Comments Off on “A Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia” was launched at the 1998 Annual Convention of the Union of BC Municipalities
Strategy Recognized that Water is a Valuable Resource
British Columbia is endowed with an abundance of rivers, streams and lakes. Until recently, our supply of water seemed endless. However, as the province has developed and grown in population, the increasing demand for water has put pressure on our water resources. In recognition of those pressures, in 1997 the Ministry of Environment, brought together a Working Group of representatives from all three levels of government, as well as industry, professional associations and interest groups to develop a Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia. The group was chaired by Prad Khare.
The goal of the Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia is to develop and promote supply and demand-side management measures for application by municipalities, water purveyors, drawers and users throughout the province, recognizing regional differences. Such a strategy will contribute to a sustained and healthy resource and provide a common framework for water management activities throughout the province by advancing water as a valuable resource which must be utilized efficiently, wisely and cost-effectively to sustain a high quality of social, environmental and economic well-being, for now and in the future.
The Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia was released at the annual convention of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) in September, 1998.
Comments Off on A WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR BC: “The term of the Partnership Agreement to implement the Strategy was 1998 through 2001. Very importantly, it provided the committee with funding to hire a part-time coordinator. Having this support enabled us to leverage volunteer efforts and expand our reach,” stated Eric Bonham, Executive Committee Chair
Note to Reader:
The early history of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia is presented in the contextual document titledCelebration of Our Story: Genesis / First Decade / What Next, published in November 2020. The following article is an extract from this key document and there are three main takeaways.
One is that change rarely occurs overnight. The process is incremental. In this extract, the water sustainability journey in British Columbia is described in terms of five distinct eras. The second takeaway is that three droughts within five years focused attention on the need for a water conservation strategy. The third is that a precedent-setting Partnership Agreement set the stage for collaborative leadership in the 2000s.
The Partnership: Overview of the Journey
“Change rarely occurs overnight. The process is incremental. Thus, the water sustainability journey in British Columbia currently stretches over five decades – from the 1980s through the 2020s. The journey has five distinct eras,” explains Ted van der Gulik.
1987 – 1992 >The Genesis – Unprecedented Droughts
1992 – 1997 >BC Response to National Action Plan
1997 – 2002 >A Water Conservation Strategy for BC
2002 – 2010 >Living Water Smart in BC
2010 – 2020 >First Decade as “The Partnership”
“The significance of each of the five eras is reflected in the title for it. Each era is a building block in a process that is long-term in scope.”
The Genesis – Unprecedented Droughts
“The 1987 drought resulted in an unprecedented test of the capacities of water supply sources throughout BC to provide for existing regional populations, raising concerns regarding the possible consequences of continued growth,” continues Kim Stephens.
Regional in Scope, Provincial in Significance
The landmark Metro Vancouver and Okanagan Valley projects focused attention on the need for a water conservation strategy for British Columbia. The urgency of the situation was accentuated by the severity of drought conditions in 1990 and 1992.
Three professional engineers were integral to these landmark studies: Tom Heath (Metro Vancouver), Ted van der Gulik (Okanagan) and Kim Stephens, who was common to both. Looking back, their work laid the foundation for the core competency of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.
The three were founding members of the BCWWA Water Conservation Committee in 1992. The inaugural meeting of this committee coincided with publication of a magazine article co-authored by this trio, and titled Water, Water Everywhere …Does British Columbia Really Need A Water Conservation Strategy? In 1992, the three were instrumental in changing the nature of the conversation about water in BC.
Water, Water Everywhere….
“The summer of 1992 has once again heightened awareness throughout British Columbia of the limited capabilities of many existing water supply sources. Although there is a perception that BC is water-rich, the reality is that we are often seasonally water-short (mainly because of storage limitations) during the period when water demand is heaviest due to lawn and garden irrigation,” wrote Stephens, Heath and van der Gulik.
“For the third time in six years, drought conditions have been experienced in the southern part of BC, and in particular the Greater Vancouver region. The 1987 drought is one of the most extreme on record, with a return period rating in the order of 100 years. It followed a relatively benign period of almost half a century.”
A Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia
An 18-member Provincial Working Group, supported by Ministry of Environment staff and resources, developed the Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia. Working group members Kim Stephens, Tom Heath, Ted van der Gulik, Eric Bonham, and Mike Tanner.
Fast-tracked, it was released in September 1998 at the Annual Convention of the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM). UBCM provided the setting for the Ministries of Environment and Municipal Affairs to jointly announce a precedent-setting Partnership Agreement between the Province, Environment Canada and BCWWA.
“The purpose of the agreement: implement the Water Conservation Strategy through an Executive Committee of the Water Use Efficiency Committee (WUEC),” recalls Eric Bonham. At the time, he was a director in the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. He was also the architect and driving force who brought the agreement to fruition.
To Learn More:
To read the complete story about the early history of the Partnership, download a copy of Celebration of Our Story: Genesis / First Decade / What Next. It is structured in two part parts. Part One sketches an outline of many ideas and nuances about the work of The Partnership. Part Two is a deeper dive as shown in the storyboard below.
Comments Off on CITY OF KELOWNA LOOKS THROUGH A ONE WATER LENS: “I believe we are on to something with Kelowna’s Water Security Plan. Within it is a template for other communities in the BC Interior to consider,” stated Rod MacLean, Utilities Planning Manager, with obvious pride in their accomplishment
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. Stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway, Editor’s Perspective, and the Story Behind the Story.
