| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
The approach proposed in this report builds on conceptual work by the authors and other collaborators dating back to the 1990s. The original hydrologic analysis framework was developed for the Arrow Forest District in southern BC as a decision-support tool for strategic forest planning and estimating hydrologic constraints as an input to timber supply analysis (Carver and Utzig 2000). Further development of these concepts was undertaken for the Water Stewardship Division of the BC Ministry of Environment. This work included the development of an assessment framework for hydrologic hazards, with a focus on the impacts of the mountain pine beetle epidemic (Carver et al. 2009a, Carver et al. 2009b, Sulyma et al. 2009, Utzig et al. 2009). Whereas our previous work focused on impacts resulting from forest management, the present work is intended to include a wider range of potential development, including mining, renewable energy projects, dams and infrastructure such as transmission corridors, pipelines and highways. Given that the hydrologic interactions between development and aquatic systems result largely from soil disturbance, direct channel disturbance, and changes in vegetative cover, the general principles of cumulative effects remain consistent from forestry to many other types of development. To cover other types of disturbance, two addition hazards have been introduced in this report: changes in water chemistry and temperature. Water storage, release and removals (including water piracy where water is rerouted from one drainage to another) can also create significant hydrologic impacts, however, these mechanisms are only considered to a limited extent in the present framework. |
