string(7) "[Water]"

Northeast BC Hydrometric Monitoring Network Improvements

Lead Researcher(s):  S. Lapp

Key Researcher(s):  D. Cottrell, E.G. Johnson, T. Van Dijk

Project ID:  2019-016

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

Project Location:  Northeast BC

Strategic Focus Area:  Water

Summary



This project is one of three contributing to the Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC. Specifically, 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.

Visit program page to learn more about the series.

View Pilot Collaborative Water Monitoring Program, Northeast BC

Goals

Specifically, this project is:

  • Installing up to four new hydrometric stations for long-term use;
  • Providing publicly available hydrometric data in the form of quality assured and controlled daily water levels;
  • Sharing and integrating hydrometric data with the groundwater and climate data of the project Coordinated groundwater, surface water and climate monitoring program, Northeast BC; and
  • Sharing results of the pilot project findings in a presentation to Treaty 8 First Nations.

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