RDN Wetland Mapping

As a Junior Research Assistant for MABRRI, I have happily had the opportunity to be part of the seasonal Wetland Monitoring project! This project has support from many citizen scientists in the community for some of the sites. It allows not only the ability for local members to get involved, but as well MABRRI staff to learn from the local community members.

Once during every season, we visit each of the six sites to download the data from the instrumented sites as taken from the piezometers, rain gauge and trail cameras. These site visits allow us to practice finding site locations that are in more secluded areas and get comfortable using field equipment. The most interesting part of the visits to me, is that we take photos of each site in the same directions each time. This allows us to compare the areas seasonally, one example was how dry a site was in the summer and but in the winter the area was completely covered in water and had different surrounding vegetation. I look forward to this continuous monitoring project and learning about the long-term results as we collect more data over time.

By: Jocelyn Benji

In April 2021, MABRRI initiated the implementation of a citizen science network to support ongoing wetland monitoring in the RDN. We are happy to report that 14 citizen science volunteers from groups including the Arrowsmith Groundwater Alliance, Qualicum Beach Streamkeepers, and Quennell Lake Stewardship Society were trained to undertake seasonal monitoring fieldwork.

Collaboration with local citizen scientists has leveraged the capacity for this work to continue beyond the original 5-year research agreement between MABRRI and the RDN. Without our dedicated volunteers, the important data collection that was undertaken this year would not have been possible!

With now 3 years of seasonal observations for each of the 6 priority wetland sites, and 1 to 2 years of data for the 3 instrumented sites, we have been able to identify some best practices in our methods to implement moving forward. For the upcoming year, MABRRI and citizen science volunteers will continue seasonal monitoring and data collection for all 6 priority sites. It is intended to continue long-term monitoring to identify on-going changes these wetlands may face, solidify our methods of instrumentation data collection and analysis, and determine the role wetlands may play in groundwater recharge/discharge.

A summary report of the work completed in 2021 can be found here.

Following the final year of the RDN and MABRRI’s 5-year agreement, it was decided that longer-term monitoring of the instrumented wetlands would be important to carry forward – allowing for important data to be gathered from the equipment that was installed in 2019 and 2020. Moving forward, in collaboration with two volunteer groups, the Quennell Lake Watershed Stewardship Society (QLWSS) and the Arrowsmith Groundwater Alliance (AGWA), the 6 priority sites will be revisited each quarter (April, July, November, January) to continue identifying seasonal variations at the sites. Additionally, the volunteers from the AGWA will be assisting the MABRRI team with downloading the data at the three instrumented sites in the French Creek and Big Qualicum Water Regions. During each site visit, the data from the piezometers and rain gauge, as well as the photos from the trail cameras will be downloaded.

MABRRI has completed virtual training with volunteers via Zoom on April 12^th, to be followed by site visits and data collection over the following week. The data collected will be slightly modified from the data collected over the past year – it will be minorly simplified, capturing the data that has been used to identify changes overtime, including the hydrology, water quality, and vegetation present in the wetland. Further, photo point monitoring will be implemented into the long-term monitoring, which involves taking photos at the exact same location, facing the same direction, during each visit. These photos will document the seasonality these wetlands experience.

The MABRRI team will continue to work with Alan Gilchrist, VIU Geography professor, to analyze and interpret the data collected. All of the data collected in 2021 will be compiled and shared with the RDN. Additionally, an overview of the data collected will be summarized and shared with the public and volunteers.

This year marks the final year of the Wetland Mapping and Monitoring Project, and the team hopes to accomplish several goals:

Each of the six priority sites that were established last year will be re-mapped, including conducting a vegetation survey and collecting basic hydrologic data; this will provide the team with a more holistic idea of how these wetlands function. Each of the six selected sites will be visited seasonally and within a week of one another, ensuring there is little variation regarding weather between sites. The winter and spring visits already occurred in January 2020 and April 2020. The summer visit will occur in July 2020, followed by the fall visit in November 2020.

Additionally, the team will be conducting a primary data analysis of data collected from the instrumentation site that was established last year. Instrumentation was installed at one priority wetland in order to determine if the site is connected to the aquifer below and if it is, is it either recharging or discharging that aquifer. All data will be comparatively analyzed to determine if the instrumentation is effectively assessing the specified wetland and has a direct connection to groundwater recharge. Following the data analysis, the 2019 Prioritizing Wetland Systems to Install Instrumentation in the RDN report will be updated with the results. Further, depending on the success of the instrumentation and pending funding, the team hopes to install instrumentation at two more of the priority sites this year.

