Clean, fresh water is important to every aspect of life in the Columbia Basin. It is essential that Basin residents understand factors affecting water quality and understand the measures necessary for water quality protection. CBT actively supports a number of community groups and organizations that are addressing water quality issues in the Columbia Basin.
Water Quality Projects
The Columbia Basin Water Quality Monitoring Project is an innovative water quality monitoring project that provides support to community based watershed groups who are interested in becoming better stewards of their local water resources. In the first year four groups were part of the project including:
- Slocan River Streamkeepers
- Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society
- Kootenay River Network
- Mark Creek Recovery Program.
The project is coordinated by the Kootenay River Network and receives technical assistance from Environment Canada, BC Ministry of Environment and the Canadian Parks Service. The watershed groups are collecting water quality data using the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) protocols.
Through the Water Quality Monitoring program, the groups have established a common monitoring protocol that can be used as a framework by other community groups for further monitoring in the Columbia Basin. In addition, the results of each watershed groups' monitoring efforts will be hosted on a web based interactive database so information can be shared with other watershed groups and Basin residents.
In its third year, the Water Quality Monitoring Project has four new community watershed groups joining the program for a total of eight participating groups. The new groups to this program are:
- Upper Columbia Program-Wildsight
- Lake Windermere Project
- Arrow Lakes Environmental Stewardship Society
- Friends of the Lardeau River
Through the collection of watershed data and the web based database, the Water Quality Monitoring project is providing water-related resource materials and building community awareness around water issues. The Water Quality Monitoring project is building effective partnerships throughout the Basin and developing a network of organizations working cooperatively on water initiatives in the Basin.
In 2006, Columbia Basin Trust, in partnership with a variety of provincial and federal governments and local groups, released Water Quality in the Canadian Columbia Basin. This report provides information on water quality pertinent to Basin residents. It outlines water quality basics, the importance of water quality, factors affecting water quality, and how Basin residents can help protect water quality.
Water Quality in the Canadian Columbia Basin is helping to improve Basin residents' understanding about water quality by providing water quality information as well as resources and links to detailed water quality information. The report is a valuable resource for Basin residents to learn more about water resources and how to ensure a healthy water supply for current and future generations
