Water Storage & Utilities
Water is the life-blood of the
ecosystem, and many of the pages of this Guide are related to water. This page is focused on human efforts to
store and transport water to where it is needed. There is a list of other guide pages related
to water at the bottom of this page.
Humans store water to make sure
that it will be there when it is needed for some use. These uses are usually economically or socially important, but by
taking water out of an ecosystem and keeping it in a location that we choose,
we can, among other things:
·
cause streams to dry up, or be reduced in volume;
·
flood areas (where the water is to be stored);
·
disrupt natural cycles of flooding/drought;
·
affect the suitability of areas for fish habitat or
other ecological functions.
In B.C., just about any step
that involves use of water is regulated.
Water “Use” in B.C.
In B.C. the Water
Act is the primary piece of legislation governing the use of water. The Act says that all water running in
streams, rivers, lakes, swamps, etc. belongs to the provincial government. Anyone who wants to use that water will
require a Water Licence from the provincial
government, and “use” includes storing water for future use. A Water Licence grants the holder the right
to divert or store a certain amount of water from a body of water.
A Water Licence will need to
specifically authorize storage. It may
authorize the construction of a dam, or other specific “works” to store the
water. It may carry with it conditions
designed to protect fish habitat or other environmental factors.
Other Acts related to Storage
If the water storage occurs
through a dam or other mechanism that interferes with the navigation of the
river by humans or fish, then various other laws may apply:
·
The federal Navigable Waters
Protection Act requires government approval for construction in water
bodies that can be navigated by a floating vessel;
·
The federal Fisheries Act
applies to any construction or works that may negatively
affect fish habitat. In addition,
the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is given powers to require fish
protection devices to be installed and that a minimum quantity of water pass
over a dam.
·
The Dam Safety
Regulation, created under the provincial Water Act,
applies to dams which are 7.5 metres or higher (or, if smaller, which catches a
disproportionate amount of water or otherwise has a disproportionate impact –
see section
2 of the Regulation for more information).
·
The Fish Protection Act prohibits the
construction of bank to bank dams on “protected rivers” -- rivers of significance
to the province of British Columbia that are listed in section 4
of the Act or which the provincial cabinet has designated under the Act.
·
The provincial Environmental
Assessment Act will apply to certain types of water development unless the
government determines that an environmental assessment is not necessary. Projects which will generally be reviewable
include dams which are 15 m or higher; dams which are authorized to store 10
million cubic metres or more of water; and facilities that divert more than 10
million cubic metres from a water body.
Water Utilities
Water Utilities are companies
that deliver water to the consumer.
They are generally regulated under the Water Utility
Act. Although the focus of that Act
is on protecting the consumer, and not on environmental protection, the broad
powers given to the Comptroller of Water Rights, an official of the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management, could be
used to protect the natural environment.
Water Utilities are also
required to maintain certain minimum standards of water quality as defined
under Regulations passed under the Health Act.
In some cases water utilities
are managed by the people who use the water, organized into Water Users
Communities, set up under the Water Act.
For more information on Water Users Communities please see the Water Act page of the Guide.
·
Fish & Fish Habitat
·
Hydro-Electric Power Generation
·
Navigation & Navigable Waters
·
Riparian Areas
·
Rivers, Streams and Lakes
·
Water Quality
·
Wetlands
For more information on Water Storage and
Water Utilities:
·
The Dam Safety
and Water Utilities pages of Land and
Water BC.
·
Water Resource
Information on the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection website.
·
Watertalk
– a BC-based website dedicated to information and discussion about the
protection of water quality.
