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This series consists of Determinations and Orders for the cancellation of water records by the Board of Investigation under the Water Act, 1914, nos. 2501-5000 (vol. 1) and nos. 7504-8103 (vol. 2). Information on the orders include water district, date of order, date of original grant, name of grantee, and Board file number reference.

This series includes records of the Water Rights Board.

This series consists of certificates of approval for the commencement of construction of water works, necessary to direct, convey, store, and use water, 1917-1938, pursuant to the Water Act, 1914. The records are arranged numerically with alphabetical index. Includes terms of construction, name of holders, file reference and licence disposition.

This series contains records pertaining to the Southern Okanagan Irrigation Project at Oliver, B.C. Types of records include a bound report which includes contract specifications, a project summary, tenders, memoranda of agreement, cost data, minutes of meeting of the West Kootenay Power a-ad Light Co., rate schedules, correspondence, energy consumption tables, plans and photographs. The original report was prepared in 1923 with various records added periodically until 1940.

Series consists of correspondence, memoranda, and notes relating to irrigation, the hydrometric programme (1944) and hot springs and mineral wells. Includes list of water records within various Okanagan irrigation districts.

This series contains records relating to water works and water power projects. The records consist of International Joint Committee hearings, proceedings before the Comptroller of Water Rights, hearings on the Buttle Lake project before a special committee of the B.C. Legislative Assembly, applications, submissions and briefs, engineering data, technical reports, and specifications. Includes materials pertaining to the Kootenay River reclamation projects of the West Kootenay Power and Light Company, 1929-1950; the Columbia River reclamation project at Golden and Windermere, 1913-1915; the Powell River Company's project at Lois River, 1930; the B.C. Electric Railway Company development at Jordan River, 1929; the Burrard Power Company projects at Stave River and Alouette Lake, 1924; the B.C. Power Commission development of Buttle Lake on Vancouver Island, 1951-1953; and miscellaneous other projects.

This series contains a nominal index of incoming letters relating to water rights management. Use in conjunction with GR-1088, GR-1440, GR-1441, GR-1443.

This series contains files mainly pertaining to water licenses and fishways. Files are numbered from 38W through to 45251W. The front of each file folder is filmed giving the file number ["W" indicates a water rights file], the geographical district, the name of the applicant, name of the stream, file numbers of related files, licence number, date of the application and names indexed [GR-3082]. The files contain various forms related to applying for a water licence, correspondence, maps, notices, proof of completion, cancellation, etc.

This series contains working papers, drafts and photographs, 1951-1954, used in the preparation of the illustrated "Water Powers, British Columbia, Canada", 1954 edition which was published by the Department of Lands and Forests, Water Rights Branch, Victoria.

This series contains copies of Hydro-electric progress reports in Canada, issued by Canada, Dept. of Northern Affairs and National Resources, Water Resources Division and its predecessor agencies. This mimeographed progress report highlights projects under development in British Columbia and the other provinces.

This series contains petitions from land owners in Lillooet regarding the Lillooet Hospital Improvement District for incorporation under the Water Act [R.S.B.C., 1948, c.361, s.50], for the purpose of planning, constructing and operating a hospital. For additional correspondence, see files 0221083 and 0208807.

Series contains the minutes of a public hearing on the application of the Northwest Power Industries, Ltd. for a water licence to authorize the diversion, use and storage of water from Atlin Lake and tributaries, held in Atlin, B.C., on August 16, 1955.

Contains permits and authorizations to make surveys necessary for the planning and construction of water works pursuant to the Water Act, 1909 and the Water Act, 1914. Arranged numerically. Includes permit number, name of applicant, description of proposed works, fees, and file references. vol. 1, no. 1-250, 1912-1913; vol. 2, no. 251-500, 1913-1914; vol. 3, no. 501-1000, 1914-1930; vol. 4, no. 1001-1075, 1930-1955.

Series consists of a card file system created by the Water Rights Branch ca. 1928-1959. The card files index photographs taken or collected by the branch during this period, which relate to activity regarding water issues in British Columbia. The series consists of two alphabetical sorts of card files; the first is arranged alphabetically by area. Information on each card lists the photographs indexed under that area, with the photo file number, title or description of the photograph and sometimes the date. Occasionally a negative or glass plate negative number is listed as well. The second sort is arranged alphabetically by subject. The information on each card lists the photographs indexed under that subject, with the photo file number, title or description of the photograph and sometimes the date. There are occasional references to negative or folio numbers. There is also a subset of numbers, L01 to L16, filed after the subject snow surveys which include 23 black and white photographs interfiled with the index cards. The photographic records indexed by this card file system consist of both prints and negatives.

