First Nations, industry and members of the public now have easier access to science-based information on freshwater supply and demand in the Kootenay-Boundary region, with the release of the new Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool.

This web-based tool is a leading edge, GIS-based program that supports decision-making on water-use planning, licences and authorizations.

Traditional hydrologic data analysis can require up to two weeks to generate information to prepare and adjudicate water-licence applications in British Columbia. With the Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool, users can access information within minutes.

Water-licence applicants can use the information from the new water tool to assist with the application process. Regional water managers can use modelled flow and environmental flow information to support their water-allocation decisions.

Building on the success of the Northeast, Northwest, Omineca and Cariboo water tools, the Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool summarizes information about all water-use rights and use approvals, and provides decision makers with guidance on environmental-flow thresholds and potential water supply in a format that is readily accessible and easily interpreted.

The Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool estimates the mean annual and monthly discharge for user-defined watersheds and provides an overview of watershed characteristics, including vegetation and topography.

Developed by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, together with Foundry Spatial Ltd. and the BC Oil and Gas Commission, BC Water Tools are the world’s leading water resource decision-support tools.

Quick Facts:

• B.C. water tools are made in British Columbia. They support water resource decision-making in a province with many ungauged basins.
• The water supply estimates in the Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool were developed through a modelling process that used 143 long-term hydrometric stations in southeastern B.C.
• Monthly hydrologic variability and future hydrology projections were based on models developed by the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium and the University of Colorado.
• The water tool allows users to generate hydrology reports for more than 275,000 watersheds in the Kootenay-Boundary region.
• The Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool includes information about surface water and use approvals issued under the Water Sustainability Act.

Learn More:

Kootenay-Boundary Water Tool: https://kwt.bcwatertool.ca/watershed  

Northeast Water Tool: https://water.bcogc.ca/newt

Cariboo Water Tool: http://cariboo.bcwatertool.ca/

Omineca Water Tool: http://www.bcwatertool.ca/owt/

Northwest Water Tool: http://www.bcwatertool.ca/nwwt/

North Area Water Portal: http://www.bcwatertool.ca/waterportal/

Groundwater Review Assistant: https://water.bcogc.ca/groundwater