Truths and Misconceptions about Pender Islands Groundwater: Planning for the Future

Dr. James D. Henderson

October 10, 2015

Why Small Islands ?

Why the Penders?

TRUTHS

1)Water runs downhill

2)Freshwater floats on saltwater

3)Province of B.C. owns all groundwater

4)Only fresh water source is rainfall

Drought

Saline intrusion/Other contamination

Water well interference

Seismicity

Lack of alternative natural water sources

Time frame

Changing legislation

GROUNDWATER ISSUES

Conceptual Model for Groundwater Management

Evaluation

Monitoring

Re-Evaluation

Climate

GeophysicsGeology

Physical Setting

Governance

Legal

InstitutionalRisk

Drought

Contamination

Seismicity

Prescriptive Approach to Physical

Setting Investigations Approach Objective

Airphoto InterpretationVegetation types, geologic structure, bedrock lithology, surface water sources, geomorphology, topography, land use

Remote SensingVegetation type, geologic structure, bedrock lithology, geomorphology, surface water sources, topography

Geologic MappingGeologic structure, bedrock lithology, surficial geology, geomorphology, hydrogeologic properties

Geophysical Investigations

Geologic structure, bedrock lithology, soil type, hydrogeologic properties, saline water delineation

Water well dataSoil type and thickness, bedrock lithology and thickness, water bearing horizons, groundwater flow rates, groundwater levels

Climatic data Precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration

Laboratory data Water quality, bedrock porosity and permeability

Interaction of Natural Processes

CLIMATE

Inputs = Outputs + Changes in Storage

Water Balance Equation

P = R +/- O +/- G +/- S +/- I +/- C +/- M + E

Revised Water Balance Equation

W ATER AND LANDUSES

CLIMATE W ATER RESOURCES

W ATER MANAGEMENT

Relationship between climate and water resource management

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

140019

25

1930

1935

1940

1945

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

Year

Pre

cip

itat

ion

, m

mAnnual precipitation, 1925 – 2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Month

Ave

rag

e M

on

thly

Pre

cip

itat

ion

, m

m

Average monthly precipitation

Year Months of Below 60% Normal Precipitation

1925 May, June, July, September, October, November

1926 May, June, August, October, January, February

1928 September, October, November, January

1929 July, August, September, November, December

1935 April, May, June

1942 August, September, October, January, February

1943 June, September, November, December, January, February, March

1944 April, May, June, July, August, September

1952 May, July, August, September, October, November

1956 April, May, July, November

1978 June, July, October, December, January, March

1985 July, August, September, November, December

1987 June, July, August, September, October, February

1993 August, September, October

1994 July, August

1995 May, September

1996 June, July

1998 April, August, September, October

1999 May, September

2000 April, August, February

2002 June, July, August, September, October, November

Month

Average Precipitation,

mm

% Below .8 of Average

Precipitation

% Below .6 of Average

Precipitation

Monthly Precipitation Range, mm

April 43.6 31 23 5.3 – 100.0

May 35.6 46 33 8.1 – 112.8

June 32.4 47 34 0 – 134.1

July 21.2 54 44 0 – 101.1

August 26.7 52 43 0 – 112.3

September 35.6 46.4 36.6 0.6 – 94.2

October 80.1 46.4 31.9 15.0 – 187.2

November 119.6 39 27.6 25.7 – 249.0

December 129.8 33.3 14.6 10.5 – 267.7

January 123.2 49 20.9 22.1 – 294.9

February 84.8 40 28.3 12.7 – 189.0

March 70.2 35.7 23.8 6.9 – 135.6

AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURE

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Apr May Jun Jul AugSep Oct NovDec Jan Feb Mar

Month

Avera

ge M

on

thly

Tem

pera

ture

, C

AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION

DRYING INDEX

GEOLOGY

• texture and gradation of surface and near surface deposits and their vertical permeability

• nature and consumptive use of the vegetative cover

• frequency, intensity and volume of rainfall• soil moisture content• topography• temperature.