This series contains records of the district engineer, Kelowna District, relating to irrigation and reclamation. Records include:
(1) Index of Water Resources Records obtained at regular and miscellaneous gauging stations in British Columbia, 2 volumes, to September 1956, prepared by the Dominion Water and Power Bureau (1936-1959) and Canada Water Resources Branch, 1956.
(2) Data on irrigation districts, Kelowna District Office, 22 April 1958.
(3) Proceedings of the Reclamation Committee, B.C. Dept. of Agriculture, Brief Nos. 1-38 (1953-1960).
(4) Irrigation Districts and Inventories, 2 vols., synopsis on data on irrigation districts, 1938-1950.
(5) Report on appraisal of property and investigation of operations of Okanagan Centre Irrigation and Power Company Ltd., by the B.C. Public Utilities Commission, 22 June 1944.

This series contains records of the Board of Investigation relating to water rights. Includes files no. 101-426 (Cariboo Gold Mining Co.) and 241-11-17 (Lightning Creek Gold, Gravels and Drainage Company Limited).

This series consists of an index of water resources recordings from the Water Rights Branch, 1911-1962. Contains graphic representation of water discharge by drainage basin.

Series consists of photographs taken or acquired by the Water Rights Branch ca. 1945-1962. The photographs in this series are of Moose River which flows SE into the head of the Fraser River just above Moose Lake, in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia. The photographs show the upper falls, the banks below the forks, the middle Resplendent flats and damsite.

The series consists primarily of small, hard-cover notebooks used for recording data in the field during hydrographic survey projects. It also consists of envelopes containing various textual and cartographic records. The purpose of the records was to document information recorded by Water Management Branch field surveyors when they completed hydrographic surveys. Information was used as reference material in preparation of topographical maps. Also recorded was information relating to projects completed by the Water Branch (such as irrigation projects). Also recorded was information of the time regarding claims and claimants to water rights. The records may have a high degree of long-range research value.

Many of the field books contain data for so many different geographic locations, it was impossible to list or reflect each location in the file titles.

Relevant information is to be found in many Dept. of Lands, Water Rights Branch annual reports, where the background and execution of the hydrographic surveys around the province are discussed. See for example the Sessional Papers of British Columbia, Session 1913, pgs. D 107 to D 222.

The series consists of water grant registers and water licence registers. The records were created between 1897 and 1966 to record applications to use water. All records relate to the West Kootenay water region.

The series contains two subseries. The first subseries consists of water registers that were created between 1897 and 1908 following the passage of the 1897 Water Clauses Consolidation Act (SBC 1897, c. 45). This act assigned responsibility to gold commissioners to record water applications and licences and also outlined the process by which gold commissioners were to maintain a “book of record of water rights.”

This subseries contains four “record of water grants” volumes from 1897 to 1908 that were created by the gold commissioners from Nelson, Rossland and Kaslo. The commissioners used these books to create a certified copy of the licence for the applicant as well as to create an official government copy. There is also an 1897-1908 register that indexes the first two registers. Many of the register entries have written notations that list the date that a licence was cancelled.

The second subseries consists of water licence application registers created by the Nelson office of the Water Rights Branch. The 1909 Water Act (SBC 1909, c. 48) transferred the responsibility for the management of water licences to regional water commissioners. The post 1908 registers were created by the Nelson Water Commissioner and provide a list of approved water licences. The records are arranged chronologically and each application was assigned a sequential number.

This series consists of records of the Water Rights Branch. Records include government publications, reports, memoranda, correspondence, statutes, regulations, indexes and maps pertaining to water rights, irrigation projects, water reserves, and water power developments, 1901-1967. Includes unpublished reports on the history of irrigation, water power resources policy, public utility regulation, and the Water Rights Branch, the Water Board, and the BC Conservation Fund.

Box 1-2 contains general files.

Box 3 contains the Provincial Water Power Index, ca. 1925-1933. Files are arranged alphabetically by Water District, with Water Rights Branch index numbers, Commission of Conservation index numbers, and Dominion Lands Branch index numbers. Also includes Water District maps showing locations of power site developments, water reserves, applications, and horsepower outputs.

Box 4 contains the Water Reserves Notices Index, 1901-1963. Files are arranged alphabetically by Water District, redone and rechecked February 13, 1963.

Box 5 contains Acts and regulations.

This series consists of records of the Public Utilities Commission, 1972. Records include proceedings at hearings pursuant to the Public Utilities Act in the matter of the application of British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, Centennial Natural Gas Pipeline, Georgia Gulf Transmission, Malaspina Gas Pipeline, for the construction and operation of a pipeline or system to serve Powell River and Vancouver Island with natural gas.

The series consists of copies of utilities files created after the implementation of the Public Utilities Act (S.B.C. 1938, c. 47). The files date from 1938-1989 and document the regulation of water utilities throughout the province. The records from 1938 to 1973 were created by the Public Utilities Commission. In 1973, the responsibility for water utilities was transferred to the Office of the Comptroller of Water Rights in accordance with the Water Utility Act (S.B.C. 1973, c. 91).

