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opinion editorial
Opinion: Just imagine. The water used for new homes is at odds with the water used to grow food. Water for salmon and water for livestock.But conflicts over water access are inevitable in B.C.
Published April 30, 2024 • Last updated 2 hours ago • Reading time 3 minutes
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Water levels on the Fraser River reached their lowest levels in more than 100 years in April 2023, impacting waterways in the lower Fraser River, including the Lower Agassiz Swamp. Agassiz Lower Swamp received new fish-friendly flood gates in 2021 with funding from the Healthy Watersheds Initiative.megan loon sun
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“Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.” So is Mark Twain's old saying. As we head into late spring with record low snowfall and a virtually never-ending drought, we need strong leadership from Premier David Eby and his government to prevent this from becoming a reality here in British Columbia. is.
While recent state funding announcements for agricultural water infrastructure and water metering projects are welcome steps, our concern is that they are piecemeal and reactive. What we really need, and what many water experts are calling for, is an overhaul and long-term investment in British Columbia's watershed governance system.
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In British Columbia, there are already many pressures on the social fabric that holds communities together. Rising prices, housing shortages, the lingering effects of COVID-19, political polarization, and the rise of global populism are all undermining people's sense of stability and trust in public institutions.
Due to the effects of the climate crisis, we face a serious risk of adding to this list intense competition for scarce water resources. Please try to imagine. Imagine the conflict between the water you use for your new home and the water you use to grow food. Water for salmon and water for livestock. Water for locals and water for tourists. and water for industry and water for natural ecosystems.
Last summer, a prolonged drought heightened tensions in communities across British Columbia as farmers lost crops, salmon died in dry streams and wells ran dry. Warning signs are already present in other parts of the world. In Spain, for example, anger and frustration over a years-long water crisis recently spilled over into large-scale street demonstrations.
But fear, conflict and protests over water access are not inevitable here in B.C. We still have enough water. What we lack is the urgency and priority to deal with it.
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So how can we take a different path to avoiding serious conflict and building watershed security?
First, state governments need to understand the basics of water management. This includes amending B.C.'s groundwater licensing system, protecting drinking water sources, requiring industry to account for water use, and regular reporting on the health of watersheds.
Furthermore, to ensure watershed safety, governments must enable decision-making at the local level. This can be achieved by investing in a system of watershed committees.
Watershed committees foster cooperation and mutual understanding by uniting local people toward common goals in the watersheds they call home. These committees facilitate difficult but respectful conversations among neighbors, including chiefs and mayors, farmers and salmon advocates, business leaders and governing bodies. Importantly, these commissions build on the strengths of Indigenous knowledge and Western science to advance understanding of watershed health, advance reconciliation, and implement locally designed solutions.
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Compared to provinces such as Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba, British Columbia currently lags behind when it comes to watershed governance. These states already have a framework of local watershed institutions that play a central role in watershed planning and set priorities such as responding to droughts and floods, protecting drinking water sources, and strengthening local water management. .
BCs can learn from and improve on other models to create systems of watershed governance designed for the challenges they currently face. Fortunately, we already have powerful BC-based examples to learn from and build upon. Created in 1970, the Okanagan Watershed Commission is the first and only legislated watershed commission in the province. This is an enduring example of regional cooperative watershed management. It distributes grants, conducts science and monitoring, provides public education, fosters local government cooperation, and coordinates water management efforts.
Most recently, the Cowichan Tribe and Cowichan Valley Regional District established the Cowichan Watershed Commission. Recognized as a model of co-governance, the board reflects the powers of both First Nations and local governments. We conduct watershed monitoring, education, and restoration activities. He has successfully advocated for provincial and federal partnerships, including B.C.'s first water sustainability plan and funding for the Cowichan Weir renovation.
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State leadership is needed to create and support effective local watershed committees based on these successful models. By embracing collaborative watershed governance, we can lead the world on a positive path – one that bridges divides, advances reconciliation, empowers local decisions, and leverages the ingenuity of those who know our watersheds best. We have a unique opportunity to demonstrate.
Tim Morris is the project director for BC Water Legacy. Oliver M. Brandes is Deputy Director of the Center for Global Studies, co-director of his POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at the University of Victoria, and a long-time official advisor to the Cowichan Watershed Commission.
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