The edition published on October 14, 2025 featured Rod MacLean, utilities planning manager with the City Kelowna. After eight years of effort, he helped guide the City’s Water Security Pan over the finish line. It was approved by Council in April 2025. It is a landmark accomplishment because it establishes a One Water precedent in British Columbia. The Kelowna plan is distinguished by the fact that it also acknowledges the syilx Water Declaration.
ONE MINUTE TAKEAWAY for the extremely busy reader
“It took us eight years to get Kelowna’s first Water Security Plan across the finish line. We define our community’s responsibilities within this plan,” states Rod MacLean with a wry smile and obvious pride in their accomplishment.
Images are mostly from the Partnership’s library. Some are from the public domain and Creative Commons.
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE / CONTEXT FOR BUSY READER
“My history of collaboration with the City of Kelowna dates goes back to the early 1990s. This gives me perspective and context for commenting on what Rod MacLean and his colleagues have accomplished. They merit kudos for a job well done in getting Kelowna’s Water Security Plan across the finish line,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
AHA MOMENT ONE: Kelowna’s Water Security Plan acknowledges that “water is a being with a spirit who provides life for all living things”
“The City of Kelowna commitment to incorporate syilx knowledge into water decision processes is one of three foundational elements for water security. That principle aligns with Blue Ecology which is the compass for an attitude change that points the way to Water Reconciliation. The essential tenet of Blue Ecology is that water has a spirit.”
Story behind the story of how the Western world chose to define water in the 1700s
“The Kelowna plan acknowledges the Indigenous definition of water. Wow! This is huge in light of a little-known bit of history concerning the modern definition of water. In the 1700s, there were two competing schools of thought. Long story short, Carl Linnaeus prevailed over George-Louis Leclerc.”
AHA MOMENT TWO: Embed a culture, sustained by a shared commitment to long-term outcomes
“Many plans and reports are produced. Some of them are even award winning. Some are in response to regulatory requirements. Others result from the Flavour of the Month Syndrome because somebody got excited about something that sounded good on paper. But how many plans have sticking power? As I listened to Rod MacLean, he said something that got my attention,” continued Kim Stephens.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Kelowna’s Water Security Plan, template for One Water – a conversation with Rod MacLean
“We looked for a different approach in the City of Kelowna. It is out of need,” was the first thing Rod MacLean said when we had a conversation about Kelowna’s first Water Security Plan. He provided this perspective as context for his story.
“My role as utilities planning manager has provided me the great opportunity to lead a team that produces projects and outcomes that are innovative, achievable and improve things little by little.”
“We achieve this by listening to people, working with their ideas, needs and concerns. Then we develop achievable work plans and opportunities with the help of Council, partners, government regulators and First Nations.”
The story behind the story has three parts
The story behind the story is structured as three topics. Topic One describes what brought Rod MacLean to British Columbia and inspired his vision for scoping out possibilities and presenting solutions. In Topic Two he reveals the catalyst for City of Kelowna action in creating the Water Security Plan. Topic Three is philosophical in nature. Rod MacLean reflects on the legacy for those who got the Water Security Plan across the finish line.
TOPIC ONE: Rod MacLean reflects on how his career experience informed Kelowna’s plan
“I have about two years left on a 10 year promise to myself to work in municipal public service, and am now in a job I truly enjoy. I hope to continue doing this work beyond this time limit in some capacity.”
“It did not take long to recognize familiar patterns to other areas of Canada I have lived in: reliance on water licenses, protective water policies, droughts, fires, legal challenges, and poor fish passage.”
“Irrigation or improvement districts here faced extinction, with little support from the Province or Federal government.”
“Drinking water quality varies in many urban and rural areas.”
“The Province’s approach to First Nations rights appears positive, and declarations around water are intriguing.”
“Surrounding communities are filtering their water out of necessity, but many still use surface or groundwater sources and bypass treatment elements.”
“We are seeing climate shifts that are impacting the quality of these sources. There are those in our community that do not always agree with this logic. These are the challenges we face.”
Scope out possibilities and present solutions
“In the BC Interior and the Okanagan, most are passionate about water, its science, limitations, and challenges. I respect this passion, knowledge and the interesting perspective. In the end, Okanagan Lake is key to our survival.”
“It is a challenge developing a water security plan with long-term outcomes. There are so many existing responsibilities…so many standard practices. Yet we are so different. We are not the sole water supplier in our community.”
“We supply potable and non-potable water. We now operate dams, We meter and measure everything. We treat our wastewater and discharge it to our lake…our drinking water source…our playground.”
“Our other reality is that the City is growing quickly; its’ population quite affluent and reserves are available. And when approached the right way, these resources can be used to achieve our goals. There are many good things happening right now behind the scenes.”
“Our measurements and data processes are now producing analytics with new climate-driven patterns that many of our long serving staff have not seen. We are able to leverage the value of past experience and current programs, like the Partnership’s water tools and calculation processes, to develop new techniques and analytics using today’s computing power.”
Climate patterns are shifting within a system
“We are seeing the climate change in our valley, although not everyone here believes it. So, we hesitate calling it climate change. We say there are shifts happening. If you use that terminology often enough, then people at least begin to listen to the argument.”
“It was tee shirt weather in mid-January 2024 when the tree buds came out. Then it went to -30C, later decimating vineyards and orchard and crops. In 2025, many wineries are adapting by buying grapes out of Washington state until they recover.”
