Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Nichols, K. 2014. Gulf Islands Groundwater Protection: A Regulatory Toolkit. Islands Trust |
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| Organization | Islands Trust |
| URL | http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/media/259555/groundwater-toolkit.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Islanders are taking voluntary actions to steward and conserve water, island organizations educate and manage their water resources, and the Islands Trust has a strong focus on the importance of voluntary actions to protect water quality and quantity. A sample can be viewed here: http://www.islandstrust.bc.ca/trust-council/projects/water-resource-information-forislanders.aspx. This project discussion paper is only about what regulatory options are available if islanders and trustees want to proceed down the regulatory route; it is not the only route to protect groundwater quality and quantity. The Islands Trust Local Planning Committee (LPC) has on their work program the development of water quality and quantity toolkit and development of a model bylaw. This report includes a toolkit, a model Development Permit Area (DPA) bylaw and a model Development Approval Information Area (DAI) Provisions that will assist all Local Trust Committees (LTC) in addressing the issue of water conservation. This report addresses options for the islands to consider in order to safe guard their water supplies now and into the future. The protection of a safe adequate water source will remain a priority for the Islands and will become increasingly important as the Islands continue to develop. Reaching the full potential of water conservation requires comprehensive and longterm strategic planning. There is an ever increasing need to balance the water supply requirements for area growth against future sustainability and environmental needs. The issue of water quality and quantity has been a long standing issue on the Gulf Islands. Local Trust Committees (LTC) have approached the issue differently from no action to developing development permit area guidelines and specific water conservation bylaws or subdivision servicing regulations. However, it is believed that to plan for the future of the Islands is to include the protection of water – groundwater and surface water. Groundwater is inextricably linked to the amount of surface water which many island ecosystems and habitats rely on which is another reason why an island’s groundwater supply should be protected and sustainably used. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | South Gulf Islands, North Gulf Islands |
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