Analytical Exercise 1

To: From: Bozena Michalski, Water Stewardship Division, B.C. Ministry of Environment Tim Shah, Masters Student, Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia February 23, 2011 Planning for Water Resources Management

Date: Subject:

I have prepared a 1-hour seminar on my graduate course called Planning for Water Resources Management. As the Province has aspirations to modernize its Water Act, this memo will be most useful in providing the conceptual framework we have been building in class and the implications this has for the Water Stewardship Division (WSD) of the MOE. The layout of this seminar is composed of the following: 1. I will outline the conceptual framework for planning in water resources management that is being developed in the first section of the course 2. Recommend some of the components to the WSD for implementation to help develop the Division and the capabilities of its staff.
Conceptual Framework: Planning for Water Resource Management Socio-economic systems: How do people value water? Ecological Systems: Threats to drinking water and aquatic ecosystem health

Planning for Water Resource Management How do we plan for the future? How do we deal with complexity and uncertainty?

Governance Systems: How do we involve Framework further stakeholders in decision-making processes?

Physical-ChemicalBiological Systems: What is the connection between water systems and climate change?

Framework for the class Our class sees water not only as an indispensable natural resource but one that must be planned and managed in a holistic manner. If we do not understand citizens knowledge of water rights and threats to water quality, for example, then it is difficult to structure a governance system that would be reflective of their values and interests. The ecological system in which we live is a shared one; aquatic ecosystem health and drinking water quality are intertwined and if planned separately, we will lose our understanding of our connection and impact on the shared ecological system. The following are some examples of what we study in the class in an integrated manner: Water rights and legislation as it relates to governance Aquatic ecosystem health and protection Treatment of drinking water quality including regulation, policy and guidelines Understanding the value of water through economic mechanisms such as water metering and incentivizing water conservation

Governance One of the larger issues we have discussed in class is the lack of information about how society values water. The current structure of your division provides useful information about water rights, legislation, water contaminants and water conservation, for example. Yet, if we return to the conceptual framework, it becomes clear that the impact of such information is negligible if people cannot relate to it. This leads to the question of who should administer such information, how we are communicating it and how it can be delivered to people on the ground. Dealing with complexity and planning for the future will require the involvement of stakeholders with a diversity of values. Multi-stakeholder committees can be effective for creating holistic strategies that encompass the social, economic and environmental components of water. Alas, these committees have hitherto been poorly designed and poorly run partially due to the fact that people cannot relate to water resources management. Enhancing knowledge of the bio-physical system One key idea of the course is adaptive management. This relates to the conceptual framework in getting water managers and planners to think about addressing complexity and uncertainty.
Figure 1. Adaptive Management (BC Ministry of Forests, 2011)

By using adaptive management we can design a process to learn from experiments with specific evaluative questions and methods. The essence of developing a more integrated understanding of our water system is through experimentation. With the knowledge we gain from such experiments, we can adapt our systems accordingly and better address complexity and uncertainty. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Another key concept of our course is IWRM, which if effectively implemented, can bridge the four components outlined in the conceptual framework. IWRM encompasses the following principles: Water policies should focus on the management of water as a whole and not just on the provision of water Governments should facilitate and enable the sustainable development of water resources by the provision of integrated water policies and regulatory frameworks Water resources should be managed at the lowest appropriate level (i.e. the watershed level) Institutional capacity-building through stakeholder involvement and participation

Implications for WSD In order for the WSD to make more transparent and holistic decisions around water planning and management, you first need to acknowledge other institutions that are working on environmental planning initiatives at the local level. Institutions like the Fraser Basin Council (FBC) and municipalities within the Lower Mainland can better foment more interactions with water users to collectively understand the value of water. This is not meant to say that the FBC should have decision-making power, but be provided with financial resources to carry out programs that integrate all facets of water resource management. Currently, this institution does not have the resources to do the job they are mandated to do. To bridge the socio-economic system with the governance system, your division should audit the extent to which entities (such as the FBC or City of Vancouver) actually follow their stated policies and provide the resources for their implementation. As you intend on regulating groundwater within the new legislation, here are some points you should consider: Communicate how drier seasons (e.g. summer months) and droughts affect the provinces water storage capacity Provide funding for educational resources to groundwater users to inform them about the systems capacity, vulnerability and scarcity

Create an accessible diagram (available on your website and those of local institutions) illustrating how excessive groundwater use affects the water system, aquatic species and drinking water quality of the people of BC; and Demonstrate how the management of groundwater is being designed to account for uncertainty and change associated with climate change

To build capacity in your organization, I recommend the following: Think about how you can provide guidance, financial support and closer collaboration with local institutions including municipalities in the Lower Mainland and groups like the FBC Focus on providing more inclusive language on your website to better engage society in water resources management/planning Prioritize areas in your division that can be strengthened through meaningful stakeholder involvement Approach bio-physical issues (such as groundwater) as an integrated and multidisciplinary issue Consider the IWRM principles in helping your division overcome barriers