a) Supplies water to wells in the area.``````````````````

b) Supplies flow to the river especially in the summer dry period.

Coho stay in the stream for over a year before migrating out to the ocean so need good water year round.

2. Why is the river important?

a) One of the best coho streams in BC. Also good population of steelhead and chum.

b) Index stream for coho so all wild population.

A. Quality Mostly a manure issue 1/3 human 2/3 agricultural

Late 1980’s Tall Timbers Phase 3 and 4 rejected due to falling water table

John Scholtens casts deciding vote.

Early 1990’s Hans Schreier recruits well owners in the Hopington area and tests water finding nitrate levels above public health limits in some wells. The problem is manure 1/3 human (septic tanks) and 2/3 agricultural.

1995 Moratorium on development in the Hopington area due to the nitrate problem. Salmon River Watershed Management Partnership (SRWMP) talks about it but doesn’t do anything. Develops a watershed management plan which disappears the day after it is published.

1996 SRES and LEPS hold Water Forum before TOL election. Jim Clark alerts us to the dropping water table. He says it has been dropping 1 foot per year for 20 years. Moratorium debate becomes as much about quantity as quality.

1999 Water Resources Management Strategy Management (WRMS). LEPS at the table but the two community groups that alerted TOL to the water problems (SRES and SAGA) excluded. Main recommendation from consultant is lots of money to be spent on more studies.

2006 TOL initiates Water Management Plan “stakeholder” group that does not include SRES nor is SRES even told that the process is going on (the environmental rep does not communicate with the environmental community in Langley).

1994 to 2009 a) Province repeatedly promises groundwater legislation “soon” but nothing effective done yet. Unable to control withdrawals to stabilize falling water table without groundwater legislation.

b) Province lacks effective legislation to control manure issue. Have to prove that manure is “polluting”. Since court action difficult province seldom even investigates complaints. Despite moratorium TOL ignores proliferation of illegal suites that increase septic manure load.

c) TOL tries three times to remove the moratorium on development over the Hopington area but when forced to admit that things are getting worse rather than better are forced to withdraw all three times.

2. What has been done on the ground? Waterwise program and other publicity.

Common Threads

1) The community has not been adequately involved.

2) The province has dropped the ball repeatedly by failing to provide adequate legislation.

3) TOL and the province spend money and time on studies rather than looking at priorities and what can be done now. “Paralysis by analysis”.

4) TOL and its consultants have tended to blame lack of progress “on the ground” on the province rather than look at innovative ways (incentives etc.) to deal with the problem.

1) Since 1996 when Jim Clark alerted us to the problem the water table has dropped another 12 feet. Summer water levels in the river are very low and smolt counts in the Salmon River are dropping.

2) Water quality continues to deteriorate.