Parksville 2019 on YouTube > Understand How Rain Reaches a Stream – “Stewardship groups have local knowledge about local water resources; and are the most invested and most connected to the land base,” stated Neil Goeller, when he and Sylvia Barroso conducted a mini-workshop on surface and groundwater interaction (April 2019)

Note to Reader:

The Parksville 2019 Symposium has been captured in its entirety in a comprehensive set of  videos that have been uploaded to the Partnership for Water Sustainability’s YouTube Channel for ease of access by those who are curious and/or interested to learn about what transpired on April 2-3-4 in Parksville, British Columbia.

The rhythms of water are changing in British Columbia  summers are longer and drier, winters are warmer and wetter. This has game-changing implications for water management. Adapting to this ‘new normal’ requires transformation in how we view the water cycle and the seasonal water balance.

The ‘new normal’, with its impact in altering the seasonal water balance, is also a catalyst for action. An example of making a difference (to adapt to a changing climate) is provincial government collaboration with the stewardship sector on Vancouver Island.

The purpose of this ’top-down & bottom-up’ collaboration is to undertake streamflow data collection in small streams. In the face of substantive redistribution of the seasonal water balance – that is, more volume in winter, less in summer – the enhanced understanding of hydrology gained from this hands-on program would then inform land and water management decisions in the local government setting.

The lead for this grass-roots program is Neil Goeller, Regional Hydrologist, Water Protection, West Coast Region (Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development). He is training streamkeeper volunteers to measure flow in streams, especially under drought conditions. At the Parksville 2019 Symposium, he elaborated on this program when he and Sylvia Barroso (Regional Hydrogeologist) conducted a mini-workshop on surface and groundwater interaction.

NEIL GOELLER & SYLVIA BARROSO MINI-WORKSHOP: Closing the Data Gap: Water Stewards, the Key to the Future. View the 50-minute video clip that is posted on YouTube:

What Do You Wonder?

The story of Parksville 2019 is told in a magazine-style narrative titled “RE-CAP AND REFLECTIONS”.

The “re-cap and reflections” document was written for two audiences – first and foremost, for those who attended Parksville 2019 and wish to have an accessible and quotable reference document at their fingertips, so that they can share the story with others; and secondarily, for those who have heard about Parksville 2019 and are curious to learn more about the ‘story behind the story’, so that they may understand why this event represents a watershed moment for so many who were there.

About Parksville 2019

Close to 200 delegates attended this 3-day event. Parksville 2019 comprised a field day followed by a 2-day symposium. The program objectives for Parksville 2019 helped to inform and establish expectations. It was a matter of providing context and then being clear and succinct about the desired takeaways.

To provide relevance for streamkeepers, the theme for Day One was Sustainable Stream Restoration. To capture the attention of those in local government, the theme for Day Two was Restorative Land Development.

To Learn More:

Download a PDF copy of the Re-Cap and Reflections document at: https://waterbucket.ca/viw/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/05/Parksville-Symposium_re-cap-and-reflections_May2019.pdf

Download a PDF copy of the mini-workshop presentation by Neil Goeller and Sylvia Barroso: Closing the Data Gap: Water Stewards, the Key to the Future