TOPIC TWO: SEKID merger created the need and early momentum for the Water Security Plan
Leading up to my conversation with Rod MacLean, he sent me an email late one night with his musings. A comment about the Water Security Plan as a template became the springboard to the meat of the interview:
“It took us eight years to create a Water Security Plan. It came out of a need. This is one of the MANY THINGS that we have been doing. It was a process led by other senior staff in the beginning.”
“When you work for a city like Kelowna, you start to realize that cities are there for a reason. They are there to sustainably service the growing population. They are there to manage growth as best they can within our boundaries.”
Genesis for the City’s One Water approach
“After the SEKID merger, we were presented with a situation where existing City bylaws did not apply. We owned new dams, new channels and new responsibilities. We were now expected to serve on committees and apply resources outside of our boundary in order to meet these new commitments.”
“Internally however, we recognized our reliance on source water protection, our impacts on natural systems and from unmitigated stormwater, and of course our very successful tertiary treatment of our wastewater and effluent disposal to Okanagan Lake.”
“On top of this, governance and partnerships came into play as we were not even the only water supplier. This is not typical of other Cities in Canada.”
Connecting the dots after an aha moment
“And then you tie it all together. Wait a second, this all goes into the lake which is impacted by the storms, the nutrients, and so on. And we pull water from that to drink.”
“After about two years of working on the area-based management plan, it was necessary to address the gaps were in this circular arrangement and working out where our risks are as a city. Okanagan Lake is the centre point of our community. It takes 80 years for water to turn over. We drink water from the lake, fish rely on the lake, people play in the lake.”
“We all share the lake! And that includes First Nations, communities, visitor. We have to get everybody thinking this way. We need to commit ourselves to develop best practices.”
Water Security Plan is the foundation for water-centric decisions in the City of Kelowna
“Fast forward to today. We have gone through all the study work. We have gone through all the reviews. And now we have our first effort and a basic document which Council or anyone in the City can point to and say this is our approach to water in Kelowna.”
“When we are talking about water, we have some background to help define ourselves within this plan. As we engage First Nations, we can better understand their water declarations and improve the discussion about how our values match up. It is the beginning point of a communication process.”
“The plan elements now front-end many of our City financial plans. Every time we go to Council with any report that includes the word water in it, staff now quote the Water Security Plan and the shared or impacted elements associated with it.”
TOPIC THREE: What it means to create a legacy
When I asked Rod MacLean whether he views the Water Security Plan as his legacy, without hesitation he responded:
“The plan is not mine. It is our staff and community plan. There is a whole team that led to its creation. Pushing things over the line is my part, and really the fun part of my job.”
“Now I have been at the City long enough to see some of our new efforts going over the finish line. I like projects to be completed right…with a shiny bow on them… and a story of how we got here.”
Intergenerational context for plan implementation
“Our Water Security Plan sets out goals and actions of what we can do as a City. Having the Water Security Plan in place helps staff respond consistently to the public and our community partners. And when handled right, you have the tools to educate people about our current practices, and where we want to go.”
Everything is connected
“It takes an understanding of what is going on around you to recognize the gaps that are in front of you and are so crystal clear. Sometimes you are just looking at the problem slightly differently and you realize…oh, wait a second, how did I miss that before,” stated Rod MacLean to conclude the conversation.
Comments Off on WATERUCKET.CA, STORYTELLING PLATFORM FOR ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACH TO LAND AND WATER USE: “In 2004. a consortium of provincial and regional organizations and federal agencies came together to form a partnership and fund development of waterbucket.ca,” stated Mike Tanner, founding chair of the intergovernmental partnership
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. Stories are structured in three parts: One-Minute Takeaway, Editor’s Perspective and Context for Busy Reader, and the Story Behind the Story.
The edition published on April 15, 2025 featured Mike Tanner, founding chair of the Waterbucket.ca Website Partnership and celebrated the 20th anniversary of the launch of waterbucket.ca in April 2025. The combination of waterbucket.ca and the Waterbucket eNews newsletter gives champions in the local government and stewardship sectors a platform and voice for telling their stories. Below is the Story Behind the Story.
Somebody had to put up the initial seed funding for waterbucket.ca
“Mike Tanner is the waterbucket.ca visionary. His leadership got the website off the ground and online within 12 months of the inaugural meeting of founding partners. He did the heavy lifting that brought together provincial ministries and so many others for a common purpose,” stated Kim Stephens, Waterbucket eNews Editor and Partnership Executive Director.
“Somebody had to put up the initial seed funding to build support for the waterbucket.ca idea. And that is what I was able to bring from BC Hydro with a $5000 contribution from the Power Smart program,” recalls Mike Tanner, former senior manager with Power Smart.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY: waterbucket.ca, Storytelling Platform for an Ecosystem-Based Approach to Land and Water Use – a conversation with Mike Tanner
“The story behind the story of my conversational interview with Mike Tanner is structured in four parts,” continues Kim Stephens. “In Part One, he explains the importance of the Project Charter as the framework document that crystallized the shared vision for waterbucket.ca as an online magazine.”
“In Part Two, Mike Tanners shares his insights as to why waterbucket.ca is a trusted source of information. His reflections in Part Three recognize three individuals who injected timely energy and passion. Part Four closes with Mike’s thoughts on how waterbucket.ca has matured as a legacy resource.”
