As residents of the beautiful Fraser Valley, we are fortunate to have access to an abundance of clean water. However, climate change threatens our clean water. Several factors, both environmental and systemic, are contributing to the decline in water availability and quality in our region. Understanding these issues is crucial for us to take action and protect our water sources for future generations.
Causes of Water Stress in the Fraser Valley
Reduced snowpack and glacier retreat: The mountains that surround the Fraser Valley are a critical source of water for our rivers and reservoirs. With climate change we see less snow in the mountains and retreating glaciers that feed the Fraser River headwaters. This results in a decrease in the consistent flow of water into our waterways and the groundwaters that they recharge.
Lower rainfall and drought conditions: Dry landscapes absorb less water, leading to faster runoff, erosion, and floods. This not only affects the availability of water but also the quality of water as debris enters the water.
Forest loss and fires: The warming climate means wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense. This destroys tree cover and increasing the risk of erosion and runoff. This has economic implications for industries like forestry and tourism, impacting our region’s economy.
Fracking impacts: Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking for Natural gas in the Northeast of British Columbia, can and does introduce toxins and radioactive waste into groundwater. This can make it unsafe for consumption. This poses a threat to both human health and the environment.The regional aquifiers in the Northeast don’t affect us directly in the Fraser Valley. However, we need to understand that our use of “natural” gas comes from fracked wells in northeastern BC. The same is true for provincial promotion of exported LNG. Fracking uses huge amounts of freshwater, contaminates local aquifers, and leaves communities in the Peace River region with unsafe water. When we rely on natural gas in the Fraser Valley for heating or cooking, we are contributors. We are creating water quality problems for families and ecosystems in another part of our province.
Increased water temperatures: Warmer water encourages algae growth and requires additional chemical treatment to remain safe for humans. This can have detrimental effects on aquatic life, human recreational use of rivers and lakes and the overall ecosystem. Now that we’ve examined some causes for how climate change threatens our clean water what are those impacts?
Impacts of Water Stress on the Fraser Valley
The consequences of these factors are widespread and impact various aspects of life in the Fraser Valley:
Threats to aquatic life: Reduced river flow harms native fish species and the ecosystems they rely on. This can have cascading effects on the food chain, and biodiversity in our region.
Economic impacts on fisheries and agriculture: Low water levels reduce fish stocks and irrigation capacity, impacting the livelihoods of those who depend on these industries for their income. If livestock feed costs more for farmers it creates financial hardships for these families. It also threatens our local food security as we experience unreliable crop yields.
Public water restrictions: Scarce reservoirs mean summer water restrictions, affecting everything from lawns and gardens to community green spaces. This impacts our quality of life and the beauty and enjoyment of our parks, yards and gardens.
Energy and infrastructure stress: Lower or unreliable water levels in reservoirs for hydro dams means more reliance on imported electricity which can create economic vulnerability for BC. Additionally, we might need to rely on power produced elsewhere using fossil fuels rather than cleanly produced hydro-electric power. Nearer to our cities, water treatment efforts and costs rise due to warming and contamination. This can strain our city budget as water treatment requires more chemicals and more energy to make water safe.
Seeing the impacts of how climate change threatens our clean water, what can we do to solve this problem?
Solutions for Water Conservation in the Fraser Valley
It is imperative that we take action to address the threats facing our water sources. There are several strategies that can help us mitigate the impact of climate change on our water supply both as a community and as individuals:
Requiring Water Capture & Retention: measures such as permeable paving, stormwater management, green roofs, and riparian zone restoration can help retain and filter water naturally, reducing runoff and erosion while allowing groundwater to “recharge”. Municipalities must take the lead here.
Pollution Prevention: Strengthening regulations on industrial wastewater, implementing pollution fees, and promoting agricultural best practices can help prevent contaminants from entering our water sources. We have a role to play at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government, cooperating to build awareness, provide support and ensure compliance.
Energy & Systemic Adaptation: Individuals have quite a lot of power when it comes to transitioning from natural gas, and using renewable electricity instead. They can replace their heat pumps and polluting furnaces with heat pumps. Municipalities control permitting and can lead the way (or drag their feet) the All levels of government can provide planning incentives and reduced bureaucracy for shifting to non-polluting energy sources. Municipalities are uniquely positioned to establish emergency water resilience measures that can help reduce the impact of water contamination and scarcity.
Water Use Management: Municipal water systems can evaluate providing non-potable water for irrigation, promoting drought-tolerant landscaping, and implementing smart watering guidelines to help residents manage our water resources more efficiently.
By taking these steps some as individuals and working together as a community to engage our governments, we can safeguard our water sources and ensure a sustainable future for the Fraser Valley and its residents.
Which of these actions could you see yourself taking to protect clean water for our community?
Sources:
1. “Climate Change and Water Scarcity in the Fraser Valley.” Fraser Valley Regional District. Retrieved from: www.fvrd.ca/climatechange
2. “Impacts of Drought on Agriculture in British Columbia.” Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Fisheries.
3. “Protecting Our Water Sources: A Community Guide to Water Conservation.” Fraser Valley Watersheds Coalition.