The abundance of rain this spring has likely dampened concerns about water availability and sustainability. Nevertheless, about 75 people attended the “Quadra's Water” presentation on June 19th. Ministry of Environment (M.of E.) Groundwater Protection Officer, Sylvia Kenny, gave an in-depth talk and slideshow on the subject. This report shares some of her main points.

Each Discovery and Gulf Island has an isolated groundwater system. It is not part of a large scale system fed by Vancouver Island and/or Coastal B.C. mountains - a common but false belief. All the water available to Quadra comes from rainfall and snowfall on the land surface. This precipitation serves various functions, such as: temporary storage in lakes and rivers, run-off to lower elevations, plant use, and evaporation. Most of the rest filters down below the ground surface to recharge aquifers. An aquifer is any geological formation that provides usable water to a well or spring.

Groundwater serves many purposes. It provides for drinking water and other domestic use. Irrigation, aquaculture, forestry, tourism and the maintenance of ecosystems such as wetlands and fish-bearing streams all depend on groundwater. Protecting water quality and quantity is fundamental. Contaminants can be introduced from land use activities such as septic systems, agriculture and underground storage tanks, to name a few. Quality can also be affected by high concentrations of certain metals which are released through the weathering of rock. Overpumping of wells located close to the seashore can cause salt water intrusion into fresh water aquifers. Water quantity concerns include interference between adjacent well users, low well yields, seasonal water shortages and aquifer overuse or depletion.
Ground Water Protection Regulations deal with qualifications of well drillers, protection of well heads, protection of the well capture zone and regulations for implementing water management plans. On a much broader scale, five partners including the M.of E are working on the Water Resource Vulnerability Mapping Project. Over the next 3-5 years the study will identify and map the vulnerability of aquifers based on the characteristics of the different aquifers, and combine this with an assessment of risks associated with different land use activities. The resulting maps can be used by planners, local gov't and other decision makers to manage land uses, reduce the risk of aqifer contamination and help ensure groundwatrer resources are protected for future generations. The study covers Vancouver Island, Gulf and Discovery Islands.
There are 19 major watershed/drainage areas on Quadra. Most of them are situated in the north par of the Island. Most of the population is concentrated in the south. There are 52 active water licences for creeks, lakes and springs and 250 wells registered in the Provincial WELLS database maintained by the M.of E. The existence of many more wells than are currently on record is probable. The locations of wells and mapped aquifers on Quadra Island can be found on the B.C. Water Resources Atlas at: http://srmapps.gov.bc.ca/apps/wrbc/
Communities can start the mapping process by creating an inventory of existing wells. A number of stewardship groups are gathering that information on other islands. Pender Island has completed their well mapping. Is there interest among Quadra Islanders to form a Water Stewardship Committee and start creating an inventory and monitoring of wells? Such research would provide information about how much groundwater is being used and where wells are concentrated.
Sylvia concluded with recommendations for sustainable water management. These include water conservation, understanding the volume of water use and availability, protecting recharge areas, utilizing opportunities for storage to offset seasonal shortages, minimizing impervious surfaces, and preserving and protecting environmental value during land development. Monitoring of well water quality and groundwater levels can help us understand the natural seasonal variation within aquifers and how this changes over time with differences in rainfall or increased groundwater use. The community can also initiate and work with partners in regional and provincial governments to develop plans for effective water management that address the specific concerns within the community.
See Sylvia Kenny's more detailed information on:
aquifer identifiction and composition, natural and man-made surface water storage, salt water intrusion, groundwater protection, Intrinsic Water Vulnerability Study under “More from Sylvia on Water.”
My thanks to Susan Westren for her extensive meeting notes and Sylvia Kenny for in-depth answers to follow-up questions.