PART ONE – waterbucket.ca partners had a vision for an online magazine and virtual community
“To prepare for this conversation, I went on a trip down memory lane and read the Project Charter that we adopted in 2004. Twenty year later, it makes for an interesting read. It is is a valuable historical document because it lays out what the waterbucket.ca partners set out to accomplish,” states Mike Tanner.
“We set out to further collective understanding, collaboration and the development and implementation of best practice.”
Context for waterbucket.ca editorial policy
“We have stayed true to those words. And over time, waterbucket.ca has exceeded expectations and become much more than what we thought it would be in 2004.”
“From day one, waterbucket.ca has been about providing information and a means of sharing the information of others, especially their success stories. That is what people are looking for, understand and value.”
“And, I am proud to state, we have never have asked for anything since the launch of the website. It is self-funded by the Partnership for the Water Sustainability as a public service. In the early years, we resisted any suggestions to commercialize it. The content is sustained by a volunteer effort.”
Just go to waterbucket.ca
“Twenty years later, it is also fascinating to read the record of the partnership forum in February 2005. This was a mere two months before we launched the website. Much of the discussion that day revolved around editorial policy to achieve what is laid out in the Project Charter.”
“Think of the website as a magazine, the record of meeting states, with the objective being to appeal to a readership slice so that we attract readers to the website. From the beginning, our target audiences were the government and stream stewardship sectors.”
“We have been true to that vision for a news magazine with the type of stories we publish. They are short, concise and allow readers to take a quick look at whether they are interested in reading further. The information we have has garnered the right people to stay on the website and delve into the stories.”
PART TWO – waterbucket.ca is a trusted source of information for a global audience
“With my marketing background at BC Hydro Power Smart, I realized the need to provide success stories. That is how you become successful in promoting a product. People are wary about trying different things. Providing them with success stories and factual information helps motivate them to implement some of the things that we talk about.”
Power of success stories to influence behaviour
“Part of my Power Smart thing is that I was successful with customers in implementing something that they did not quite understand about Power Smart. We were basically paying them to reduce using our product…electricity…which goes against every marketing concept.”
“The idea behind marketing has always been to get customers to pay to use more. And we were paying them to use less! We needed stories that would help them understand why they would be successful if they got involved with the Power Smart program and spent upfront to save money.”
“So we needed to be able to provide the story that company A did it and they achieved this energy saving. So, company B can do it too and also achieve this saving.”
waterbucket.ca content is in the public domain to provide universal access to information and resources
“We do not charge anything for people to access the Waterbucket.ca website or subscribe to the Waterbucket eNews newsletter. This goes against the principles of marketing – you provide something, you expect people to pay for it. But we do not. It is free!”
“Because we are not asking for anything, that goes to the level of trust that we have developed with our readers. We just want to provide information that people can see, understand and implement if possible.”
Michael Blackstock’s Blue Ecology is a prime example:
“That guiding philosophy has worked out well for us. With my marketing background, I needed to be sure that we would have content on there that would provide that level of trust for people to keep coming back to read our success stories and use the Partnership’s tools and resources.”
“If it is on waterbucket.ca, our readers know they can trust the story to be factual.”
PART THREE – Recognition of three individuals who injected timely passion and energy
“Fiona Crofton was part of my original website working group. She brought passion and experience to the project. She made a huge contribution in developing a proof of concept for the website. This got us started.”
“We had to first attract people to waterbucket. ca and then we had to hold their interest. That certainly is what the Waterbucket eNews newsletter does as a companion platform. The stories we publish help do that. Compelling, that is what the website and newsletter have developed into!”
Why the waterbucket.ca embraced a storytelling approach to information sharing
“Storytelling is the way we share intergenerational knowledge, experience and wisdom. We learn through stories. This is how we pass on our oral history. This is why each and every edition of Waterbucket eNews is built around a conversational interview. Those stories are also posted on the website.”
“The storytelling approach would not be what it is without Kim Stephens. His unwavering dedication and commitment over two decades has made waterbucket.ca the success that it is. I cannot imagine anyone else being able to take the baton from Joanne and fulfil that storytelling role.”
PART FOUR – Closing reflections on 20 years of success in sharing the stories of champions
“The success of waterbucket.ca has outpaced anything that I thought we would achieve. The fact that we get people from other countries looking to us for information says so much about waterbucket.ca as a destination.”
“We understand that it has something to do with our heavy use of images. Every story we post has multiple images. We strive to match words and images so that waterbuckeet.ca stories are visually compelling. It must also help that waterbucket.ca has been around for 20 years and counting.”
A living record of the “convening for action” history of Living Water Smart in British Columbia
“We profile those who do good work in the spirit of Living Water Smart. This is a big reason why waterbucket.ca has become the place where people go to look for information on water. We have the communication platform. We give the champions a voice.”
“The Partnership for Water Sustainability cannot do everything. If we can be the avenue to get the information of others out there, that is what we can do and have been doing. Our success comes from publishing our own stories plus the stories of other groups and individuals who are doing tremendous work for the common good.”
Growing the network of champions:
“Through waterbucket.ca and the Waterbucket eNews newsletter, we are getting the stories of the Living Water Smart champions out there. This validates what they are doing.”
“That is a public service that the Partnership is able to do because we have an independent communications platform. The waterbucket.ca community is about networking and collaboration. And that is what we stated in the Project Charter in 2004.”
“And they can do it through waterbucket.ca! This serves our needs but it also serves their needs as well.”
waterbucket.ca has matured into a legacy resource
“In 2004, we were thinking about where we are now. We have adapted over the past 20 years. We have changed when we have had to. We have always gone where there is interest and energy. We have done all this and that is a big part of our continuing success.”
