DATE ISSUED: July 24, 2023

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately

With drought conditions persisting across the province, the BC Energy Regulator (BCER) is expanding water use suspensions. Oil and gas operators must immediately suspend previously approved water diversions (those issued under Section 10 of the Water Sustainability Act) from the Coldwater River (Thompson River Basin), Pack River and Parsnip River (Peace River Watershed), and Salmon River (Fraser River Watershed). Below is the current list of water sources under water use suspensions (water sources added as per the present Directive are marked with asterisks):

Fraser River Watershed:

• Salmon River*
• North Thompson River Basin:
  • Nehalliston Creek
  • Eakin Creek
  • Lemieux Creek
  • Montigny Creek
  • Thuya Creek
  • Noble Lake
  • Jamieson Creek
• Thompson River Basin:
  • Coldwater River*

Peace River Watershed:

• Beatton River (Doig River, Osborn River, Blueberry River)
• Kiskatinaw River
• Pine River (Sukunka River, Murray River)
• Pack River*
• Parsnip River*

Liard River Watershed:

• Fontas River
• Sikanni Chief River
• Prophet River
• Kiwigana River

Diversion and use of water stored in dugouts or dams is not suspended. Basins across B.C. are being monitored and further suspensions of water diversions are possible if conditions continue.

Given local variability, it is possible some streams in the areas under suspension will have recovered sufficiently to allow some water withdrawal. The BCER will review new applications for diversion, or requests to use existing approvals, on a site-specific basis.

Permit holders can discuss the suspension with the BCER and submit a request for continued water use under an existing Section 10 approval, by providing location-specific data and subject matter expert opinion relevant to local streamflow conditions.

Operators are requested to do the following to support their application or request to use an existing Section 10 approval:

1. Limit the application to water volumes and points of diversion that are realistic to the specific operational needs for the upcoming months.
2. For new applications for diversion for water from rivers and streams, or to request use of existing approvals, provide a good discharge measurement at the point(s) of diversion, to provide information on current flow conditions in relation to the volume of water requested. The discharge measurement will be collected to an acceptable hydrometric standard by a qualified individual.
3. For new applications for diversion from lakes, or reactivation of existing approvals, provide information on lake bathymetry:
   1. Surface area (hectares).
   2. Depth (metres). If lake depth information is not already available from provincial databases or previous surveys, obtain depth measurements at points along two transects representing the long and short lake axes, to determine maximum lake depth.
   3. Volume.

More information:

• B.C. Government Drought Information page and Drought Information portal
• Check out our new data narrative for information on water use by industry.

If you have any questions regarding this Directive, please contact:

Ryan Rolick, M.Sc., P.Geo.
Hydrologist
BC Energy Regulator
Ryan.Rolick@bc-er.ca
250-794-5213

Laurie Welch, Ph.D., P.Geo.
Executive Director, Responsible Stewardship
BC Energy Regulator
Laurie.Welch@bc-er.ca
250-980-6066