FACTORS INFLUENCING GROUNDWATER RECHARGE

from: Islands Trust Groundwater Toolkit, 2014

• Protection of aquatic and wetland habitat• High well development• Management of extreme events (drought,

flood, etc.)• Excessive extraction from surface and

ground waters• Climate change• Safe drinking water supply• Land use

WATER AVAILABILITY, REQUIREMENT AND USE

Geophysical Measurements

• Freshwater/saltwater contact• Bedrock depth and degree of

fracturing• Fault Location• Variability of soil type and

thickness

Objectives of Geophysics

Southlands Drive Geophysical Section

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210 220 230 240 250

Chainage, metres

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

Dep

th, m

etre

s

-30

-25

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

Dep

th, m

etres

-500

1

3

7

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

60

70

80

90

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

50000

M odelled Resistiv ity(O hm -m etres)

Competent Bedrock Surface

Possible Buried Channel Location

W ater Table

hs = (Pf / (Ps-Pf))(hf)

Ghyben-Hertzberg Equation

Conceptual Groundwater Flow Model Medicine Beach

Fresh W ater

Groundwater Flow

Fresh W ater

Bedrock

Ocean

Salt W ater

POPULATION GROWTH

Pender Census 2006 2,181

Pender Census 2013 2,236

VIHA Projection 2033 2,840

Pender Census 2001 1,776

Land Use, North Pender Island

Rural Residential

Rural

Agriculture

Protected

Commercial

Institutional

0

20

40

60

80

Num

ber

of W

ater

W

ells

0.5 1.5 3 5 10 20 30 50

Water Well Production, gal/min

Histogram of Water Well Production, North Pender Island

All producing wells Minus 41 best producing wells

Range 0 to 378.5 lpm (100 gpm) 0 to 45.4 lpm (12 gpm)

Number of wells 504 463

Total Production 9019.7 lpm (2383 gpm) 4802.5 lpm (1268.8 gpm)

Average 17.87 lpm (4.72 gpm) 10.18 lpm (2.69 gpm)

Median 7.57 lpm (2 gpm) 7.57 lpm (2 gpm)

Standard deviation 32.3 lpm (8.5 gpm) 9.43 lpm (2.49 gpm)

Water Well Statistics – North Pender

Groundwater Basin NP-VIII

Groundwater Basin NP-VI

Groundwater Basin NP-VII

Groundwater Basin NP-I

Groundwater Basin NP-III

Groundwater Basin NP-IV

Groundwater Basin NP-II

Groundwater Basins – North Pender

Trincomali Improvement District

Razor Point Improvement District

Magic Lake Estates

Water Supply Systems, North Pender

OW283

SHORT BREAK

Land UseSouth Pender Island

Rural Residential

Agriculture

Forest Land Reserve

Protected

Commercial

48%

25%

8%

17.5%

05

1015202530354045

Nu

mb

er

of

Wate

r W

ell

s

0.5 1.5 3 5 10 20 30 50

Water Well Production, gal/min

Histogram of Water Well ProductionSouth Pender Island

All producing

wells

Minus 14 best

producing wells

Range 0 to 378.5 lp

(100gpm)

0 to 31.42 lpm (8.3

gpm)

Number of

wells 156 142

Average 15.1 lpm (4 gpm) 5.87 lpm (1.55 gpm)

Median 3.79 lpm (1 gpm) 3.79 lpm (1 gpm)

Standard

deviation 45.8 lpm (12.1 gpm) 5.87 lpm (1.55 gpm)

Water Well Statistics, South Pender

Groundwater Basins South Pender Island

Groundwater Basin SP-IV

Groundwater Basin SP-III

Groundwater Basin SP-II

Groundwater Basin SP-I

Storage Capacity TableSouth Pender Island

Groundwater Basin

AreaBedrock

FormationsPrimary Porosity

Storage Capacity

SP-I 2.4 km2 De Courcy 3.9 %1.87 x 1010 litres

4.94 x 109 gallons

SP-II 2.8 km2

De Courcy, Cedar,

Protection3.7 %

1.69 x 1011 litres4.47 x 1010 gallons

SP-III 0.56 km2

Protection, Pender,

Extension4.4 %

8.06 x 108 litres2.13 x 108 gallons

SP-IV 2.36 km2 Extension 5.6 %1.82 x 1010 litres

4.81 x 109 gallons

Groundwater Basins South Pender Island

Groundwater Basin SP-IV

Groundwater Basin SP-III

Groundwater Basin SP-II

Groundwater Basin SP-I

Schematic of groundwater resource management at the groundwater basin level for South Pender Island

