Tension between water sustainability goals and continuing economic reliance on natural resource extraction poses challenges for accelerating water governance reform. Robust accountability mechanisms, as well as collaborative, watershed-scale approaches to water governance are needed to enhance decision-making processes and outcomes, especially where high-risk activities like mining exist. Existing scholarship has not adequately explored how to implement such governance principles in resource extraction contexts, where private actors, and particularly multi-national companies (MNCs), are often primarily responsible for community engagement, operations management, and watershed planning. Through empirical investigation in British Columbia’s Elk River Valley, this thesis investigates how one MNC shapes water governance at the watershed scale currently, and in turn, how their influence may affect key governance principles and approaches. Along with document analysis and participation in local conferences, interviews were conducted with community members, community-based organizations, local/regional governments, independent consultants, industry and provincial government staff, Indigenous Nation members and scientific advisors, and academic experts. Findings indicate that despite the presence of water quality contamination linked to mining, community-industry relationships are widely perceived as positive, and there are benefits related to the MNCs’ involvement in the watershed. This includes capacity building in a community-based water group, who is consequently regarded as making valuable contributions to water governance processes at multiple scales. Additionally, in response to the Indigenous Nations’ concerns and leadership, the MNC supported the development of a collaborative cumulative effects management initiative, which gained momentum and attracted government leadership. Findings also suggested that challenges remain for enhancing water governance outcomes when controls and accountability of a private actors’ high-risk activities are insufficient. I document how ‘social license to operate’ is vaguely operationalized and understood by watershed actors as an accountability principle. I argue that social license does not represent a meaningful accountability mechanism because it cannot guarantee efforts to improve ecological outcomes, and it is unclear whether and how its terms can be defined and enforced. This research contributes to the environmental and water governance literature by providing empirical evidence of new approaches to water governance in a resource extraction context. Considering that B.C. is in the midst of developing and implementing a new Water Sustainability Act, this research also provides practical lessons for policy-makers and practitioners who are exploring options for implementing alternative governance approaches. / Graduate / noverdui@uvic.ca

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This research analyzes the sensitivity of watershed attributes, and hydrological outputs to LiDAR derived DEM uncertainty introduced through spatial resolution, and LiDAR measurement errors. Sensitivity of watershed attributes to spatial resolution was determined through a scaling analysis at three sites; Mosquito Creek, Scotty Creek and Thomas Brook, with DEMs ranging from 1 to 50 m. Results at Scotty Creek showed the highest sensitivity of watershed area to spatial resolution, due to subtle changes in elevation which were below DEM uncertainty. Validation of the stream length at Thomas Brook showed discrepancies of 3.7 to 24.1% for the 1 to 50 m DEMs, compared to independent field observations. Sensitivity of SWAT derived hydrological outputs to DEM spatial resolution were determined through a scaling analysis of DEMs (1 - 50 m) at Thomas Brook watershed, over a five year simulation period. Results indicated monthly water yield was insensitive to DEM resolution, unless a change in area was also present. Sediment yield from the 50 m DEM showed a 24% reduction compared to the 1 m DEM. The 5 - 50 m DEMs also showed a reduction in channel deposition of 45 - 90 t, compared to the 1 m DEM. Sensitivity of terrain attributes, watershed attributes and hydrological outputs to LiDAR measurement errors were determined at the Thomas Brook watershed through the propagation of LiDAR sensor measurement errors with Monte Carlo simulations. Results showed that the uncertainty in the DEM, slope, and aspect were below 0.06 cm, 1.5° and 24.1° in 97.5% of grid cells, respectively. Watershed area and stream length resulted in relative standard deviations of <1% and 1.5%, respectively. However, sensitivity of watershed area increased in regions with elevation changes below DEM uncertainty and stream length uncertainty increased with decreasing stream length. SWAT simulated flow and sediment showed minor sensitivity to LiDAR measurement error in high flow months, and increased as flow decreased. Simulated sediment showed higher sensitivity to LiDAR measurement errors than flow, due to changes in the HRU slope class, which can shift the dominant HRU (Hydrological Response Unit) if a minimum HRU threshold area is implemented.

Sedimentation rates for many Texas reservoirs may be skewed by overstated estimates of design capacity and assumptions perpetuated through subsequent volumetric surveys. Multi-frequency reservoir surveys offer the means by which we may improve existing reservoir data and validate historic sedimentation rate estimates. To demonstrate application of this technology and value of its data derivatives, a multi-year, multi-frequency acoustic survey of Granger Lake, located in Williamson County, Texas was undertaken. Objectives of the study were to use hydro-acoustic survey techniques to verify assumptions of original reservoir capacity, examine the general accuracy of previously derived sedimentation rate, and document conservation implementation effectiveness. The intended benefit of these pre and post-watershed conservation implementation project surveys was to provide a temporal snapshot of sediment flux. Specifically, these data would be used as a tool to quantitatively estimate project success or non-success in annual sediment delivery reduction to the reservoir. During the course of the Granger Lake Watershed Implementation project, Granger Lake lost on average 343 acre feet of water storage annually to watershed sediment contribution. Sediment profiling results indicate pre-impoundment design estimates were overstated, thus skewing subsequent sediment deliver estimates. Since the mid-1990's, an accelerating sedimentation trend is apparent. Conservation implementation is not plainly responsible for the decrease in sediment delivery, and in fact may be undetectable for the foreseeable future. The study illustrates the value of examining previously established reservoir sedimentation estimates and assumptions of reservoir life based on design capacity estimates and routine volumetric surveys. Insights from this research highlight the importance of validating historic reservoir survey data and significance regarding its use in quantifying historic and future conservation effects, or other reservoir sustaining strategies.

The purpose of this research is to examine the ways in which public contributions, as part of a larger public participation program, can shape the use of the Canadian Water Sustainability Index (CWSI) and increase its relevance to the communities for which it is used. A case study in the Clear Lake watershed in Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP), in Manitoba, was undertaken in which stakeholder and partner perceptions, knowledge, concerns and priorities were gathered through a questionnaire and interviews from August to November 2009. This information provided a lens through which the CWSI could be viewed regarding its social relevancy. Public consultation highlighted four main areas of interest upon which indicators can be focused: bottled water use; well water reliance; water conservation and efficiency; and communications. While the identification and development of indicators will be led primarily by RMNP, the indicators will be used in monitoring, reporting, and communicating within the watershed community. Socially relevant indicators are intended to complement scientific indicators concurrently being developed for the Clear Lake watershed. Public participation increased the relevancy of the CWSI to suit local needs, although the participative process was limited by time, complexity of the information, and a necessarily broad survey.

Thesis (M.S. - Renewable Natural Resources)--University of Arizona, 1988. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 23-24).

Thesis (M.S. - Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics)--University of Arizona, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-81).

Thesis (M.S. - Renewable Natural Resources)--University of Arizona, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-122).

Thesis (Ph. D. - Renewable Natural Resources)--University of Arizona, 1986. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-92).