Karst Needs Legislative Protection for Sustainable Karst Ecosystems and Water Supply
Submitted to the VIU Water Series
By Reid Robinson
February 06, 2010

Karst Needs Legislative Protection for Sustainable Karst Ecosystems and Water Supply

Submitted to the VIU Water Series
February 06, 2010

The City of Port Alberni and Cherry Creek District residences depend mostly and some totally, on water from karst ecohydrologic systems, located in at least three different watersheds, all within (and on) privately owned forest lands, managed under Private Forest Land Management Council regulation. Island Timberlands has publicly stated that road construction and harvest in local watersheds is to begin 2008/2009. A geologist was hired to identify karst features however; Island Timberlands to my knowledge has not hired a hydrogeologist to do a Karst Hydrologic and Vulnerability Assessment. These types of investigations should allow for stakeholder input and development of specific watershed management plans to protect karst terrain including adjacent recharge areas interconnected to drinking water supply.

Karst environments are special places. Formed from limestone or other very soluble types of rock in which underground drainage routes and large cave systems may develop, these landscapes commonly offer an extraordinary variety of economic, scientific, educational and aesthetic resources. Karst systems and caves are the dwelling place of highly specialized creatures that evolved in and adapted to the darkness and constant environment; shelters where our own ancestors have sometimes left their mark (Baichtal, 1993).

The 1995 Biodiversity Guidebook for BC p. 80 also implies that karst environments are special places stating; “Certain areas are especially rich in the numbers of species or unique habitats they support; and, Some of the ecosystems may harbour endangered or valuable species that have yet to be discovered; and, These areas may play critical roles in the maintenance of biodiversity at the landscape level and they therefore merit special attention”.

In 2004, the BC government established an opportunity under the Government Actions Regulation for protection of surface and subsurface elements of a karst system within provincial forests. Unfortunately, current Water Act, Drinking Water Act, and Private Forest Land Management Council regulation do not specifically identify karst environments for conservation or provide recharge (source) area protection for elements of a karst system including associated aquifer or springs (resurgence). Groundwater and other meaningful protective legislation are also lacking.

For example, The Foresters Act requires that the practice of forestry be done by or under the supervision of the Association of BC Forest Professionals members (ABCFP). However, Timberwest did illegally conduct road construction and harvest without the benefit of a Professional Forester's signed and seal approval, in so doing violated section 20 of the Foresters Act. Surprisingly, the BC Foresters Act provides no penalty for violating s. 20. A major oversight in the Foresters Act, a golden opportunity for timber companies and Private Forest Land Management members to carry-out forest practices on terrain to sensitive for ABCFP members to sign off on forest site development documents (ABCFP Discipline Case: 2007-04, May 2008).

The Walkerton tragedy may have been avoided with appropriate staff training, legislation and professional contracted (with a strong background in karst hydrology) to conduct a Hydrologic Vulnerable Assessment prior to domestic water use. A spring near Walkerton’s wells for example, reverses flow when pumps in the karst aquifer are turned on. The flow characteristics of this spring indicate a very high degree of vulnerability from surface contaminates quickly entering the karst aquifer through soil breaches and bedrock openings. However, flow rates within the karst system’s phreatic zone were originally assumed normal (i.e., non-karst) and consequently underestimated, contributing in part to inappropriate practices and unethical management decisions by water purveyor staff.

As a result of the catastrophic impact, further investigation by hydrogeologist Dr. Worthington discovered that surface contaminates took 3 days or less to flow through the karst system to intake, rather than the 30 days or more initially estimated or assumed. In response to the Walkerton disaster, the BC government established legislative protection for recharge areas around wells, but neglected to consider karst systems and provide the same recharge area protection for springs.

In comparison, the City, Cherry Creek Waterworks and many other water license holders, utilize gravity feed systems with intakes located at high elevation settling ponds, creeks and springs. These types of water supply systems do not require drilled wells, but instead are dependant on elevated intakes, and the recharge, storage and drainage characteristics of specific karst systems.

In the Alberni Valley area, impact to local karstic drinking water supply could have been avoided if private property owners, the public and utilities with "right away", such as BC Hydro, were aware of the location and vulnerability of karst ecohydrologic systems utilized for drinking water supplies.

Thus; the following recommendations are proposed to improve protection of karst resources within the province.

•Specific wording for protection of Karst, adjacent recharge zone, and associated springs, be established in the Water Act, and Drinking Water Act and,

•Amend the Foresters Act and/or other relevant legislation and regulation to improve protection of Karst, associated soil, aquatic habitat, wildlife and fish including domestic water supply.

Reid Robinson,
On behalf of water license holders, the Alberni Environmental Coalition, Save Our Valley Alliance, and Central Island Caving Club. Karst Needs Legislative Protection for Sustainable Karst Ecosystems and Water Supply