COWICHAN VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT
SOUTH COWICHAN WATER PLAN STUDY
V19830100 : Rev B : 11 February 2009
Page 75
6.
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN
6.1
Overview and Object ives
A preliminary water plan study of the South Cowichan region was jointly completed for the CVRD by
WorleyParsons and Westland Resource Group. This study has provided information to support the
development of a Water Management Plan for the area, and identifies issues that need to be addressed
to ensure that water supply in South Cowichan meets future demand sustainability.
A phased approach is recommended towards development of the Water Management Plan, with major
existing knowledge gaps being addressed as stand alone studies prior to development of the Plan.
Recommended studies to be conducted prior to development of the Water Management Plan include:
The acquisition of more detailed current surface water and groundwater withdrawal data is
necessary to allow a better understanding of potential demand versus supply issues. This will
require co-operation from major water users (improvement districts, etc.) and involvement from
CVRD;
A comprehensive, area-specific groundwater resource evaluation should be completed, which will
culminate in the development of a numerical model that will establish detailed water budgets on
an aquifer-by-aquifer basis. The groundwater resource evaluation and model development
should take into account findings from MOE’s aquifer vulnerability mapping project currently being
completed, and use the model to refine understanding of local aquifer vulnerabilities;
A comprehensive, baseline surface water quality monitoring program should be undertaken. This
program should include, at a minimum, the collection of surface water samples on a quarterly
basis from the area’s key streams, lakes and reservoirs over a 1 to 2 year period. Prospective
sampling locations should be identified through consultation with regional directors to identify
potential areas of concern. Those locations for which the baseline program indicates possible
water quality concerns could be incorporated in a longer-term monitoring program; and
The potential effects of regional, national, and global pressures on population trend projections
for the CVRD should be considered. Climate change could alter migration of people from areas
experiencing water supply shortages or sea level increases. Economic upheavals and
demographic shifts in Canadian society might also change housing choice and settlement
patterns. The effects of such phenomena are difficult to anticipate and may increase the
uncertainty in population trend projections for the CVRD.
Once these supplemental investigations and monitoring programs have been undertaken, a
comprehensive Water Management Plan for the South Cowichan area should be developed to address
issues raised by this preliminary study.
Completion of this Water Management Plan should result in the following tangible benefits:
Enhanced understanding of local water issues;