“When people say I saw it on waterbucket.ca, that is our ultimate measure and testament of success. Hopefully that will continue to be our story for another twenty years and beyond. That will be the legacy of the Waterbucket Website Partnership founders,” concludes Mike Tanner.
Comments Off on UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR RAINWATER HARVESTING: “We need to elevate the role of stormwater capture across the country as part of the toolbox to help alleviate the increasing stress in our water supplies,” stated Bruk Berhanu, Ph.D., a senior researcher for the Pacific Institute
Note to Reader:
Long seen as a nuisance to be gotten rid of as quickly as possible, urban stormwater increasingly is being viewed as a resource. Although the concept of capturing and using urban stormwater has gained attention in recent years, the full promise of this approach is far from being realized.
This is the assessment of a new report released in early March by global water think tank the Pacific Institute and 2NDNATURE Software Inc., a provider of stormwater management software. Titled Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff Potential in the United States, the report finds that U.S. cities, particularly those in coastal regions, could benefit in multiple ways by making greater use of stormwater.
‘Vast opportunity’: Captured stormwater could be urban boon
“Urban communities across the United States face a range of water challenges. These include intensifying impacts of flooding and drought, water scarcity risks, constraints on traditional water supplies facing peak water limits, and water pollution. Novel approaches are needed to address these challenges and improve long-term water resilience,” state the report authors.
Why capture rain where it falls
“Stormwater capture offers a promising tool. It can help close the gap between water supply and demand by augmenting and diversifying water supplies. It can also mitigate impacts on communities from intensifying flooding and drought and reduce water pollution.”
“Stormwater capture also offers additional co-benefits, including greening communities and cooling urbanized areas. However, greater uptake of stormwater capture is hindered by a lack of comprehensive data on the amount of stormwater available.”
Volumetric potential of urban runoff
“This assessment from the Pacific Institute, in partnership with 2NDNATURE, quantifies the volumetric potential of urban stormwater runoff in the United States. This groundbreaking report estimates U.S. Urban Areas have the potential to generate 59.5 million acre-feet of stormwater runoff annually on average.”
“This is equivalent to an annual average of more than 53 billion gallons per day. It equals 93% of municipal and industrial water withdrawals in 2015, the most recent year with available data.”
Opportunities in coastal areas
“Notably, coastal areas offer outsized opportunities for stormwater capture and use. While coastal subbasins constitute just 12% of urban land area, they generate 37% (21.9 million AFY) of the national stormwater runoff potential. Capturing runoff in coastal subbasins could have fewer adverse impacts on downstream users and can also improve water quality in coastal waterways.”
“Despite the potential, capturing all available stormwater is not always feasible or desirable due to various challenges, including legal constraints and ecological considerations. The report recommends strategies tailored for different regions, emphasizing the need for detailed local assessments.”
Now what
“The report calls for national guidance to streamline stormwater capture and use, encouraging regional collaboration, and expanding applications for stormwater use. It also identifies the need for more funding and financial mechanisms to support stormwater projects, increased integration of water and non-water benefits into water management strategies, and public-private partnerships to leverage stormwater capture’s full potential.”
To Learn More:
Download a copy of the Executive Summary for Untapped Potential: An Assessment of Urban Stormwater Runoff Potential in the United States.
Comments Off on BRITISH COLUMBIA’S 2023 DROUGHT AND IMPACT: “If you’re using water you don’t need right now, it’s cutting into your food security,” stated Kevin Boon, General Manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association
With much of British Columbia in the grip of drought, farmers are on the front lines
“Rangeland that usually feeds thousands of B.C. cows and calves through summer and fall has been devastated by wildfire or stunted by lack of water. To prevent starvation, ranchers are beginning to move cattle from the mountain grasslands to valley pastures that they would typically bale into hay and store for winter.”
“Finding affordable feed sources to replace the lost hay will be a challenge long after the rain returns,” said Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association.
Water and a Changing Climate
“As summers get warmer and drier the need for irrigation of agricultural crops is increasing around the province. This trend is increasing rapidly and the challenge for water management in the province is to improve irrigation system efficiency and store excess stream flows in the spring and freshets for use during drought periods,” stated Ted van der Gulik, President of the Partnership for Water Sustainability. Prior to retirement from government, he was the Senior Engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture.
BC’s path to food security is through water security
Look back to see ahead. The 50th anniversary of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) on April 28, 2023 was an opportunity for reflection followed by action. As Joan Sawicki accurately concluded in her story behind the story, this will require equally good policy and political courage.
The ALR saved the land. Without the ALR, there would be no prospect for food security. Will today’s decision makers rise to the moment and secure the water supply necessary to irrigate the land needed for food security?
In terms of risks and opportunities, the situation in the Fraser Basin illustrates what is at stake for British Columbians.
A Changing Climate Threatens Food Security
Home to two-thirds of British Columbians, the mighty Fraser River is the lifeblood of a vast watershed that stretches from the Rockies to the Pacific. The lower Fraser Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in Canada, is vital to BC’s long-term food security.
The Fraser drains one of the most diverse watersheds in North America – for example, its vast lands contain ten of BC’s fourteen biogeoclimatic zones. Yet many of the Fraser’s 34 tributaries, or riversheds, have been damaged by human activity.
