Water-Centric Planning

Award-wiinning science journalist Chris Wood has written a series of articles on how global warming will affect British Columbia and what we can do about it. Commissioned by The Tyee,and funded by the Tyee's Fellowship Funds for Investigative and Solutions-oriented Reporting, the articles were published weekly in August 2006.

The issue of how to accommodate a doubling of the population in the high growth regions of British Columbia is the driver for implementing changes in the way we develop land and use water. Conversations with elected officials are yielding insights that are shaping implementation of Convening for Action pilot programs in three regions of British Columbia, namely: the Okanagan, Vancouver Island and Greater Vancouver.

The convergence of local, regional and provincial interests provided the impetus for organizing a ‘water-centric working session' in the Town of Oliver on March 30, 2006. A list of ten incremental steps were identified that will help guide the Town and the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen on their journey to get from “there to here” along the soft path to water sustainability.

Naramata residents have seen considerable activity on their water system since construction began in February. Work is well underway on two contracts.

Water is a precious thing. Williams Lake is blessed with an abundant source of fresh, clean water that’s relatively easy to extract and distribute. Unfortunately, like any good thing, our water supply is not infinite. During the past two years, the City of Williams Lake has worked hard to determine just how much water there is, and how to best manage it to ensure adequate supplies for future generations.

In last year’s Water Conservation Plan, the City of Williams Lake committed itself to following a three-step program for water conservation.

Water-centric planning in the South Okanagan can facilitate a plan of action for the entire Okanagan. This was the message conveyed by Kim Stephens, Program Coordinator for the Water Sustainability Action Plan for British Columbia, when he was invited to make a presentation to the recently formed Okanagan Water Stewardship Council.

The Capital Regional District (CRD), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands and the Peninsula Agricultural Commission, initiated the “Agricultural Water Use and Conservation Study” to gather, analyze, and present data on farm water use and conservation practices across the CRD. The resulting information will be used to set water rates for the agricultural sector, and to help the CRD develop water conservation program.

The Black Mountain Irrigation District (BMID) provides domestic water to 20,000 people and irrigation water to 4,100 acres of agriculture on the east benchlands of Kelowna. BMID draws from Mission Creek, which is the most significant creek feeding Okanagan Lake.

Sensitive Habitat Inventory and Mapping (SHIM) is a standard for fish and aquatic habitat mapping in urban and rural watersheds in British Columbia. SHIM attempts to ensure the collection and mapping of reliable, high quality, current, and spatially accurate information about local freshwater habitats, watercourses, and associated riparian communities.