Conflicts between People and Fish for Water: Two British Columbia Salmon and Steelhead Rearing Streams in Need of Flows

Using the Nicola and Englishman rivers as examples, this background paper explains how water levels and flows influence the productivity of salmon. It describes the regulatory regimes for water access and how there has been increasing competition for water for urban development, agricultural and industrial uses. It suggests adopting a hydrological budgeting process to allocate water to fish and other uses in a fair and transparent manner, and enforcing the water license system more effectively.