Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC

Key Researcher(s):  S. LappArrayD. CottrellArrayE.G. JohnsonArrayT. Van Dijk

Project ID(s):  2019-016, 2019-018, 2019-023

Key Research Organization(s):  BC Energy Regulator, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, Shell Canada Ltd., Matrix Solutions Inc.

Project Location:  Northeast BC

Strategic Focus Area:  Water

Summary



Additional data is needed to increase understanding of water quality and water quantity in British Columbia’s Northeast Region, an area of active and historic natural gas development. The Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC aims to install co-located surface water monitoring stations, groundwater wells and climate monitoring stations. Baseline water quantity, water quality, and climate data will be collected and assessed for a variety of uses at a number of specific sites, including watershed water balances, surface water flows, and groundwater-surface water interactions. At the same time, researchers are hoping to work with interested First Nations to collect Traditional Knowledge at the same sites, regarding surface water and groundwater, for comparison to Western scientific data. Training of individuals from local First Nations on data collection, sampling and station maintenance is a key component of the projects.



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Northeast BC Hydrometric Monitoring Network Improvements

This project is installing up to four new hydrometric stations in British Columbia’s Northeast Region. This data will be used to improve surface water modelling in northeast BC, and will be used to update the Northeast Water Tool (NEWT) to improve the ability of regulators to model and inform water management decisions.

View Project


Traditional Knowledge and Scientific Data Education, Comparison and Collaboration in Northeast BC Surface Water Use
Coordinated Groundwater, Surface Water and Climate Monitoring Program, Northeast BC


Project Governance

The Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC is guided and advised by a group of representatives from:

  • BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation
  • BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
  • BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
  • BC Oil and Gas Commission
  • Geoscience BC
  • Matrix Solutions
  • Shell Canada Ltd.

Research Statement

The BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources’ 2019 Scientific Review of Hydraulic Fracturing in British Columbia report includes a recommendation to increase water quantity and quality monitoring in BC’s Northeast Region. Concerns of Treaty 8 First Nations regarding water quality and quantity were also highlighted in the report, along with a need to incorporate Traditional Knowledge into work in the area. The Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC aims to collect water quantity and water quality data to address recommendations in the report, as well as provide data for further uses such as groundwater-surface water interaction studies and watershed water balance studies. The Program hopes to work with Treaty 8 First Nations within the study area to collect Traditional Knowledge data, as well as to provide training for First Nations in the collection of scientific data.

Goals

The Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC projects fit under Geoscience BC’s Strategic Objective of ‘Understanding Water’ and our goal:

  • Measuring local and regional water balance.

They also fit under Geoscience BC’s Strategic Objective of ‘Demonstrating Research Value and Building Broader Support’ and our goal:

  • Increase collaboration with Indigenous groups and undertake relevant Geoscience BC research that fosters their socioeconomic development, while also supporting our objectives.

The specific goals for each of the three elements can be found on each individual project page:

  • Northeast BC Hydrometric Monitoring Network Improvements
  • Traditional Knowledge and Scientific Data Education, Comparison and Collaboration in Northeast BC Surface Water Use
  • Coordinated Groundwater, Surface Water and Climate Monitoring Program, Northeast BC

Benefits

In addition to collecting baseline data recommended in the Scientific Review of Hydraulic Fracturing in British Columbia report, this program aims to combine the data from both Western science and Traditional Knowledge from Treaty 8 First Nations in the study area, and to build local capacity for monitoring surface water, groundwater and climate for future work.

As well as developing capacity and creating new monitoring opportunities for Treaty 8 First Nations, the Program provides an opportunity for the Nations to have a say in – and access to – research that informs water use and resource development decisions in their traditional territory. The projects provide an opportunity for Traditional Knowledge to be included alongside other data when assessing watershed health.

The inclusion of Western science and Traditional Knowledge data will help to more accurately inform water management decisions, and will provide additional and helpful data to the Northeast Water Tool (NEWT), which is used to support water management decisions.

The new public data generated by the Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC is improving the understanding of surface water quantity, quality and availability in the region, as well as providing supporting groundwater and climate data to begin assessing watershed water balances and groundwater-surface water interaction for regulators, energy companies, communities, Indigenous groups and academia. This pilot program will be used to assess the methodology proposed, including the use of Traditional Knowledge, and use any lessons learned in expanding and/or adapting this type of project work in the future, as well as further developing relationships with the First Nations involved.

Location

Northeast Region, British Columbia

Deliverables