The records are arranged alphabetically in two groups that coincide with whether the water utility was private or public. Most files also have an assigned numeric number. Between 1938 and 1973 the file number consists of “U-“ followed by a sequential number that coincides with order that the utility was regulated. All files were renumbered in 1974 with a new number that begins with “0321” followed by a three digit number.

The files contain copies of orders-in- council and orders of the Comptroller of Water Rights establishing, amending the original application, or deregistering water utilities. There are also annual reports, financial statements, water utility reports and names of water utility directors.

This series consists of correspondence pertaining to the regulation of water utilities in the Province. The files date from 1929-1990. The records from 1938 to 1973 were created by the Public Utilities Commission under authority of the Public Utilities Act (S.B.C. 1938, c. 47). In 1973, the responsibility for water utilities was transferred to the Office of the Comptroller of Water Rights following the passage of the Water Utility Act (S.B.C. 1973, c. 91).

The records in this series were originally arranged by a number assigned to each utility file. Between 1938 and 1973 the file number consisted of “U-“ followed by a sequential number that coincided with the order that the utility was regulated. The ministry established a new numbering system in 1974 that begins with “0321” followed by a three digit number. This numbering system was applied to most of the files although many of the documents in the files still have the original file number written on the documents.

The files consist primarily of correspondence, memos, and handwritten notes. There are also copies of numerous forms including certificates of public convenience and necessity, water tariff rates, and applications for water licences. Files also contain copies of documents from corporate registry files, including lists of directors and Company Act annual reports, and Land Titles documents including deeds and plans.

This series contains correspondence files relating to water rights and water resources administration.

Registers of water record and water licence grants and applications; index of water reserves, 1908-1929; list of localities operating hydro-electric plants, 1918; alphabetical index of creek surveys, 1910-1911, measuring stream flows.

This series contains 28 volumes of proceedings at public hearings under the Water Act Into an application by British Columbia Hydro (BC Hydro) for a water licence to divert, use and store water out of the Columbia River at a point about 3 miles upstream from Revelstoke, B.C., near the lower end of the Little Dalles Canyon.

This series of large scale maps was created by the Water Rights Branch pursuant to successive versions of the Water Act and the Water Act Amendment Act. The primary function of the sheets was to document the location of water rights licences. They therefore serve as a geographic index for the licencing function and also provide useful links to other maps and plans produced or used by the Branch.

The sheets in this series replaced those in the first series of Water Rights Maps, 1911-1924 (CM/B1575) and were themselves replaced at the Water Management Branch by a third series of larger-scale mylar maps. Accordingly, the sheets are often annotated with a "D" for "deletion," while the newer maps are sometimes referred to as the "conversions." Additional second series sheets remain at the Water Management Branch.

The maps depict the basic planimetry (creeks, rivers and lakes) within the boundaries of the various water districts and precincts, and record the location and numbers of conditional and final licences, as well as the numbers of both correspondence files pertaining to licences and of approvals of works. Other types of boundaries are also sometimes depicted such as those of local waterworks or improvement districts. Some of the sheets also contain tables which specify creek names, intake codes, and various file, map, or licence numbers identifying the location and nature of water diversions. Finally, the individual sheets frequently provide the numbers of registered plans, large-scale reference maps, and water rights maps or plans containing related information.

The series consists of maps created by the Water Rights Branch between 1927 and 1978. The records provided the Water Rights Branch with a medium-to-large scale overview of its administrative areas, displaying both water rights information and detailed land status information produced by other natural resource agencies in government.

The series contains standard reference base maps (maps produced by the Department of Lands and successors in order to document the current status of Crown Lands title) upon which has been added a broad array of specific water rights administrative information. The base and added map information includes administrative boundaries: most notably, those of water districts and precincts, but also those of waterworks, recreation, and improvement districts, and of ecological, water, and other reserves. Depicted as well are flood areas (often with flooding contours), river improvement areas, and various forest, mine works, and other areas. In addition to the base cadastral information (such as surveyed lot boundaries and numbers) the maps also display conditional and final water licence numbers, correspondence file numbers, approval numbers, and numbers identifying gazette notices and orders-in-council.

This series contains records from the Water Rights Branch. Types of records include correspondence, memoranda, reports, articles, speeches, miscellaneous papers and notes, legal opinions, memoranda of agreement, regulations, etc. relating to water rights, the evolution of water resource administration, and the history of the Water Rights Branch. Includes drafts and notes for a history of the branch prepared in 1979; various reports re irrigation; Indian Reserve water rights, the Railway Belt, and hydro-electric power. Printed material transferred to the Library Division.