Fish in hot water – Unregulated groundwater extraction in BC threatens salmon survival
Climate Change and Groundwater
According to a post by Linda Nowlan on the WWF-Canada website: 
“Groundwater’s significance will escalate as climate change impacts grow, because groundwater moderates water temperatures.” Linda Nowlan is the Director, Pacific Conservation, for WWF-Canada.
In a series of reports, the Watershed Watch Salmon Society explains that “groundwater provides refuges in water otherwise warm enough to kill. Groundwater is the likely reason that many warm BC Interior streams have had healthy fish populations, even though average water temperatures aren’t always cool enough for salmon.”
Linda Nowlan points out that “BC’s current licensing system for water applies to surface but not groundwater, causing headaches for fisheries and other resource managers who have few regulatory tools to curtail excessive groundwater extraction.”
“Help is on the way. BC will soon lose the dubious distinction of being the only place in North America without general groundwater licensing or permitting requirements. The Water Sustainability Act proposes to require a license for large groundwater uses and for new groundwater uses in problem areas,” states Linda Nowlan.
To Learn More:
To read the complete story by Linda Nowlan, click on Fish in hot water- Unregulated groundwater extraction in BC threatens salmon survival.
Posted April 2011