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The series consists of maps prepared pursuant to the Water Act Amendment Act, 1913. They shows location of water rights and licenses and include tabulation sheets relating to decisions of the Board of Investigation. The maps also show property boundaries.

The maps are arranged by Water district volume and sheet number.

Series consists of a newspaper clipping book compiled by Water Rights Branch. The book provides information about water issues throughout British Columbia including irrigation and water power.

The series consists of improvement district letters patent and bylaw register files, 1922-2011. These records document the creation and dissolution of improvement districts, the approval and registration of their bylaws, and provincial government advice and support. Letters patent are the legal instruments for incorporating improvement districts in BC. They establish the name, boundary, services, voting procedures, and other fundamental aspects of each improvement district. Supplementary letters patent cover changes to improvement district boundaries, services, or the number of trustees. Improvement districts were initially created under the Water Act (SBC 1914, c. 81) to provide water and irrigation services to their residents. From 1914 to 1979, administrative responsibility for most improvement districts resided with the Office of the Comptroller of Water Rights (Water Rights Branch). In 1956, responsibility for improvement districts that provided fire protection came under the Dept. of Municipal Affairs, 1934-1976. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1978-1986) assumed administrative responsibility for all improvement districts in 1979 with the enactment of the Municipal Act (RSBC 1979, c. 290). This administrative responsibility continues under the Local Government Act (RSBC 2015, c. 1) with the following ministries: Municipal Affairs and Transit, 1986; Municipal Affairs, 1986-1988; Municipal Affairs, Recreation, and Culture, 1988-1991; Municipal Affairs, Recreation, and Housing, 1991-1993; Municipal Affairs, 1993-1996; Municipal Affairs and Housing,1996-1998; Municipal Affairs, 1998-2001; Community, Aboriginal, and Women’s Services, 2001-2005; Community Services, 2005-2008; and Community Development, 2008-2009. Regional districts, introduced in 1965, provide many of the services once provided by improvement districts so new improvement districts will not likely be created. All improvement district bylaws are filed with the ministry and some require registration with the Inspector of Municipalities before taking effect. Others do not require registration, taking effect upon adoption by the trustees of the improvement district.

The records include correspondence, indexes, letters patent and supplementary letters patent, orders in council, approval certificates, and maps. They are arranged alphabetically by improvement district name; some of the records also contain an improvement district number and code. The records were classified under 52000-40 (improvement district letters patent files) of the Local Government Services ORCS, 2006 (schedule 126379).

This series consists of water volume runoff forecasting files created by the Water Rights Branch and its successor, the Water Management Branch. Data in the files on water flow and water volume was collected from 1919-1983, but the majority of the records were created from around 1936-1977. Records relate to forecasting river flows and water levels during floods or times of drought. They cover major rivers, reservoirs and lakes from around the province. Records include reports, studies, data, charts, histograms, working notes, and information on the equations and procedures used to create forecasts.

The records are primarily arranged by file code, which correspondence to a particular geographical location and/or study. Records without file codes are arranged alphabetically by the name of the body of water.

These records can be scheduled under Environment ORCS 35250-70.

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 consists of letters inward to the Chief Commissioner of Lands, the Deputy Commissioner of Lands and the Minister of Lands regarding water rights generally, 1902-1912. These letters were transferred to Water Rights Branch files from Lands files and do not appear on the microfilm of Lands letters inward. Letters are arranged chronologically.

The series also includes a page regarding the disposition of Indian water rights by Board of Investigation from 1921-1925.

Report to the Honourable T.D. Pattullo, Minister of Lands, on the question of joint control of water supply to the cities and municipalities on Burrard Inlet, B.A. Cleveland, Comptroller of Water Rights, October 1922.

This series consists of diverse material concerning irrigated and irrigable lands in British Columbia from the Water Rights Branch. Volume 1 contains plot plans, engineers reports, orders, and statistical information,. Volume 2 contains only statistical information.

Water licence register, ca. 1909-1955, arranged by final licence number, 1-15922. The register shows status, conditional licence number, final licence number, priority, file number, name, stream, WR map number, purpose, quantity, dominant land, district.

Conditional licence process registers tracking W.R.B. activities in carrying the C.L. applications to completion. The registers show file number, applicant, district, C.L. number or other decision, and other information.