Comments Off on NEW REALITY IN METRO VANCOUVER: “Climate change is now the most significant risk to the water supply,” wrote Daphne Bramham, Vancouver Sun newspaper columnist (April 2023)
Metro Vancouver needs more than conservation to solve future water needs
“For the past two decades, its directors — councillors and mayors appointed by their various councils — have had conservation as the primary strategy. Up until now, cutting per-capita usage has worked well enough. Crunch time may finally have arrived.”
“We’re going to need more than magical thinking to deal with regional water supplies.”
“A long career provides perspective. In my five decades as water resource planner and engineer, there are three years that really stand out in British Columbia when the topic is water conservation,” stated Kim Stephens. Partnership Executive Director, in his opening remarks at Bowen Island Municipality’s Climate Conversations in July 2021.
“After what in respect was a benign half-century, 1987 was British Columbia’s first wake up call. The drought was unprecedented in living memory. Few people are aware that the Metro Vancouver region came within two weeks of the water storage dams being completely empty. There was no Plan B. All anyone could do was hope the rains would come in November. And they did. The downpour on November 2, 1987 broke the drought.”
“The 1987 drought was a defining moment in that it started changing the conversation about water conservation in BC from folks asking why should we even c0nsider using less water, to a consensus emerging that we do need match water demand to water supply. But it took until 1992, after we experienced our third drought, before people stopped asking the why question.”
Truly Teachable Years
“But it was 2003 that truly was what we call ‘the teachable year.’ The Okanagan Valley was on fire, about 27,000 people were evacuated from the City of Kelowna, and several hundred homes were lost. This really got the attention of British Columbians that the climate was indeed changing. It was the 2003 teachable year that created the opportunity for the Partnership to develop and implement the Water Sustainability Plan for British Columbia through partnerships and collaboration. My Action Plan responsibilities continue to this day.”
“In 2015, the West Coast of North America crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydro-meteorological regime. And it has happened faster than anyone expected. Our new reality is longer, drier summers. A generation ago, water supply managers could reasonably anticipate that three months of water storage would be sufficient to maintain supply during a drought summer. Today, however, a 6-month drought is a very real likelihood. It is necessary to plan accordingly. Communities need double the storage volume.”
Watch the YouTube Video!
To view the presentation by Kim Stephens, watch the 28-minute segment that begins at the 6-minute and concludes at the 34-minute mark. And if you wish to learn about drought-tolerant plants, continue watching to learn from the experience of Kathy Leishman of the Bowen Island Garden Club who says:
“Our garden has developed into two areas, with each having a different focus. The seaside area was planned to be drought tolerant and deer resistant, and has certainly been the most interesting area. Lots of testing and learning going on, even after 23 years! The north side of the house is fenced, and more conventional in planting.”
The Summer 2021 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter includes an article co-authored by Kim Stephens to open minds about foundational concepts upon which to build climate adaptation strategies that result in whole-system water management outcomes.
Comments Off on WATCH THE VIDEO / WATER AND A CHANGING CLIMATE: “Because the earth is a closed-loop system, new water is not being created. What is changing in British Columbia is the seasonal distribution. Longer, drier summers are followed by warmer, wetter winters. Extreme droughts followed by extreme floods show just how unbalanced the seasonal water cycle is now. This is our new reality,” stated Kim Stephens, Partnership for Water Sustainability (July 2021)
Water and a Changing Climate: Drought Affects Us All
“The Partnership for Water Sustainability has its roots in government – provincial, federal, and most importantly, local government. Over three decades, the Partnership has evolved – from a technical committee in the 1990s,to a water roundtable in the first decade of the 2000s, to a legal entity in 2010,” stated Kim Stephens. Partnership Executive Director, in his opening remarks at Bowen Island Municipality’s Climate Conversations in July 2021.
“Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability as a non-profit society allows us to carry on the Living Water Smart mission. We are growing a network, not building an organization. In terms of my professional career as a water resource engineer and planner, I have been in the right place at the right time, and with the right people.”
“In a nutshell, my responsibilities revolve around delivering the Water Sustainability Action Plan through partnerships and collaboration, through a local government network. This background provides me with context and perspective regarding how the local water balance is changing due to global changes in the water cycle, and what BC communities must do to adapt.”
Growing a Network Through Collaborative Leadership
“Collaborative leadership uses the power of influence rather than positional authorityto engage and align individuals and organizations within a network, and deliver results across organizational boundaries. Success depends on creating an environment of trust, mutual respect, and shared aspiration in which all the players can contribute to achieving collective goals.”
“A long career provides perspective. In my five decades as water resource planner and engineer, there are three years that really stand out in British Columbia when the topic is water conservation,”
“After what in respect was a benign half-century, 1987 was British Columbia’s first wake up call. The drought was unprecedented in living memory. Few people are aware that the Metro Vancouver region came within two weeks of the water storage dams being completely empty. There was no Plan B. All anyone could do was hope the rains would come in November. And they did. The downpour on November 2, 1987 broke the drought.”
“The 1987 drought was a defining moment in that it started changing the conversation about water conservation in BC from folks asking why should we even c0nsider using less water, to a consensus emerging that we do need match water demand to water supply. But it took until 1992, after we experienced our third drought, before people stopped asking the why question.”
Truly Teachable Years
“But it was 2003 that truly was what we call ‘the teachable year.’ The Okanagan Valley was on fire, about 27,000 people were evacuated from the City of Kelowna, and several hundred homes were lost. This really got the attention of British Columbians that the climate was indeed changing. It was the 2003 teachable year that created the opportunity for the Partnership to develop and implement the Water Sustainability Plan for British Columbia through partnerships and collaboration. My Action Plan responsibilities continue to this day.”