SP-I

SP-IISP-III

SP-IV

INSTITUTIONAL

Governing Groundwater

• FederalPender Island Indian ReserveGreenburn ParkNorth Pender National Parks

• Provincial• Local

Interprovincial water issues

Agriculture

Significant national water issues

Health

Navigation

International water issues

Fisheries and Oceans

FEDERAL JURISDICTION

PROVINCIAL JURISDICTION

• Ministry of Environment• Ministry of Natural Resources Operations• Ministry of Health• Ministry of Transportation and Highways• Ministry of Agriculture• Ministry of Forests• Ministry of Municipal Affairs• Ministry of Community Services• Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture• Capital Regional District

The Trust Committee shall:•Support a combination of local water supply systems;•Support water conservation and education;•Sources of drinking water shall be protected through regulation;•Use and setbacks of buildings and other improvements shall be regulated to protect wells;•The quality of domestic water supplies and community water systems should be monitored regularly. Use of water saving devices is encouraged;

LOCAL JURISDICTION

Coordination and consistencyLack of data for decision makingEffective monitoring Capturing a regional perspectiveRespective roles of federal, provincial and local agenciesRespective roles of projects and

programs

WATER MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONS

• Financing and cost sharing• Information and education• Appropriate levels of regulation and

deregulation• Water rights and permits• Infrastructure• Population growth• Water resource planning

WATER MANAGEMENT AND INSTITUTIONS

•Ensure that rainwater is returned to streams and aquifers; • Protect headwaters, riparian areas and other vulnerable aquifer recharge areas; • Prevent groundwater contamination by limiting and regulating potentially polluting uses over aquifers and in groundwater recharge areas through zoning; • Direct development to appropriate locations where the sufficiency of groundwater for domestic or commercial uses has been thoroughly assessed on a watershed scale before development occurs; • Regulate storage and application of fertilizers and compost; • Obtain information about the location of existing and new wells (including geothermal wells) when new development occurs; and • Develop well protection plans.

ISLANDS TRUST ROLE IN GROUNWATER SUSTAINABILITY

• Protect aquifers by establishing development permit areas that require buffer zones and site specific attention through permitting prior to development. • Designate aquifer protection zone(s) and development permit areas for which studies may be required. • Commit the Local Trust Committee to an integrated water management planning approach that will coordinate action on the community water supply, rainwater management, green infrastructure and government regulations

examples of effective OCP policy areas for aquifer and groundwater protection:

• Specify site design that maintains natural hydrologic cycles, including performance based measures such as managing rain water on site and no net increase in post development flows. • Encourage cluster development that minimizes impervious surfaces and other impacts across the landscape. • Direct LTCs to encourage communities to practice water conservation and protection.

examples of effective OCP policy areas for aquifer and groundwater protection:

• Regulates use and density of property to direct development away from groundwater-limited or aquifer recharge areas • Can limit lots sizes to reduce density in groundwater scarce areas • Can prohibit potentially polluting uses in areas where aquifers must be protected.

Land Use Bylaw - Zoning

• Sets standards on aspects of development that will have an impact on the water resources on the site or in an area (e.g. setbacks from riparian areas) • Can encourage groundwater sensitive development by clustering development through rezoning and possibly utilizing density bonus provisions. • Can leverage habitat protection or water-efficient amenities when rezoning.

Land Use Bylaw - Zoning

Zoning can regulate development by: • Directing development to appropriate locations; • Requiring development to be setback from riparian areas; • Limiting the total impermeable site coverage; • Establishing appropriate lot sizes; • Limiting density; • Requiring appropriate drainage; and • Prohibiting potentially polluting uses in areas where aquifers must be protected.

The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks shall be encouraged to:

Storage of rainwater to supplement water supply for household use, fire protection and irrigation is encouraged;To reduce the risk of flood damage, all buildings shall be situated in accordance with provincial standards.

The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks shall be encouraged to:

a)monitor the quantity and quality of water supplied from the groundwater systems;b)administer well drilling activities and the tapping of watershed and aquifer resources;c)establish limits on the number of wells authorized in relation to known water supply volumes;Not less than 2045 litres/day/lot, shall be proven available prior to subdivision approval or the issuance of building permits;

1) Is the MOE’s information about groundwater sufficient to ensure the sustainability of the resource?

B.C. Auditor General 2010

Information insufficient!

B.C. Auditor General 2010 cont’d

2) Is groundwater being protected from depletion and contamination and to ensure the viability of the ecosystems it supports?

Not being protected!

3) Is groundwater access being controlled and do key organizations have the authority needed to take appropriate local responsibility?

