincial context, we are just one tiny voice. When the regional districts on the east coast of Vancouver Island unite behind an issue, our voices can be so much more powerful.”
Connected by Water: Hope and optimism do make a difference
“The story that Zoe shared with me about her time in academia was fascinating and powerful. Her passion in describing the progression in her teaching experience over an 8-year period in the 2000s captivated me,” continued Kim Stephens.
“Zoe’s academic career had three distinct phases which built to the theme that hope and optimism do make a difference. Insights gained along the way serve Zoe well in her current watershed coordinator role.”
“In her first three years, Zoe taught those who just wanted to take an easy science course. Seeking an opportunity to create a more meaningful learning opportunity, she developed a course called Topics in Sustainability, which was structured as a speaker series.”
“Through that experience, she learned the importance of finding the silver linings. A thesis class was the rewarding phase of her academic career when Zoe mentored passionate young professionals.”
Comments Off on SCIENCE OF FORESTS AND FLOODS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA: “A forest’s influence on flooding stems from the many random or ‘chancy’ features in a watershed,” stated UBC forestry professor Younes Alila in calling for a rethink of forestry practices and policy
Note to Reader:
It is time to rethink forestry practices and policy, according to researchers at the University of British Columbia. They looked at past hydrology studies and found that many severely and consistently underestimated the impact of forest cover on flood risk, therefore leading to poorly informed forest management policies and practices. This call is emphasized in a peer-reviewed article published recently in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
In B.C.’s forests, a debate over watershed science with lives and billions at stake
For more than a century, Dr. Younes Alila explained in a news release from the University of British Columbia, scientists have clung to a “deterministic” analysis. To use a strategic board game analogy, this is like looking at each move in isolation and thinking, “If I move here, then I should win.” It fails to account for the roll of the dice, the cards you draw, and what your opponents might do—all of which can change the game.
When it comes to understanding how logging might increase flood risk, a deterministic approach would look at the logging alone and try to figure out its direct effect. But the risk of flooding is influenced by many things, such as how much snow is on the ground, whether it’s melting or not, how much rain is falling, and the characteristics of the landscape itself. These factors interact over time in complex ways.
Taking them all into account is called a “probabilistic” approach and provides a better overall picture of flood risk. It’s like a savvy board game player considering all the game’s variables instead of just one.
“The probabilistic approach is already well established in other disciplines such as climate change science. It is the most accurate method for evaluating the effects of deforestation on floods,” said Henry Pham, a student in UBC’s master of science in forestry program.
B.C.’s Fraser Valley in November 2021. Credit: UBC Applied Science
Forests can lower flood risk
Dr. Alila says the probabilistic framework is designed to understand and predict, for instance, how much of the 2021 Fraser Valley floods could be attributed to climate change, land use change or logging. The approach also can be extended to investigate the causes of flood risk in other cities and regions.
He added: “In B.C. alone, the flood risk is escalating as we continue to lose forest cover due to ongoing large-scale logging and wildfires. If we want to mitigate the costs of disasters like the 2021 flooding in the Fraser Valley or the 2018 flooding in Grand Forks, we need to change the way we manage our forest cover. Regenerative practices such as selective logging, small patch cutting, and other alternatives to clear-cutting are an important way forward.”
Pham noted that clear-cut logging causes more severe and much more frequent floods, and such floods can have harsh consequences.
Dr. Alila concludes, “Forests serve as the most effective natural defense against a global escalating flood risk attributed to factors such as climate change. Now is the time for water and forest management policies to start being guided by the most up-to-date and defensible science.”
