100 datasets uploaded to Columbia Basin Water Hub, webinar series concludes
Since the formal launch of the Columbia Basin Water Hub in March 2021, Living Lakes Canada has continued outreach with stewardship groups, governments and the private sector across the Columbia Basin to raise awareness of this online platform for storing water-related data and to understand the water data priorities and needs of each stakeholder.
So far, 100 datasets have been uploaded to the Water Hub covering a wide range of streams, lakes, rivers and wetlands. This data has been provided by the following organizations and this list is growing:
- Arrow Lakes Environmental Stewardship Society
- Elk River Alliance
- Friends of the Lardeau River
- Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society
- Rossland Streamkeepers
- Slocan Lake Research Centre
- Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society
- Slocan River Streamkeepers
- Slocan Lake Stewardship Society
- Wildsight Creston Valley
- Mainstreams
- Wildsight Golden
- East Shore Freshwater Habitat Society
- St. Mary Valley Rural Resident Association
- Wildsight Kimberley-Cranbrook
Additionally, the Water Hub is housing data collected by the following LLC programs that are currently operating within the Columbia Basin:
- Foreshore Inventory Management Planning (in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Ocean)
- Columbia Basin Groundwater Monitoring Program
- Kootenay Watershed Science
The Water Hub has seen significant online traffic, with over 2500 visits by more than 400 unique users over three months. An interesting trend is that users are spending the most time within the Datasets Page, meaning that people are actually looking at the data.
Further in the Datasets section, we have tracked over 100 downloads of data by 27 different users.
As engagement continues, we expect the volume of data uploaded and used to increase. We are currently working with municipal and regional governments, the private sector and additional stewardship groups to make more data available through the Water Hub. Outreach is being led by the Water Hub team: Santiago Botero, Applied Innovation and Technology Manager and Paige Thurston, Database and Community Engagement Coordinator.
Anyone interested in sharing data or requiring Columbia Basin-relevant water data is encouraged to contact the Water Hub team. The Columbia Basin Water Hub can accommodate many different types of data formats including documents, images, recordings, links and more.
The Water Hub team is available to assist step-by-step with the data sharing process. Please contact them at santiago@livinglakescanada.ca and paige@livinglakescanada.ca.
For more information, check out our updated Water Hub handout.
“Why Care About Water Data?” Webinar Series…
Through June, LLC and the Water Hub co-hosted a three-part “Why Care About Water Data?” webinar series. The purpose of this series was to increase awareness of what water data is, and the value and applications of water data for decision makers and the public. While the spotlight was on the Canadian Columbia Basin, the series was also useful and informative to individuals and groups collecting and working with water data in their respective watersheds or areas of interest. Registration for each of the three webinars was over 100 with attendees from across the country. See links to the recordings below.
Webinar 1: “Climate change in the Columbia Basin and why water data is needed for adaptation”
- Presenters: Dr. Martin Carver (Aqua Environmental Associates), Greg Utzig (Kutenai Nature Investigations Ltd.)
- This webinar looks at implementing a water balance approach in the Columbia Basin and the urgency around collecting water data for climate resilience.
Webinar 2: “Who is collecting water data in the Columbia Basin”
- Presenters: Chad Hughes (Elk River Alliance), Carol Luttmer (LLC Groundwater Program), Richard Johnson (Arrow Lakes Environmental Stewardship Society & Slocan Lake Research Centre)
- This webinar spotlights some of the people who collect water data in the Columbia Basin. We will explore what motivates them to monitor water, which parameters they are monitoring, any findings, and how the data they have collected has had an impact on their community, operations or decision-making processes.
Webinar 3: “Applications of Water Data for Decision Making”
- Presenters: Jennifer Yeow (Passmore Laboratory Ltd.), Jason Schleppe (Ecoscape Ltd.), Santiago Botero & Paige Thurston (Columbia Basin Water Hub)
- This webinar focuses on ways that water data can be used to guide decision making and policy. Datasets currently available through the Water Hub will be used as examples.
