BC Timber Sales (BCTS) will be doing some data collection in Quartz Creek, the water source for Ymir.
It was encouraging news for the Ymir Community Watershed Society who have been raising concerns about future plans to log in the watershed – the only source of potable water for the community.
The announcement means creek flows will be monitored, according to society president Jason Leus.
“These are measurements that define how high high flows get in the spring time and how low low flows get, for us, at the end of summer and the beginning of fall,” he explained.
It’s something that the society has been pushing for in their meetings with BCTS.
“It’s that concern, which is one of our main concerns for the Ymir Community Watershed Society, is the fact that out water supply already gets seasonally very low. So low that it’s barely able to supply the town with enough water,” Leus said.
The project also involves the Regional District of Central Kootenay, Selkirk College and local hydrologist Kim Green. Other timber licensees such as Kalesnikoff Lumber, Atco, and Siffco are also said to be involved.
Leus doesn’t know how happy to be at this point as details on the full scope of the project weren’t known at the time of the meeting with BC Timber Sales. For example, what other watersheds might be included.
BC Timber Sales has issued a statement saying they’ve listened to qualified professionals and the Ymir Community Watershed Society and will gather flow data prior to proceeding with road construction and harvesting in the area.
It’s estimated that flow monitoring will capture low and peak flows over at least the next couple of years, however, the exact time period is still undetermined.
