CBT supports the efforts of Basin residents to help create a stewardship ethic in which citizens care for and understand the water resources of the Basin, enabling them to actively participate in and make informed decisions around how water is managed.
Water Stewardship Projects
CBT recognizes the importance of actively engaging youth in water issues in the Canadian Columbia Basin. As an initial step to meet this objective CBT will host a series of Youth Water Forums with the goal of building youth capacity and understanding on water issues in the Basin so they can begin to decide how they can effectively play a role in addressing current and future water issues.
Youth Water Forums are designed to engage youth in current water issues in the Columbia Basin, raise their awareness, and improve their understanding of water related issues. It's a chance for Basin youth to get together, learn about important water issues and have fun! It is also a way for youth to begin to understand how they can get their voices heard in major water-related decisions being made in the Basin.
Water related decisions that are made today will affect the future of the Basin and youth that are engaged in water issues can participate in these decisions and provide an informed youth perspective. Basin youth are leaders in our communities and will be instrumental in future water related decisions, therefore it is essential that youth are involved in water related issues to improve and protect water values in the Basin.
The Columbia Basin Watershed Network (CBWN) is a network of community based watershed groups, agencies and individuals involved in watershed stewardship, restoration, and planning activities in the Canadian portion of the Columbia Basin. The CBWN mandate is to "coordinate and facilitate networking, capacity building and information sharing amongst its member groups to ensure healthy functioning ecosystems and communities in the Canadian Columbia River Basin."
The Columbia Basin Watershed Network was formed following a May 2005 symposium for groups interested in watershed management in the Basin. Groups attending this symposium agreed that a network of watershed groups would support their individual and collective efforts. The Columbia Basin Watershed Network was conceived as a way for those working on watershed management initiatives to share experiences and resources, and build knowledge and expertise.
Through the CBWN and its activities participants identify watershed management priorities, build collective understanding of the priorities and the capacity to deal with them, strengthen and create partnership, and cultivate enthusiasm and commitment to achieve a higher standard of water and watershed management across the Columbia Basin.
For more information on the Columbia Basin Watershed Network, visit www.cbwn.ca.
Columbia Basin Trust has a partnership with Selkirk Geospatial Research Centre at Selkirk College Castlegar, to provide a range of geomatic information tools and services. Geomatics is the gathering, storing, processing, and delivery of geographic information, or spatially referenced information. CBT works with Selkirk to provide tools that assist in watershed management and raise awareness of watershed issues in the Basin.
The partnership has developed an internet based mapping application that allows community groups, local watershed networks, and Basin residents to access Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data layers. The interactive and user-friendly format of the mapping application lets users view, query, and display a variety of watershed data such as major watershed groups, dams, and water supply stations, among many others. These easily accessible, quality-controlled spatial layers with metadata and additional water management resources are valuable tools for enhancing watershed management activities and building community capacity around water issues. There are two versions of the online map; one designed for more basic applications and other for more advanced applications.
Both mapping applications can be accessed at:
Columbia Basin Interactive Maps
The Columbia Basin Geomatics Services also provides research and technical support to a network of organizations working on water related projects in the Basin by providing watershed groups with hard copy watershed maps, web-enabled watershed maps, and data collection, analysis, storage and management support.
Community Splash is a travelling information workshop that brings internationally renowned experts to various Basin communities to provide information on water related issues that are of importance to you. Community Splash is an opportunity for residents to learn more about the water issues we face in the Basin and provides a venue for open discussion for residents on the issues they feel are important.
Communities can suggest their own water topic and CBT staff will help identify individuals who are qualified to speak to the issue and set up an appropriate agenda for the community. Examples of previous Community Splash topics include: The ecological, social, cultural and economic importance of water; Climate Change in the Columbia Basin, Water Conservation; Global, Regional, and Local perspectives on water, and the Columbia River Treaty.
We encourage local communities to contact us if they are interested in having a Community Splash Event in their community. Please contact Kindy Gosal Director Water and Environment at 1- 800-505-8998 (kgosal@cbt.org).