Control over access inadequate!Lack adequate authority!

Aquifer Characterization Report 2012

Population of Gulf Islands reliant on groundwater is low relative to other high priority aquifers. However, the low yielding fractured bedrock, coastal setting, and other known concerns have elevated some of the islands as a priority area.

Southern Gulf Islands ranked as 10th priority out of top 20

Living Water Smart

1) Water laws will improve the protection of ecological values, provide for more community involvement, and provide incentives to be water efficient.

Who determines ecological values?What are the incentives?How will community become more involved?Only works if laws enforced.

2) Legislation will recognize water flow requirements for ecosystems and species

Ecosystems are constantly evolving

3) Government will regulate groundwater use in priority areas and large groundwater withdrawals

How?

4) New approaches to water management will address the impacts from a changing water cycle, increased drought risk and other impacts on water caused by climate change.

5) The Groundwater Protection Regulation will protect the quality and quantity of our groundwater

How?

Risks

• Contamination• Earthquakes• Flooding• Changing Legislation• Drought

• Individual Water Wells• Water Systems• Fire Protection

How to Increase Water Supply

Scientific and

Technical

Water conservation, recycling, water

saving technology including retrofitting,

leakage control, crop variety, cropping

patterns, crop breeding, crop substitution

Economic Subsidies, incentives, tax and price policy,

tariffs

Legal and

Administrative

Water law, water rights, licenses,

regulations, penalties, enforcement

Operational Operating rules, water allocations

Educational Capacity building, awareness raising,

media, communication

Political Priorities, objectives

Methods of Water Use Efficiency

FixtureRate of Use,

1970

Rate of

Use, 1992

Rate of

Use, 2003Annual Savings 1970-2003

Showerhead2 10 litres/min 6 litres/min 4 litres/min 54312 litres

ClothesWasher3 N/a 8 litres/min 6 litres/min 9052 litres

Dishwasher4 N/a40

litres/load

26

litres/load4380 litres

Toilet520 litres/

flush6 litres/flush

3.8 litres/

flush77424 litres

Faucet619

litres/min

6

litres/min

2

litres/min153884 litres

Savings per household from changing to water efficient fixtures

Location Fixed Charge Consumption

Charge

Average Annual

Cost Magic Lake

Estates $189.00 Nil $189.00

Razor Point Road

$200.00 Nil $200.00

Trincomali 190.00 Nil $190.00 Greater Victoria

$94.45 $0.7048 $314.60

Vancouver Flat annual rate

per single family residence

Nil $271.00

Calgary (metered)

(unmetered)

$119.04 $540.00

$0.9015/m3

Nil $389.49 $540.00

Comparison Water System Costs, 2005

Conceptual Model for Water Management and Community Planning

Ph

ysical S

etting

Go

verna

nce

Risk

Community Planning

Clim

ateG

eolo

gy

Geo

ph

ysicsA

irph

oto

Leg

al

Institu

tion

alS

eismicity

Dro

ug

ht

Co

ntam

inatio

n

Recommendations

• Island wide water education program

• Improved water well database (in progress)

• New water well record format (in progress)

• Local trustees push for groundwater legislation

(basically done but unsure of local trustees role)

• Election of provincial representatives supporting

groundwater legislation

• Island wide emergency response plan for droughts,

floods, earthquakes and fire

• Mandate increase in rainwater harvesting

Recommendations• Water meters

• Promotion of use of directional drilling

• Water quality testing on annual basis

• Limit number of tourists

• Adaptation of building codes to promote rainwater

collection, use of water saving devices and use of

gray-water

• Strict enforcement of well head protection measures

around best producing water wells

• Regulation of pumping rates for water wells

Benefits to Approach• Reduction of inter-agency conflict

• Development of emergency response plans

• Following of user pay principle

• Use of groundwater basins for resource management

• Logical approach to community planning

(collaborative process)

• Promotion of community interest over self-interest

Barriers to Approach• Lack of inter-agency cooperation

• Resistance to user pay principle

• Consensus may not be achievable

• Requirement for additional management level

• Requirement for regular involvement of hydrogeologist

• Lack of political will

• Lack of community involvement

• Lack of technical expertise of policy makers

• Lack of communication between earth scientists and policy makers

• Disciplinary versus interdisciplinary viewpoints

• Lack of understanding of politics by earth scientists

Barriers to Policy Implementation

THANK YOU!