Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Water use planning records
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- textual record
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- Source of title proper: Title based on the contents of the series.
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1998-2005 (Creation)
Physical description area
Physical description
52 cm of textual records
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Name of creator
Biographical history
The Ministry of Environment is responsible for providing environmental education, promoting the sustainable use of British Columbia's environmental resources, monitoring air and water quality, reducing and removing wastes from the environment, and emphasizing compliance.
The ministry was established in 1975, under its first name, Dept. of Environment, by an Order in Council (OIC 3838/75). The original functions of the Dept. of Environment were transferred from the Dept. of Lands, Forests and Water Resources, whose functions had been split between the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Forests. Except for matters under the jurisdiction of the Dept. of Forests, the department was responsible for water rights, issues such as air pollution control, and the management and protection of water and land resources, including Crown lands. The department was divided into three branches: land and water management, environmental and engineering services, and environmental protection. Later in 1976, the Dept. of Environment was renamed the Ministry of the Environment (OIC: 3199/76).
In 1978, a major government reorganization transferred functions relating to lands and parks from the Ministry of the Environment to the newly established Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing. At the same time, the functions of marine resources, fish and wildlife were transferred from the disestablished Ministry of Recreation and Conservation. Environmental health engineering was transferred from the reorganized Ministry of Health and emergency programming from the reorganized Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Travel Industry. The reorganized Ministry of the Environment was divided into four branches: Land and Water Management, Environmental and Engineering Services, Environmental Protection, and Environment and Land Use Secretariat.
In 1979 the name was revised as the Ministry of Environment, removing “the” (OIC 3018/78, see also RSBC 1979, c. 271). In 1986, the parks function from the Ministry of Lands, Parks and Housing, was merged with the Ministry of Environment. As a result of this addition to its functions, the Ministry of Environment became known as the Ministry of Environment and Parks (OIC 1495/86).
In 1988, the parks function was removed and transferred to the newly established Ministry of Parks. As a result, the Ministry of Environment and Parks was renamed the Ministry of Environment, which existed from 1988/07/06 to 1991/11/04, when it was disestablished. Its functions were then merged with the functions of the Ministry of Lands and Parks to create a new ministry called the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, existing from 1991/11/05 to 2001/06/04.
In 2001 the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks was divided into the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (OIC 565/2001). Both of these ministries existed until 2005 when the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection was disestablished and the Ministry of Water Land and Air Protection was renamed the Ministry of the Environment (OIC 450/2005).
In 2017 the Ministry of Environment was renamed the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (OIC 213/2017).
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection was established in 2001 when the functions of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks were divided between the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection at this time (OIC 565/2001). The following functions were transferred from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks: Environmental Emergencies, Parks and Recreation, the Wildlife Branch, the Environmental Youth Team, the Environment Appeal Board and the Sustainable Environment Fund. The ministries other functions included the Green Economy Initiative; air, land and water pollution control; fish and wildlife habitat and species protection; regulation and development of recreational fish and wildlife management.
The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection was renamed the Ministry of Environment in 2005 (OIC 450/2005).
Name of creator
Biographical history
In 1991, the Ministry of Environment was disestablished. Its functions were then merged with the functions of the Ministry of Lands and Parks to create a new ministry called the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (OIC 1374/1991).
In 2001 the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks was renamed the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management when the following functions were transferred to the newly established Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection: Environmental Emergencies, Parks and Recreation, the Wildlife Branch, the Environmental Youth Team, the Environment Appeal Board and the Sustainable Environment Fund (OIC 565/2001).
Custodial history
Scope and content
The records in this series relate to Water Use Plans in British Columbia.
In 1998 the province formally initiated a Water Use Planning (WUP) program. WUP is a cooperative effort involving BC Hydro, the provincial government, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and First Nations and other key interested parties. Guidelines were published describing steps required to complete and implement a water use plan. At each facility these plans attempt to define suitable operating parameters which balance environmental, social and economic values. The WUPs are intended to accommodate other water use interests through incremental changes in how existing water control facilities store and release water. WUP are not intended to be comprehensive watershed management plans to deal with water management issues associated with other activities in the watershed such as forestry and mining.
Each hydro facility had their own Consultative Committee of stakeholders, representing a range of interests. These committees held meetings with the aim to establish operating objectives for water use and management for the various water systems. Committee reports express their interests, values, and recommendations and document the consultative process. It is a supporting document meant to help inform and prepare BC Hydro’s Water Use Plan. This series contains both committee reports and the final version of BC Hydro’s Water Use Plans that were submitted to the Comptroller of Water Rights for review under the Water Act.
The reports include a system description (basins, rivers, dams, reservoirs etc.), methodology, hydro operation studies and results.
The series also contain BC Hydro data and interim orders from the Comptroller of Water Rights. Interim orders appear to be proposed operational changes to achieve flows which will provide incremental improvements for fish while the water use plan process was underway and assessment was still being made to determine what the most suitable or preferred flows for fish should ultimately be.
Finally, a few documents in the series deal with redevelopment plans to support BC Hydro water license applications in light of recommendations established in the Water Use Plans.
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General note
Accession number(s): 95-91222