Editor:
A recent Editorial (“Old Chapman Lake debate resurfaces”, Oct. 22) quotes Brian Carson’s opinion that: “All available unbiased information points to making better use of Chapman Lake to meet our present water needs.”
Unfortunately, the significant ecological impacts caused by raising the dam or increasing drawdown would not equate with making “better use” of Chapman Lake.
Dayton/Knight Technical Memorandum 3 (2007) advised the SCRD against increasing the height of the dam on Chapman Lake due to “very high” ecological impacts. Memorandum 4, Long Term Source Development Options, concluded that the Chapman Creek source would remain a primary water source “at its present capacity” and also advised that groundwater wells are “a preferred source” for potable water.
The subsequent 2013 Comprehensive Regional Water Plan scheduled aquifer assessments, but in 2015 the SCRD shelved the plan and proposed increasing “emergency” drawdown from Chapman Lake. Planned water supply upgrades were postponed in favour of “expanding” water supply from Chapman Lake via a permanent 8-meter-deep drawdown channel. The potential impacts were dismissed at that time because Stage 4 conditions would be infrequent, allowing the watershed to recover. We now know that was wishful thinking.
Protecting drinking water quality, quantity and timing of flows requires a multiple barrier system. The first and most important barrier is “protection of the source area” producing the water. That’s what we have in Tetrahedron Park.The Minister of Environment wouldn’t permit further ecological damage in the protected area and appropriately advised the SCRD “to diversify its water sources as planned, in order to significantly reduce or eliminate dependence on Chapman Lake as a source for additional water supply”.
The Church Road well field alone will supply 45% of the expected 2025 water deficit. We wouldn’t be revisiting the Tetrahedron Park decision 26 years later, or having this discussion, if the SCRD had not postponed aquifer development.
Linda Williams, Sechelt
