A non-profit group will ask West Kootenay residents where they should focus their water-monitoring efforts in the region.
Living Lakes Canada has meetings planned in Trail on Feb. 15 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in Nelson on Feb. 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in Creston on March 7 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and online via Zoom on April 4 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. You will be provided with the venues by registering in advance.
Living Lakes says these meetings will be interactive sessions where participants can provide feedback on local water concerns and monitoring priorities and ask questions about the project.
“Through this project we are collaborating with local groups to expand our water monitoring network so we can work with communities and all levels of government to protect our watersheds,” said co-ordinator Bill Coedy in a news release.
“Community perspectives and insights are a valued part of the monitoring network design. We welcome public input to ensure that the expanded monitoring network addresses local water concerns.”
Living Lakes says the feedback it collects will help inform where it adds new water monitoring sites for a project tracking climate impacts on water in the region.
“The data collected will support communities and industry in adaptation planning for inevitable changes to water supply,” they said.
Last year a pilot project was launched in the Slocan Valley, North Kootenay Lake, Columbia Valley, and Elk Valley. It looks at streamflow, temperature, and water quality, among other things.
They also have a high-elevation monitoring program that focuses on subalpine and alpine systems, including glaciers and snowpack.
The initiative is meant to complement Indigenous and non-Indigenous government water monitoring priorities.
In addition to the meetings, you can also submit feedback through an online survey. To register either for a meeting or to receive the survey, visit www.livinglakescanada.ca/cbwmf