The goal of the Columbia Basin Groundwater Monitoring Program is to increase knowledge about groundwater resources in the Columbia Basin and the climate impacts on them in order to effectively inform sustainable water management and meet the needs of people and nature. The foundation of the Program is the well owners who volunteer their wells for monitoring. These include municipalities, First Nations, and private landowners.
The objectives of the Program are to:
- Collect groundwater level data across a range of geological, topographical, climatic, hydrological, and water use intensity conditions to determine how levels change seasonally and from year to year;
- Increase knowledge and awareness about groundwater by engaging partners and citizens in the collection of data, providing training, and sharing knowledge;”
- Collaborate with watershed stakeholders, decision makers, and water users to ensure data are informing on-the-ground action, policy, and decisions; and”
- Share data publicly so they can be used by water users, water managers, researchers, decision makers, policy makers, and others to protect and manage water resources.”
The Program collects groundwater level data similar to the Provincial Groundwater Observation Well Network, which has a limited number of observation wells in the Columbia Basin. As of September 2021, the Program was monitoring 22 Volunteer Observation Wells across the Columbia Basin. Data are available on the Columbia Basin Water Hub and BC Real-time Water Data.
Visit the Program’s webpage for more information including a brochure for volunteer well owners and recent reports.
