Okanagan Groundwater

Groundwater is all subsurface water, generally occupying the pores and crevices of rock and soil. Groundwater originates from rainfall or snowmelt that penetrates the layer of soil just below the surface.

Groundwater use is currently unregulated in British Columbia, and for the most part, we have little knowledge about the size of groundwater storage aquifers, the relationship between ground and surface waters, or even how rapidly groundwater is used and replenished.

As surface water reaches allocation limits in the Okanagan Basin, it becomes increasingly important to understand our groundwater resources. This includes knowing the location of aquifers, or underground layers of rock and sand containing water, the interaction between groundwater and surface water, and the dynamics of infiltration. Understanding the location and characteristics of groundwater recharge areas, or areas of the watershed where the geology and soil conditions allow surface water to infiltrate down to aquifer reservoirs, is also key.

In other parts of the world, groundwater supplies are under severe stress. Some are being “mined,” or used up faster than they can be refilled. In other areas, polluted runoff and poor well-head protection has contaminated whole aquifers. Where water is in short supply, paving over recharge areas reduces the ability of surface water to penetrate the soil. Although these are serious concerns for the future of groundwater in the Okanagan, they can all be addressed through careful research, thoughtful planning, and deliberate action.