“In 2015, the West Coast of North America crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydro-meteorological regime. And it has happened faster than anyone expected. Our new reality is longer, drier summers. A generation ago, water supply managers could reasonably anticipate that three months of water storage would be sufficient to maintain supply during a drought summer. Today, however, a 6-month drought is a very real likelihood. It is necessary to plan accordingly. Communities need double the storage volume.”
Watch the YouTube Video!
To view the presentation by Kim Stephens, watch the 28-minute segment that begins at the 6-minute and concludes at the 34-minute mark. And if you wish to learn about drought-tolerant plants, continue watching to learn from the experience of Kathy Leishman of the Bowen Island Garden Club who says:
“Our garden has developed into two areas, with each having a different focus. The seaside area was planned to be drought tolerant and deer resistant, and has certainly been the most interesting area. Lots of testing and learning going on, even after 23 years! The north side of the house is fenced, and more conventional in planting.”
The Summer 2021 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter includes an article co-authored by Kim Stephens to open minds about foundational concepts upon which to build climate adaptation strategies that result in whole-system water management outcomes.
Comments Off on WATER SUPPLY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA’S CHANGING CLIMATE: “Since 2000, summer precipitation has dropped about 20 per cent. This step change is unusual,” stated Hans Schreier, a professor emeritus of land and water systems at the University of British Columbia (July 2021)
Note to Reader:
After a period of relative hydro-climatic stability, changes in the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere have resulted in the acceleration of the global hydrologic cycle with huge implications for every region of the world and every sector of the global economy. We can expect deeper, more persistent drought punctuated by flooding. In 2015, the drought that extended over most of the year from winter through spring and summer, and geographically from Vancouver Island to Manitoba and from Mexico to the Yukon suggested we had crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydro-meteorological regime in Western North America. Every year since, with the exception of 2020, has confirmed British Columbia’s new reality: longer, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters.
Mother Nature is ticked off. Can you blame her?
“Fires. Floods. Mudslides. Rivers and reservoirs drying up. Record heat. Rising shorelines. Glacial melting. The Earth is in peril, and many are finally realizing they can no longer think of Earth as the open armed goddess dispensing blessings and bounty to us — especially if we take no steps to curb the activities and habits that have sent carbon dioxide emissions soaring,” wrote Michele Norris in her column published by the Washington Post on July 30, 2021.
“The defining struggle of our time, and our future, will be the tension between Mother Nature and human nature. So, more of us need to think differently about who and what we are dealing with here. That seems to have finally begun.”
The New Climate Reality in British Columbia
“Michele’s second quotable quotable, about the need to think directly, provides relevant context for what we can and must do to adjust to longer and drier summers in British Columbia,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. “Conceptually, it sounds straightforward to state that we must get our seasonal water use in balance with a changing water cycle. However, pulling this off will require doing many little things over time. Cumulative benefits do add up.
“To provide us with an attention-grabber, Hans Schreier, professor emeritus of land and water systems at the University of British Columbia, has done some invaluable number crunching. In easy to understand terms, Hans has quantified what our new climate reality means from a water supply perspective. He has examined historical precipitation data for multiple stations. He has developed a comparison of long-term averages for two periods: before the year 2000 and since 2000. This comparison provides us with an order-of-magnitude.”
Unusual Changes in Summer Precipitation in the Lower Fraser Region of British Columbia
“Most long-term climate stations within the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia have a 50 to 75-year record. Over this time period, there had been an increasing trend in summer precipitation (May-Aug) until around 2000. Since that time (2000-2020), however, there has been a step change to a lower rate of precipitation of around 20 percent,” explained Hans Schreier.
“This trend is consistent for all of the 8 stations that I examined, namely: Vancouver Airport, Vancouver Harbour, West Vancouver, Gibsons, Squamish, Pemberton, Abbotsford, and Agassiz.”
“This step change is unusual and one of the possible explanations could be that in 1998-99 we had a major El Nino event, which could possible have influenced the ocean current and jet stream to change the phase of the summer precipitation.”
“This step change is not visible for the winter precipitation, which shows no real changing trend. This explanation is of course speculative and much more research is needed to provide a more concise explanation.”
“What is also of importance is that there has been a consistent increasing temperature trends over the entire 50 to 70-year record and this should be of concern for agricultural and municipal water use.”
In media interviews, Hans Schreier commented on recent list of climate disasters, including fires in western North America, and floods in China and Europe. “The drought this year (2021) is just one of many unusual weather patterns around the world being driven by climate change.”
He said it’s becoming increasingly difficult to predict weather because old, reliable patterns are breaking down. “That’s going to be the norm, and it’s going to be continuous variability — and it’s those extremes which are really worrying.”
Soil is a Primary Water Management Tool
Hans Schreier is an advocate for restoring the soil sponge in urban areas.
“Soil can hold more water than all the rivers in the world. If you build a new house, what is the first thing you do? You remove the topsoil. Then you bring in the bulldozers and compact everything. And then, you put in the lawn, which is about 30 millimetres of soil.
“Why not have a bylaw that for every new house, before they put in the lawn, they have to have 300 millimetres of topsoil. That would save you massive amounts of irrigation water.” These measures would all reduce pressure on Metro Vancouver’s three reservoirs during the summer, Schreier said.