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.

Series contains lists relating to water projects. List of Certificates of Approval for water works, diversions, dams, spillways, etc. issued between 1898 and 1911; includes grantee, date of approval, purpose and nature of grant. List of power, light and water companies, registered or licenced in the province of British Columbia, including those under statute, those with grants of water rights, and those with Certificates of Approval pursuant to the Water Clauses Consolidation Act (1897) and the Water Act (1909).

The series is a register created by the Water Rights Branch from 1927 to 1928. It documents reverted lands in various irrigation districts and drainage areas in the Okanagan valley, including the Vernon, Kelowna, Westbank, Peachland and Grand Forks areas. Lists lands reverted to the Crown for non-payment of taxes and includes legal descriptions, name of last owner, acreage, amount irrigable, assessed values, etc.

This series contains registers of the Board of Investigation, pursuant to the Water Act (3 vols.) Volume 1 is a register of land, water, mining, power and light, and lumber companies incorporated from 1896-1914. The registers are arranged alphabetically by company name and shows date of incorporation, capital, registered address, and file references. They include miscellaneous file references dated 1918. Volume 2 is a register of water claims in the Alberni district from 1905 to 1908, with Board of Investigation file references. Volume 3 is an alphabetical list of companies with water rights claims that are undated.

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 records of the Water Recorders and Government Agents of Barkerville and Fort George relating to water licences. Includes correspondence, licence certificates and plans of licences issued to the Canadian Northern Pacific Railway, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and the Fort George Citizens Water Company.

This series consists of 16 volumes of reports on irrigation districts in the Okanagan valley from1926 and 1927. Volumes include one summary report for the Okanagan and two copies each of detailed reports on the following irrigation districts: Black Mountain, Glenmore, Naramata, Peachland, South East Kelowna, Vernon, and Westbank. The reports include a history of the project, and statistical information. There is also an appendix to the Scotty Creek irrigation district report included in the series.

Volumes 2-8 are signed by Major J.C. Macdonald, Comptroller of Water Rights and are illustrated with b&w photographs and have maps. The duplicate volumes 9-15 contain holographic alterations and are initialed by J.W. Clark, Inspector, Water Rights Branch.

This series consists of records related to the construction of a new dam at Coquitlam Lake Dam by Vancouver Power Co. Ltd., 1909-1916. Records cover the study and survey of Coquitlam Lake, and attaining approvals for plans, construction, and water use for producing electricity and as a municipal water supply. Records include correspondence, engineering reports and environmental reports.

At the time of construction, Coquitlam Lake was part of the Railway Belt and under the jurisdiction of the dominion government. All records are copies from Canadian Department of the Interior file 656216 nos. 3, 4, 5. The metal pin holding the file together was removed for conservation purposes and the records placed in archival folders. The copied file was likely provided to the Provincial Water Rights Branch for reference around the end of the file in 1913. There are also several loose pages of original records from the BC Comptroller of Water Rights, labelled with file number 8987 dating from 1913 to 1916.

Series consists of a registers of water licence applications. The Water Rights Branch created two type of registers: the first is a numerical list of applications (1959-1982) and the second is a list of applications arranged by the water district (1962-1988). These registers allowed the staff to track water applications both chronologically and by region.

The numeric register is arranged by the approval number. The register includes the following data fields:

File number
Applicant
District
Noted
D.E.R.
Sent
Due
Received
Disposition

The geographic registers have sections for each water district. The information is arranged in these sections and then by the file number. The data in the registers is roughly the same for all years with the exception of some fields that have changed. These fields include:

File number
Applicant
Source
Place of user
Purpose
Diversion
Priority
Licence number
Remarks./Disposition
Engineer’s report
Category
Date

Series consists of water records created by water recorders at the Alberni Water District and Golden Water District. The water recorders were usually a Government Agent so some of the records have been stamped by the Government Agent stamp.

Records include copies of cancelled final and conditional licences from the Alberni District and water notices that provide information about water applications.

The records consist of the 33 water rights maps. The maps have been stamped by the Water Rights Branch on December 28, 1916.

