Water Law and Stream
Health in BC
Craig Orr &Tanis Gower
Fact: Fish and H2O ecosystems
enjoy no legal right to water
Fact: Water licensing decisions
ignore instream flow needs
Fact: Streams imperiled from too
many water licenses, unregulated
groundwater extraction
Fact: Climate change and growth
will only further impair ecosystem
function & worsen water conflict
Climate Change Evidence
Stahl et al. 2008
Fact: River diversion projects
threaten many streams
Map: www.ippwatch.info
Groundwater & Salmon
Groundwater & Salmon
Thermal Refugia: Where and
When?
How can we protect aquatic
ecosystems?
•  Guarantee minimum flows instream –
based on time of year (e.g. monthly)
•  Other flows also important – channel
forming, flushing flows
•  Acknowledge connection between ground
water and surface water
•  Implement rational planning process for
renewable power production in BC
Ensuring water for streams
Better management:
1.  Give instream needs equal or higher
priority to other uses
2.  Determine instream flow needs month by
month both for valued fish species/life
stages and stream habitat maintenance
Ensuring water for streams
3. Recognize the need to deal with tradeoffs in the face of water scarcity
4. Measure and regulate water withdrawals:
surface & groundwater, and understand
the connections
Ensuring water for streams
5. Ensure that water withdrawals for human
needs don’t compromise instream flows,
even if this means limiting human use
6. Conserve! – current water consumption
amongst the highest in the world
Awareness Tools
Water Act Modernization