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Location: Thompson, Nicola Watershed Project Summary
SUMMARY To develop a plan that would be implemented in years of drought/low flows at critical times for fish. The plan would include actions to be taken, the triggers for those actions, the timelines associated with each action and the person/persons/agencies responsible for each activity. The plan would be an operational plan committed to by all the ‘players’ identified under actions to be taken. OVERVIEW In 2009, the Nicola watershed experienced a drought. Towards the end of summer, one of the measures implemented to help fish was an order from the Minister of Environment to a water licensee to stop irrigating in order for Kokanee to reach their spawning grounds in the upper part of the Nicola River (above Nicola Lake). This was an extreme action taken by government to increase flows in the Nicola River system. Other measures in the weeks and months preceding were advisory letters, limited distribution of monthly reports from the River Forecast Centre in reference to flows, and phone calls, including one to the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table about the low flows in the Nicola River. The organization was asked to talk to water license holders downstream from the Nicola dam about shutting off their irrigation so that when a pulse of water was released via the Nicola Dam, it would have the most benefit. The intent was to provide enough water so that the Chinook would enter the Nicola River from the Thompson River. The experience over the past summer illuminated a number of weaknesses with this potpourri of communication. There was little coordination and planning done to make water users aware until it became critical for fish. Other weaknesses were: unrealistic expectations from volunteers, short timelines, incomplete information about what was requested of water licensees, and a total lack of communication to parts of the watershed. This led to some confusion, misunderstandings and a very strong reaction when the Minister’s order was issued. It is projected that low flows during critical times for fish will become more common in the future given climate change forecasts. In order to provide some assistance to the fishery resource both in terms of water temperature and water flow, the Nicola Watershed Community Round Table (NWCRT) is prepared to lead an initiative to develop a communications plan. The government agencies with a fishery resource management mandate are in need of partners to help them fulfill their mandate. The NWCRT is proposing to invite all the interested parties (Ministry of Environment, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), City of Merritt, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, water licensees and First Nations) to a meeting to talk about developing a communication plan that would be adopted by all parties and implemented in times of low flows and drought. Assuming there is support for such a plan, the meetings that would follow would identify and describe the issues to be addressed, actions to be taken, the triggers for those actions, the timelines associated with each action and trigger, and the person/persons/group/agency responsible for each activity. With such a plan, there will be less confusion than there was this year, accountability will be clear, and those who need to take action or follow through with a request to reduce water use, will know who they are and when they need to act. Goal: An effective communication plan for low flow periods in the Nicola River system.
Objective #1 A communication plan/roadmap that has been signed off by the key water interests (MOE Water Stewardship, DFO, Nicola Stockbreeders, City of Merritt, other large water users).
Following the first meeting, an action plan will be put together with meeting dates, agenda topics and objectives for each meeting. The action plan and the contact list of participants will be circulated to all participants and other interested parties. The meeting schedule will be followed with minutes taken at each meeting. These minutes will be circulated after each meeting. Following the last meeting, a draft communication plan/roadmap will be prepared. This document will be circulated to all participants and any other groups/individuals that have been suggested for comment and feedback. The review period will be two months long with one or two reminders about the deadline for feedback and comments. A second news release will be issued once the draft plan is in circulation. During this review period, work will start on the web site and booklet. After the review period, the communication plan will be finalized and sent to identified individuals/organizations/government to be signed off. Web Site and booklet will be finalized. A third news release will be prepared once the Plan is adopted. Distribution of booklet and web site launched. BENEFITS Salmonids require water both in sufficient quantity and quality over their life cycle for long-term sustainability. The Nicola watershed has periodic droughts (below average precipitation levels coupled with extensive periods of no precipitation and heavy water extraction) resulting in low flows at critical times for fish. Climate change forecasts for this watershed predict more frequent droughts in the future. A communication plan will provide better coordination for action and the timing of that action instead of relying on the current system which is ad hoc, doesn’t include all water users and relies heavily on the goodwill of ranchers, some of whom are new to the area and have little understanding of the needs of fish and the hydrology of the watershed. The goal of the project is to better manage the water resource so that negative impacts of drought are mitigated on salmonids and other fish species. With resources inadequate to meet all the needs and requests for assistance from communities, government is increasingly looking towards communities to help them meet their mandates. Meaningful and effective community response requires that a) the community understands the issue and the proposed solution(s) and b) the community has a say in what those solutions could/should be. The project has been designed to address these two points and this we feel will contribute to the long-term sustainability of salmonids and healthy watersheds. The Nicola Water Use Management Plan is a good demonstration. With the knowledge gained through participation in the planning process, individuals familiar with Nicola WUMP are more accepting of the need to change a behaviour and to plan for less water use. With those who have not been through the process, the understanding may not be there and it takes extra effort, which is not necessarily successful, to persuade them to change a behaviour.
The Indian Bands in the Nicola watershed will be invited to participate in the development of the Plan as well as the Nicola Watershed Stewardship and Fisheries Authority, the fisheries arm of the Nicola Tribal Association. The Ministry of Environment - Water Stewardship, City of Merritt, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nicola Stockbreeders and Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club will also be invited.
In the Draft Nicola Water Use Management Plan (WUMP), recommendation 15 calls for the development of an integrated drought management plan. The Communication Plan (project) would be a component of such a plan. Although the Nicola WUMP has not been formally adopted, we are beginning to see that it is being taken into account when initiatives related to the management of water are being considered. Value-added aspects The project will strengthen organizational and institutional relationships: between government and community groups. The experience of the past five years, through the Nicola WUMP process, has shown that the relationship between individuals, not the organization or institution, is key to meeting objectives and goals. The relationship between ranchers and government especially is often strained. As people get to know each other as individuals, and not just in the role as ranchers and bureaucrats, communication on a number of levels increases significantly. This results in small problems being addressed before they become big problems. In addition, there is a greater willingness to try to resolve problems. The project should influence decision-making since timely information should flow more easily to the decision-makers. To date the decision-makers have not always been able to gather the timeliest information before they made their decision.
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