“We have options, and most of the options are not expensive. But it means public education and the willingness politically to bite the bullet and do this properly.”
A Shrinking Safety Factor
“Climate change has aggravated an existing vulnerability related to seasonal supply of water in BC. Over time, the safety factor has been shrinking. While it rains a lot in BC, we do not have an abundance of supply when demand is greatest. In addition, the mountainous nature of BC’s geography means that BC communities are typically storage-constrained, and what storage they do have is measured in weeks to months,” added Kim Stephens.
“As of 2015, we clearly crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydrometeorological regime in Western North America. Winters are warmer and wetter. Summers are longer and drier. This new reality has huge consequences for water security, sustainability, and resiliency.”
“A generation ago, water supply managers could reasonably anticipate that three months of water storage would be sufficient to maintain supply during a dry summer. Today, however, a 6-month drought is a very real likelihood, and on a repeating basis. In the meantime, populations have also grown in the major centres.”
Where to Focus Resiliency Efforts
“Because many factors are in play, an over-arching goal for sustainable water supply management would be to build in resiliency that addresses risk,” continued Robert Hicks, City of Vancouver. “If communities are vulnerable on the supply side, then it would make sense to build in resiliency on the use side. There is no silver bullet. Communities need to do many little things. Over time the cumulative benefits of doing many things do add up.”
“One of the little things that would yield cumulative benefits is requiring a foot of soil for all development sites so that there is a sponge that reduces water need and prevents water runoff.”
TO LEARN MORE:
The Summer 2021 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter includes an article co-written by Kim Stephens and Robert Hicks to open minds about foundational concepts upon which to build climate adaptation strategies that result in whole-system water management outcomes.
Comments Off on DROUGHTS AFFECT ALL OF US: 42 days and counting – no end in sight for dry spell, which began after Metro Vancouver’s last measurable rainfall on June 15, 2021
Note to Reader:
Currently, Metro Vancouver’s source reservoirs can be maintained nearly full under normal conditions from October to March. Snowpack typically starts melting around April, and the reservoirs are drawn down until early fall when the rain returns. Metro Vancouver posts weekly reservoir storage levels from May to October, when rainfall is lower and the regional demand for water can increase by 50%.
Metro Vancouver storage depletion curve as of July 25, 2021, Note that data from 2015 is included, to show impact of extreme dry weather conditions on total source storage.
Lower Mainland edging toward 70-year-old record for days without rain
“The record for no measurable rain at Vancouver International Airport is 58 days.”
Quotable Quote
“We’re keeping a close eye on things. The lakes have stopped filling, and we have a finite volume of water we’re working with until we get the next significant rains, typically later in summer or the fall,” said Marilyn Towill, general manager of water services with Metro Vancouver.
“Climate change has aggravated an existing vulnerability related to seasonal supply of water in BC. Over time, the safety factor has been shrinking. While it rains a lot in BC, we do not have an abundance of supply when demand is greatest. In addition, the mountainous nature of BC’s geography means that BC communities are typically storage-constrained, and what storage they do have is measured in weeks to months,” said Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.
“As of 2015, we clearly crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydrometeorological regime in Western North America. Winters are warmer and wetter. Summers are longer and drier. This new reality has huge consequences for water security, sustainability, and resiliency.”
“A generation ago, water supply managers could reasonably anticipate that three months of water storage would be sufficient to maintain supply during a dry summer. Today, however, a 6-month drought is a very real likelihood, and on a repeating basis. In the meantime, populations have also grown in the major centres.”
Where to Focus Resiliency Efforts
“Because many factors are in play, an over-arching goal for sustainable water supply management would be to build in resiliency that addresses risk. If communities are vulnerable on the supply side, then it would make sense to build in resiliency on the use side. There is no silver bullet. Communities need to do many little things. Over time the cumulative benefits of doing many things do add up.”
“One of the little things that would yield cumulative benefits is requiring a foot of soil for all development sites so that there is a sponge that reduces water need and prevents water runoff.”
TO LEARN MORE:
The Summer 2021 issue of the Asset Management BC Newsletter includes an article co-written by Kim Stephens and Robert Hicks to open minds about foundational concepts upon which to build climate adaptation strategies that result in whole-system water management outcomes.
nd grown in population, the increasing demand for water has put pressure on our water resources. In recognition of those pressures, in 1997 the Ministry of Environment, brought together a Working Group of representatives from all three levels of government, as well as industry, professional associations and interest groups to develop a Water Conservation Strategy for British Columbia. The group was chaired by Prad Khare.
“Incorporation of the Partnership for Water Sustainability as a non-profit society allows us to carry on the 
“Michele’s second quotable quotable, about the need to think directly, provides relevant context for what we can and must do to adjust to longer and drier summers in British Columbia,” stated Kim Stephens, Executive Director, Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia. “Conceptually, it sounds straightforward to state that we must get our seasonal water use in balance with a changing water cycle. However, pulling this off will require doing many little things over time. Cumulative benefits do add up.
We’re keeping a close eye on things. The lakes have stopped filling, and we have a finite volume of water we’re working with until we get the next significant rains, typically later in summer or the fall,” said Marilyn Towill, general manager of water services with Metro Vancouver.
“As of 2015, we clearly crossed an invisible threshold into a different hydrometeorological regime in Western North America. Winters are warmer and wetter. Summers are longer and drier. This new reality has huge consequences for water security, sustainability, and resiliency.”