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Watersheds in BC
and the Right to Clean Water
Forests play a vital role in regulating water supply and maintaining pristine water quality in British Columbia. (Chapter 4, Resource Values, see below)
Watersheds are vital to British Columbians: we get most of our water from surface water, lakes, creeks and streams. Approximately 86% of the population uses surface water as its drinking supply. Small and medium-sized streams are the most common and serve over 75% of the population. In total area, designated community watersheds represent 1.5% of the province.* The Community Watershed Guidebook states that over 450 watersheds are classified as community watersheds in British Columbia. The Glade Creek Watershed is one of these community watersheds, defined as a Class 2 watershed, because of its size (2977 Ha). *Go to: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/forests-lands-natural-resource-operations-and-rural-development Enter ‘Community Watershed Guidebook’ in Search to find:
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/fpc/fpcguide/watrshed/watertoc.htm |
Forests & Community Watersheds: An Overview
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The following comments on B.C. watersheds are from a government publication, "Resource Values" by A. McKinnon, W.L. Harper, S. Chatwin, and B.M. Wikeem 1990
- The quality and quantity of water within a watershed is largely a function of the intact forest cover. Tree cover controls snow storage and melt rates by snow interception, shading, and wind ablation, influencing both yield and stream flow. Peak flows with their consequent high soil erosion rates are reduced by an intact forest cover. In snow-dominated forested watersheds, seasonal snow melt rates are less and runoff from rain-on-snow events is less than in deforested watersheds. In coastal watersheds, fog drip from branches can also be an important source of summer flow.
- Water quality is maintained best in forested watersheds. Forested watersheds have landslide rates many times less than comparable logged watersheds. Slope stability is enhanced by the tree roots anchoring the steeply sloped soils. An intact forest cover shields the soil from raindrop erosion, as do the organic soil horizons.
- Overland flow of water is extremely rare in forested watersheds because of the high surface infiltration through the well-structured forest soils, and because of the macro-permeability provided by earthworm holes, burrows, and rotted root channels. As a consequence, rates of surface soil erosion are very low in forested watersheds.
- In some watersheds, stream bank erosion is one of the main sources of sediment supply. Stream bank vegetation, however, can reduce stream bank erosion and maintain stream channel morphology. A wide buffer of stream side forest can also act to filter sediment washing off adjacent disturbed hill slopes.
- Small watersheds are much more susceptible to alterations in water flow or quality, because any disturbance will affect a high proportion of the watershed area.
- Forests play a vital role in regulating water supply and maintaining pristine water quality in British Columbia. The relatively small percentage of the provincial forest land base that is within community watersheds combined with the high proportion of the population that depends on this type of water supply, indicates the high value of forests in watersheds.
Is Safe Drinking Water a Human Right?
According to the United Nations it is.
In 2010, both the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council resolutions recognized the right to safe drinking water as a human right.
The clearest definition of the human right to water has been issued by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights. In 2002 this treaty body issued a non-binding interpretation affirming that access to water was a human right; (ICESCR Art. 11 & 12)
In 2010, both the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council resolutions recognized the right to safe drinking water as a human right.
The clearest definition of the human right to water has been issued by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights. In 2002 this treaty body issued a non-binding interpretation affirming that access to water was a human right; (ICESCR Art. 11 & 12)
The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses. (UN CESC - General Comment 15, para.2)
The human right to water places the main responsibilities upon government to ensure that people can enjoy "sufficient, safe, accessible and affordable water, without discrimination." Most especially, governments are expected to take reasonable steps to avoid contaminated water supply and to ensure there are no water access distinctions amongst citizens.
In BC there are many distinctions among it's population: a large percentage of First Nations groups have been trying to get clean water for years; but the large watersheds of Vancouver and Victoria have been re-protected and are safe from ANY industrial activity, and here in the Kootenays almost all our watersheds are being logged.
In BC there are many distinctions among it's population: a large percentage of First Nations groups have been trying to get clean water for years; but the large watersheds of Vancouver and Victoria have been re-protected and are safe from ANY industrial activity, and here in the Kootenays almost all our watersheds are being logged.
And what does the Supreme Court of BC say?
April 1, 2019 Judge McEwan speaking to the Glade Watershed Society: Judge McEwan noted: “Do you have a right to clean water? I’d suggest you don’t… there just is nowhere in the law where you can look and say, there it is - there’s my right. I have a right to clean water.”
And according to the Government of British Columbia?
A letter received from the Minister of the Environment Honourable Mary Polak (July 26, 2016) shows a different perspective. In response to this question "...currently, the right to clean, safe water is not included in the Canadian Rights and Freedoms, can you tell me if it is included in BC’s Rights and Freedoms?" she writes:
The British Columbia Human Rights Code does not reference the right to clean water; however, the BC Government is strongly committed to maintaining a healthy environment for British Columbians. As noted in the Ministry of Environment Service Plan, protecting the environment, along with sustainable economic growth, are top government priorities. (emphasis added)