in B.C. watershed protection

start to the BC Watershed Security Fund.” She noted that decades of degradation in watersheds are putting the health and security of communities at risk. “The climate crisis is a water crisis. Immediate action and funding are needed to make our communities stronger and more resilient to the impacts of floods, fires and droughts.”

This latest announcement builds on the province’s previous commitments towards the establishment of a Watershed Security Fund for B.C. — the Healthy Watersheds Initiative in 2021 and the subsequent provincial investment in watersheds in 2022.

A funding recipient of these commitments, Living Lakes Canada is coordinating a unified water monitoring network across the Canadian Columbia Basin to collect data on climate impacts to inform source water protection in watershed management. The Columbia Basin Water Monitoring Framework project is working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments and community groups interested in securing the health of their local watersheds by incorporating community concerns and priorities around water within a scientific water balance approach. This innovative framework is being developed as a template that can be implemented in other regions to track climate impacts on water.

British Columbians are invited to comment on a new ‘intentions paper’ that outlines the Watershed Security Strategy and Fund, and potential actions to improve watershed health, such as strengthening existing water data and the tools used to monitor water demand and supply. Comments will be accepted until April 17.