Reservoir Storage Investigation (Nicola and...
Resource description:
The Nicola Water Use Management Plan (WUMP) identified several overarching issues in the watershed including insufficient flow in drought years for both fish and agriculture and tension between recreational use and water storage. Since publication of the WUMP in 2010 the situation has worsened due to population growth, forest disturbance, and geomorphic changes related to the 2021 atmospheric river-induced flooding. Fish protection orders were issued in 2009 and 2015 in recognition of the potential for irreversible harm to fish. Although an FPPO has not been issued in the study area since 2015, summer flows on both the Nicola and Coldwater River have decreased below the Fisheries Resource Maintenance Flows defined by Kosakoski and Hamilton (1982) in every year from 2016-2024, and below the CEFT in some years. The objective of this work was to identify locations with sufficient water storage capacity and inflow to support the development of water storage reservoirs. The following subsections summarize the results of the study, outline key assumptions and limitations, and provide guidance for future work.
Additional Info
| Data last updated | August 6, 2025 |
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| Metadata last updated | August 6, 2025 |
| Created | August 6, 2025 |
| Format | |
| License | License not specified |
| Data collection info | The project team used the best available data to inform the study. Table 4-1 identifies the data layers and sources used to identify and assess water storage reservoirs. |
| Resource citation | Nicola Watershed Governance Partnership (2025). Reservoir Storage Investigation. NWGP Open Portal |
| Resource data disclaimer | No warranty or guarantee exists that the information is accurate, complete, current, or suitable for any purpose. Instrument accuracy may be limited. The individual user must confirm the accuracy of the data and whether it will be appropriate for their purpose. |
| Resource location | Nicola Watershed |