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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Empowering Communities in Monitoring for Watershed Security and Adaptation in River Basins

Living Lakes Canada (
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#SDGAction50101
    Description
    Description
    Increased water monitoring and research will enable deeper understanding of climate impacts, so communities and industry can better prepare for change. The goal of the Columbia Basin Water Monitoring Framework is to establish a unified monitoring network that reflects local community priorities and concerns within a scientific water balance approach for the Canadian Columbia Basin. Integral to the methodology developed uniquely for the Columbia Basin, where glacier melt has passed peak flow, is the selection of monitoring sites using a Priority Monitoring Matrix, which is developed to collate scientific and community priorities, identify synergies, and select sites which will meet multiple objectives, resulting in a nested, cost-effective approach to monitoring. Watersheds are stratified into groups that tend to respond similarly to climate impacts. A GIS data gap analysis will inventory the number and types of watersheds that are already being monitored. Sites are selected to ensure that each watershed grouping is represented in the expanded monitoring network. Local priorities for expanded monitoring are identified through consultation with First Nations and Local Reference Groups created for each Area of Interest, composed of water stewardship groups; community members; First Nations; industry/commercial water users; and local, regional, and provincial governments. Scientific needs and community priorities are considered during the site selection process. Sites are identified for streamflow; groundwater, lake and wetland levels; water quality; and biomonitoring using the federal Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring protocols, and an advanced eDNA metabarcoding technology. Data is collected using standardized and third-party protocols to ensure that it can be used for analysis, research and decision making. This methodology was implemented in three pilot areas of the Canadian Columbia Basin in 2022. In 2023, monitoring will be expanding into new areas and preliminary data from the pilot project will be made publicly available.
    Expected Impact
    An expanded water monitoring network designed to provide the data required to measure a region’s water balance is a strong foundation for responding to key environmental water concerns associated with the climate crisis. The data collected through this project can be used by community members, researchers, the private sector, all levels of government and decision makers. This comprehensive, paradigm-shifting approach to watershed management will support local, regional and national efforts to increase climate adaptation options via necessary future water budgets — and support the longer term viability of natural ecosystems and ecosystem services. This nexus of social science, water science and Indigenous knowledge to enhance watershed security and adaptation can serve as a template for other river basins. Living Lakes Canada is an award-winning NGO which has the mission to facilitate collaboration in science, education, monitoring, restoration and policy development for the long-term protection of Canada's lakes, rivers, wetlands and watersheds. Our organization delivers a range of regional, provincial and federal water-related programs in partnership with academia, NGOs, and water stewardship and Indigenous groups in Canada. We are an active member of Living Lakes International, a global network of organizations that share the same mission: to enhance, protect, restore and rehabilitate freshwater areas around the globe.
    Partners

    Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, Indigenous governments and knowledge holders, municipal and regional governments, industry, tourism and recreation operators, community drinking water systems, private sector consultants, provincial government staff, academic researchers, federal government

    Additional information
    CBWMF 2022 Pilot Implementation & Technical Reports: https://livinglakescanada.ca/2022/12/19/2022-pilot-implementation-report-columbia-basin-water-monitoring-framework/ CBWMF Project Page: https://livinglakescanada.ca/project/columbia-basin-water-monitoring-framework/

    Goal 6

    Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

    Goal 6

    6.1

    By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

    6.1.1

    Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services

    6.2

    By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

    6.2.1

    Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

    6.3

    By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

    6.3.1

    Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

    6.3.2

    Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

    6.4

    By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
    6.4.1

    Change in water-use efficiency over time

    6.4.2

    Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

    6.5

    By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

    6.5.1

    Degree of integrated water resources management 

    6.5.2

    Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation

    6.6

    By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
    6.6.1

    Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

    6.a

    By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies
    6.a.1

    Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan

    6.b

    Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

    6.b.1

    Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    Goal 15

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

    Goal 15

    15.1

    By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

    15.1.1
    Forest area as a proportion of total land area
    15.1.2
    Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

    15.2

    By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

    15.2.1
    Progress towards sustainable forest management

    15.3

    By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

    15.3.1
    Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area

    15.4

    By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

    15.4.1
    Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity
    15.4.2
    Mountain Green Cover Index

    15.5

    Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

    15.5.1
    Red List Index

    15.6

    Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

    15.6.1
    Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits

    15.7

    Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

    15.7.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

    15.8

    By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

    15.8.1
    Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species

    15.9

    By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

    15.9.1

    (a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

    15.a

    Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems

    15.a.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.b

    Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation

    15.b.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.c

    Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

    15.c.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked
    Name Description
    Pilot Implementation completed
    Pilot Year Data publicly available
    Expansion of the Monitoring Framework into new Hydrologic Regions
    Full Expansion of Framework across all 10 identified Hydrologic Regions in the Canadian Columbia Basin with data publicly available
    Financing (in USD)
    US$3.72 Million for pilot year expansion
    Staff / Technical expertise
    30 personnel hired (80 per cent women)
    In-kind contribution
    Volunteer labour hours; expert, academic and local advisors
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2022 (start date)
    31 December 2031 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Living Lakes Canada
    SDGs
    Region
    1. North America
    Other beneficiaries

    Human communities and the natural ecosystems that we and all other species rely on.

    Countries
    Canada
    Canada
    Contact Information

    Nicole, Communications Director/Government Liaison