Coldstream Creek Land Use and Water Quality Assessment 

2015

$106,825

$20,000

The purpose of the study was to understand how land use along the creek in the valley bottom is impacting the creek’s water quality and ultimately the quality of the community’s drinking water. The objectives of the project were to provide regulators with a land use decision making tool, educate the public on land use impacts, collaborate with other regulatory bodies, share data and provide work experience for volunteers.

The project involved measuring the quality of near-surface groundwater entering the creek from surrounding land areas, as well as the creek’s surface water and comparing results to nutrient inputs from surrounding land uses. Two SPrKL volunteers assisted WWAL scientists in sample collection. Project deliverables consisted of a report that includes a series of maps. These maps present results as easily interpreted shaded areas along the creek indicating where land use impacts are rated as low, medium and high. Deliverables have been shared with the District of Coldstream (DoC), Ministry of Environment (MoE) and the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) and available to the general public via the SPrKL website (www.spkl.ca). Water quality data has also been shared with RDNO and uploaded to Water Trax. Shape files from the mapping deliverables have been shared with RDNO and DoC. Final mapping was presented at a public Open House where WWAL scientists were on hand to answer questions. RDNO presented results from other projects at the same Open House as well as an RDNO summer student who provided door to door information to Coldstream Creek residents.