With salmon already returning to spawn, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) “does not intend to” reduce the amount of water it releases to meet Chapman Creek Environmental Flow Needs (EFN) for the remainder of this year.
In a Sept. 12 email, to Coast Reporter, SCRD communications officer Cecelia Garcia confirmed that regional district staff monitor for fish presence from the creek’s lower reaches to the bridge near the airport and are reporting a “high number of pink salmon currently in Chapman Creek."
“This data is shared with shíshálh nation and the Province. While the province has not asked for an increase to the EFN, SCRD staff monitoring fish migrations will take note of any signs of stress and low water quality in pools with high amounts of fish. Presently, pink salmon have been observed to be migrating upstream into the upper Chapman Creek reaches at current flow levels” she wrote.
EFN reduction ask now aims at 2024
In an effort to supplement community water supply and avoid higher levels of water use restrictions, the SCRD has been awaiting provincial approval of modifications to its Chapman water licence since 2022. The change being sought is to reduce the EFN from 200 litres a second to 160 litres for the months of June and July and 180 litres in August and September, or until the date of the salmon return.
“Staff will continue to work with the Province to seek approval for earlier creek flow reductions in 2024 and collect data to help support this request,” Garcia wrote.
Stage 4 water use levels "similar" to past
The Chapman system was placed on Stage 4, the highest level of regional district water system use restrictions which include a ban on outdoor water uses, as of Sept. 8. This marks the third year in row that stage has been reached. That system has been at Stage 4 in six of the past nine years.
Garcia reported that Chapman Water System demand level is hovering around 11 to 12 million litres per day in Stage 4, which she said is “similar to previous years." She also indicated that the SCRD will request water from Gibsons if additional supply is needed and it thanks the Town for working cooperatively to ensure all residents have reliable drinking water.
