THIS REPORT IS PREPARED FOR YOU by the water management teams within the Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship (WLRS), and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV)

IN THE DECEMBER 2023 ISSUE:

• GWELLS – 2023 Review of Well Record Submissions
• Drought Conditions
• Ministry of WLRS Updates
• Provincial Government Groundwater Program Regional Update
• Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network Update (PGOWN)
• Registering as a GWELLS user to submit well records online

REPORT NON-COMPLIANCE

• Have you noticed a well that does not meet the construction standards of the Groundwater Protection Regulation?
• Know of someone who is drilling a well or installing a well pump without being registered

Drought Conditions

Drought is a recurring feature of climate change. Though B.C. is prone to experiencing drought conditions, 2023 brought extreme drought conditions for many basins in the province beginning mid-July. By mid-August, 85% of basins in the province reached drought level 4 or 5 – with level 5 being the highest, indicating adverse impacts to socio-economic or ecosystem values almost certain. Many streams fell to record low levels and groundwater levels in many provincial observation wells were at or near historic lows this year.

When voluntary conservation measures were not sufficient to protect critical environmental flows or the survival of a fish population, regulatory action was necessary under the Water Sustainability Act (WSA). In 2023, four Temporary Protection Orders were put in place to protect fish population survival. This regulatory action now also involves groundwater users, even if they do not have an authorization. 

Farmers and ranchers faced some of the most significant challenges. The Province worked closely with the agricultural community and the federal government to support B.C. producers. New programs were created to help farmers find more hay and feed for their animals and adapt to climate change by providing incentives for the sector to invest in water infrastructure improvements.

• In B.C., drought response is a shared responsibility with the Province, the federal government, water providers, regional districts, municipalities and First Nations. The collective actions of all British Columbians made a positive difference.

The Province found ways to limit water use in government facilities and worked closely with large businesses and industries to reduce water use. The Province continues to work directly with communities to implement resources and respond to local conditions.

October brought rainfall and cooler temperatures to many parts of the province which helped reduce precipitation deficits. Subsequently, much of the province lowered their drought levels. However, in early November drought levels remained high in the Fort Nelson, East Peace and North Peace (level 5 respectively) and South Peace (level 4).

A reimbursement program for First Nations and local governments for the transportation of alternate drinking water was made available. Water restrictions remain in place in some areas. Please check with your local municipal authority or First Nation for current restrictions.

• The province continues to monitor drought conditions and urges people and businesses to continue their efforts to reduce water usage wherever possible.

For the latest information, please visit http://www.gov.bc.ca/drought.

Provincial Groundwater Program Regional Update – North Natural Resource Area 

Existing Use Groundwater (EUGW) Licensing Update 

In the north area, to date, about 50% of the existing groundwater licence applications have been processed. Depending on the region, the number of existing files completed each quarter ranges from a few to mid-30s. In addition to the complexity of the file, the information readiness of the application significantly impacts the processing time. For incomplete applications, the dedicated staff will proactively reach out to applicants in advance of processing their applications to reduce time spent waiting for a response. In the Omineca region, there have been no delays in processing EUGW applications! 

Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network (PGOWN) 

Well Drilling in Altin (October 2023).

Photo credit:  Jun Yin

This year is a productive year for the north area observation well network expansion. In March, we constructed two new observation wells in the Vanderhoof area for monitoring Aquifers #242 and #246. We also conducted pumping tests in both wells to obtain the hydraulic properties for input into a regional numerical model that the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is developing. In Fort Nelson, we continue to work with the Fort Nelson First Nation to monitor the recently established observation wells. In the northwest corner of B.C., we worked with the Yukon government to construct a new observation well in Atlin. In a collaborative project, data collection will be performed by the groundwater staff from the Yukon government and submitted into the provincial Aquarius Time-Series database. We are also in the process of incorporating two existing monitoring wells into the PGOWN network, one in Terrace and one north of Fort St John near Rolla.

Groundwater Science Studies 

The Stoney Creek numerical model is currently under development. The research team from UNBC has built the conceptual model and finished the first round of model calibration. Once the model is fully calibrated, we will use the model as a tool to test different scenarios including cumulative pumping and climate change.  

We are also pleased to announce $150,000 in funding from the Ministry of Forests Indigenous Funding Program to initiate a groundwater protection project with the Lhedili T'enneh First Nation in the Shelley area near Prince George. The purpose of the project is to understand the local aquifers, the manganese issues in drinking water, and to develop a groundwater monitoring plan.   

Aquifer Mapping 

Last year, we completed the Kiskatinaw-Peace aquifer re-mapping project. The result has been published in the Water Science Series. After the Vanderhoof, Peace-Beaton, and Kiskatinaw-Peace remapping, we moved our gear further north to re-map the Fort Nelson area based on the additional information we collected in the past few years. Our contractor is working toward finalizing and reporting the results. 

A lot of activity is happening in the north area. Reach out to us if you have any questions or ideas to better support the groundwater management that spatially covers half of the province! 

CONTACT US

For general inquiries or the contact information for groundwater staff with statutory designation across the province, contact Groundwater@gov.bc.ca