The maps are in a large volume that was originally held by the Dominion Lands Office (Golden Sub Agency) of the Canadian Government’s Dept. of the Interior. These maps were likely used by this office as part of the Dept. of Interior’s management of the Railway Belt. This volume was subsequently returned to the Water Rights Branch since they are similar to other water rights maps held by the branch.

The maps are arranged in blocks of numbers that relate to the water district and the water precinct. These numbers, and the water districts are as follows:

2700 to 2823 Golden Water District
7505 to 7655 Revelstoke Water District.

The Golden Water District records include maps from the Spillimacheen Precinct, Golden Precinct, Donald Precinct, and The Revelstoke Water District records include maps from the Arrowhead Precinct, Camborne Precinct, Revelstoke Precinct and Illecillewaet Precinct.

Series includes the following map numbers:

2700
2701
2702
2703
2730
2731
2732
2733
2760
2761
2762
2763
2764
2765
2766
2767
2823
7505
7506
7530
7532
7533
7620
7621
7622
7623
7624
7650
7651
7652
7653
7654
7655

The cover of the volume states that this is a record of the Golden Sub Agency of the Dominion Lands Office of the Canadian Government Dept. of the Interior. It is not clear how this volume may have been used by the Dept. of Interior since each map is stamped by the Water Rights Branch. The Dept. of the Interior was responsible for managing the Railway Belt.

This series consists of a minute book of the Board of Investigation pursuant to the Water Act, 1914-1926.

This series consists of two notebooks containing information collected during artesian well investigation, Fraser River Flats. See the Water Rights Branch, interim report for 1914 (BC Sessional Papers 1915, v.1, p. H-18) for report.

This series contains records from the Water Rights Branch and includes correspondence, memos, and miscellaneous notes and papers regarding irrigation pumps.

Series consists of a report to the Minister of Finance of the Province of British Columbia on the Physical and Financial conditions of irrigation projects in the Vernon and Kelowna Districts, created by A.R. Mackenzie, Civil and Hydraulic Engineer. 2 parts.

The series consists of notebooks (2 vols.) of file references. Subject: indexes to "O" series (or O files) and Board of Investigation files relating to water rights and water resources administration. No date on either volume, but indexes refer to files covering dates, 1914-1981.

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.

Application registers, vol. 3, 1947-1954, and vol. 4, 1955-1961. The names of the applicants for water rights are arranged by water district, and then chronologically within each district. The registers show file number, name of applicant, source of supply, place of user, purpose, quantity, priority date, conditional licence number, and final licence number. GR-1017 includes earlier volumes in this series.

This series includes records of the Water Rights Board.

The series consists of records created by the Water Rights Branch, its predecessor, the Dept. of Lands and Works and its successor, the Water Management Branch. Throughout its existence, the Water Rights Branch (WRB) acquired and created a large central set of plans, maps, and engineering drawings which was assigned a single set of sequential water rights plan numbers. Over time, the original plan series was divided into separate sub-series for the use of particular operational units.

The water rights plans series documents a broad range of WRB activities. It includes: plans and engineering drawings submitted to the WRB by individuals, corporations, and municipalities as part of their applications for water licences or for approval of works; survey plans and maps prepared by WRB field engineers and regional engineers in support of licensing activities, irrigation studies, water power investigations and dam inspections; general reference maps used by WRB staff; and a variety of charts, graphs, and other items used for WRB functions such as stream measurement and precipitation monitoring. Taken as a whole, this series constitutes a wealth of often highly detailed cartographic information on regions and communities throughout British Columbia, information which in many cases is not available elsewhere.

Of particular interest are early large-scale maps and plans which provide extensive topographic information and vegetation notes for many areas of B.C. well before those areas were covered by standard topographic maps, including areas which were later flooded due to dam construction. As well, some of the early plans of towns and of agricultural, commercial, and industrial sites include such detailed cultural and cadastral information as the location and identity of buildings and the names of property owners affected by proposed water projects. The series also contains invaluable documentation of specific major hydro-electric, irrigation, and waterworks projects in the form of site plans and engineering (structural) drawings. The series' value is enhanced by the fact that many of the items contain numbers which can be used to link the items with related records such as water records, conditional and final licences; correspondence files, water rights and reference maps, field notes, and a variety of reports.