Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 240 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Bonaparte Water Stewardship Society. 2010. Bonaparte Watershed Water Management Project: Opportunities for Improved Water Management in the Bonaparte River Watershed, 2010. Pacific Salmon Foundation. |
| Organization | Pacific Salmon Foundation |
| URL | http://www.thinksalmon.com/reports/FSWP_10_D_44_-_Water_mgt_report_Apr_2011.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | The objective of this project was to review Bonaparte watershed low flow issues and develop a water conservation and beneficial use strategy that supports the BWSS long term watershed sustainability plan using salmonid habitat values as an indicator of sustainable water management. The project builds upon relationships established within the BWSS watershed planning and restoration program over the past decade. The 2010 water management project reviewed and assessed water management issues at a watershed scale, developed new partnerships in headwater areas of the Upper Bonaparte and provided opportunities for education and engagement supporting salmonid habitat values. The findings of the water use review were that although there are licensing, low flow, supply and demand issues evident within the watershed, which represent a constraint to sustainability, there are also many opportunities to utilize existing resources much more effectively and help mitigate supply issues at a watershed scale. Opportunities for further water management improvements were identified including improved governance and licensing, storage and conservation that support sustainability, with benefits for fish and human use. The Bonaparte Watershed supports salmonid populations that are ecologically, culturally and economically very important, including rainbow and brook trout, kokanee, steelhead, as well as chinook, coho and pink salmon. Potential conflicts between irrigation demand and aquatic needs (including instream fish needs) have been previously identified in the Bonaparte River Watershed. (MOEP, Sept 1986). These have been discussed at length during community based (WFSP) watershed planning sessions. Water demand (human use) and other factors such as climate change continue to affect surface water availability for fish and other aquatic values and are a constraint to fish habitat quality especially in low flow events. Over-licensing of streams at some locations within the Bonaparte watershed as well as an important gap in effective groundwater legislation have been historical issues impacting fish populations that are currently being addressed through the ongoing Provincial Governments Water Act Modernization (WAM) planning processes. One of the main functions of the project was to incorporate instream flow needs of fish as an indicator of sustainable water management, within the context of overall water storage, water use and watershed sustainability planning. The project assesses water demand and incorporates the achievement of salmonid instream flow needs as an indicator of effective water management for future watershed sustainability as part of the ongoing Bonaparte Watershed Sustainability Plan. The water management plan builds instream flow and habitat needs into a plan to guide future water management planning action that respects all concerns and interests within the watershed. This is also one of the key ingredients currently taking shape within WAM. The provincial government is leading toward improved water management practices through its Water Act Modernization initiative which is flexible and includes consideration to the needs of key aquatic species such as salmonids. In the context of WAM this Water Management Project undertaken by the BWSS (funded primarily by FSWP) is timely. The following report summarizes water supply (watershed hydrology), human use water demand (primarily agricultural use), salmonid utilization requirements (instream requirements for viability) as well as and some conservation, storage, governance and pilot project ideas assembled for local use to help increase awareness and engage participation in improved and beneficial use of water resources. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Thompson |
| Sub-watershed if known | Bonaparte River |
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| Project status | complete |
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