I spent the third week of September peering into people’s wells in Fanny Bay. This was part of our most recent collaboration with researchers from the University of Victoria’s School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. In the past, we helped them look at rock layers beneath the surface. This time we were helping them look at the water that permeates those rocks.
They arrived on a Thursday afternoon and left on a Monday afternoon. We measured the water level in 42 different wells in that period and also took specific conductivity measurements (to look for signs of saltwater intrusion). We measured water levels in private wells from Macartney Drive to White Duck Road, Jacob Road to Bates Drive.
What did we learn? The stated goals of the study were to develop a model of Aquifer #419, estimate extraction limits, and evaluate risks due to proximity to the ocean and the impacts of pumping in a changing climate. The researchers cautioned us that we may not get definitive answers to the question of how much water is available. That’s okay. More knowledge is good even if we’re left with questions. The finished paper is not due until April so we won’t know what we learned for a while. But personally, here’s what I learned:
I learned that Fanny Bay is a really friendly place. All the well owners we met were welcoming, enthusiastic, and eager to help. On the last day, we visited the final well on our list and began knocking on doors in areas we wanted to study further. Folks were receptive to us, random strangers wearing yellow vests and brandishing brochures. We were never turned away.
I learned that everyone has concerns about water. Last winter was dry and the snowpack was low. Everyone knew of someone in the community whose well had gone dry or was unusually low.
I also learned that many people are distrustful of the government. We had to assure many well owners that the data we were collecting would not go into a provincial database. Indeed, at least two thirds of all the wells we looked at were unregistered, mostly because there are so many old wells that predate the registration process. And there is confusion between registration and licensing. The province’s lackluster attempts to license non-domestic groundwater use has left people confused and worried about having to pay for their household water.
One of the visitors from UVic was Mike Wei who was instrumental in writing the Water Sustainability Act which is what requires the province to license commercial wells. He explained the differences between licensing and registration. The reality is that domestic wells are not subject to licensing requirements. There is no legal mechanism to charge for, or regulate, domestic water use. In fact, in times of drought, the province has the power to regulate water use by LICENSED users to protect the supply of domestic water, as well as environmental flows. So, it’s in the interest of small communities to register their domestic wells. If the provincial decision makers, in times of drought, see a small number of domestic users in an area, they might decide to allow large commercial users to continue to draw their allowed amounts. On the other hand, if they see a larger number of registered wells this may help them decide to put restrictions on the large commercial users.
These are all the things I learned in the four days of peering into people’s wells. One other thing I learned, is that well research is a really good way to meet your neighbours!