… specifically on any of the 3 segments covered?
a. Poster Display/Program Updates:
- It would be good to have continued public update sessions.
Watch for upcoming public sessions as we move into the development of Integrated Watershed Management Planning.
b. Water Budget Study (www.rdnwaterbudget.ca):
- The water budget study is a good start on a complicated issue; I hope this work continues and data gaps are filled.
- Are the seven Water Regions of the RDN watershed areas that fall in line with political boundaries or are they based on hydrological boundaries?
- Let’s get some good engineers going on this and make new rules on land use regulations.
- I was surprised to see that 10% mean annual discharge (MAD) was used by Waterline Consulting as the minimum flow level required in streams for ecology. This is a value that ‘fish science’ has refined over the years; the current acceptable minimum flow value required for fish and fish habitat is 20% MAD.
We are now into Phase Two of this project and are moving into continued and increased monitoring, analysis and prioritization. We are working hard to continue progressing towards responsible watershed management. The seven water regions of the RDN are a combination of hydrological and political boundaries –there are several sub-water regions within each major water region (see this website). The scientific standards for concepts such as Mean Annual Discharge will be incorporated into our work and water balance calculations.
c. Integrated Watershed Management:
- The RDN should concentrate on high stress areas and take action and change land uses.
- Let’s start recognizing the need for Mother Nature as the first call on water.
- Are there examples of areas that have completed good integrated watershed management? Why don’t we just limit development instead of trying to minimize water use?
Integrated Watershed Management Planning will be implemented based on need; high stress areas will be prioritized. Although British Columbia is a little behind other parts of the world, Metro Vancouver has made some great progress in this area – see the City of Coquitlam’s IWMP’s: http://www.coquitlam.ca/city-services/drainage-sewer/stormwater-management/integrated-watershed-management.aspx.
There is also some good progress taking place in other Provinces:
Little Saskatchewan River 2011
http://gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/questionnaires/surface_water_management/pdf/connected_docs/Isr_iwmp.pdf
South East Alberta Watershed Alliance
http://www.seawa.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=282&Itemid=206
We appreciate all of the feedback given, if you have any further comments please contact us at 250-390-6560 or email waterprotection@rdn.bc.ca, or fill in our online form.