The team will be also be producing a 5-year summary report that will provide any findings over the last five years, as well as identify means of implementing policies into local wetlands, costs and recommendations pertaining to potential geophysical and cross-sectional work, and next steps for the project.

Lastly, the RDN and MABRRI will be working together to update the ArcGIS online map.

2019 was a very successful year for the Wetland Mapping and Monitoring Project! All four of our primary goals were accomplished. First, we completed mapping the wetlands in each of the seven water regions, including the Englishman River Water Region and the Gabriola Island Water Region. Reports that evaluate the mapped wetlands in these water regions were also completed, and can be found in the Document Library section of this webpage. Second, we established six priority sites to monitor in order to get a more holistic idea of how these wetlands function. The six priority sites were spread throughout the RDN: two in the Big Qualicum Water Region; two in the French Creek Water Region; one in the Little Qualicum Water Region; and, one was in the Cedar-Yellow Point Water Region. Each of the six selected sites are to be visited seasonally and within a week of one another, ensuring there is little variation regarding weather between sites. The summer visit occurred in July 2019 and the fall visit occurred in November 2019. The winter visit will occur in January 2020, followed by the spring visit in April 2020. Third, the team installed instrumentation, including piezometers, trail cameras, and a rain gauge at one priority wetland in order to determine if the site is connected to the aquifer below and if it is, is it either recharging or discharging that aquifer. The priority site that was chosen was in the Big Qualicum Water Region, as the site had water present year-round, ensuring data loggers would not be dry and it would be possible to determine variations in the water table throughout the year. Lastly, we conducted a literature review on existing policy, best practices, and ecosystem services with regards to wetlands at the federal, provincial, and local levels. The literature review can also be found in the Document Library section of this webpage. The next step is to meet early this year to determine 2020’s goals.

In April, Vancouver Island University students and MABRRI staff began year four of wetland mapping. There are four primary goals for the 2019-2020 year, including: 1) complete the mapping of wetlands in each of the seven water regions, including finishing up Englishman River Water Region and starting on the Gabriola Island Water Region; 2) establish six priority sites to monitor throughout the year in order to get a more holistic idea of how these wetlands function; 3) install instrumentation, including water level loggers and a rain gauge, at one priority wetland in order to determine its connection to groundwater recharge; and 4) conduct a literature review on existing policy, best practices, and ecosystem services with regards to wetlands at the federal, provincial, and local levels.

To date, only two of the wetlands in the Englishman River Water Region have been mapped, therefore the MABRRI team is keen to get out and map a few more prior to finalizing the final report. Additionally, MABRRI will be visiting and mapping wetlands on Gabriola Island this fall and finalizing a Gabriola Island Water Region report by the end of the year.

Previously MABRRI had prioritized wetlands in the seven water regions by considering characteristics of each of the mapped wetlands, including hydrogeomorphic position, surrounding land use, hydrologic function, and general functional rating. However, in order to run a pilot project this year, with the goal of determining if a specific wetland has a direct role in groundwater recharge, the MABRRI team had to reconsider the way in which wetlands were prioritized. For MABRRI to conduct the study, an initial analysis using GIS was necessary to ensure that there is access to the parameters that will aid in the determination of groundwater connection: the site needs to be in close proximity to a volunteer or provincial observation well, a climate station, and a hydrometric station. Further, a secondary analysis was conducted using GIS to narrow down the sites of interest. Using the list of wetlands that was produced from the initial analysis, MABRRI focused on those that may be the most vulnerable due to resource extraction; therefore, the second analysis considered the wetland’s proximity to fish bearing streams, ground water wells, and water rights licences. In total, six priority sites were selected using this method and one of those six will have the instrumentation installed at it.

Finally, a literature review discussing existing policy, best practices, and ecosystem services at all levels of government is being conducted. Ultimately, this literature review will provide a basis for informing policy actions that could be developed for the Regional District of Nanaimo.

Are you a community member that resides in the RDN? Are you interested in promoting and contributing to our understanding of wetlands and groundwater systems? Do you have a wetland that is located on your private property? If so, our team would love to collaborate in our regional initiative to increase freshwater sustainability.

If you are interested in volunteering your property and its associated wetland for mapping and classifying, please see our attachment that summarizes the project, wetland criteria, and how to get involved in 2018!!

Did you know that Spider Lake is directly connected to its underlying aquifer?

Spider Lakes unique geologic environment was formed during the last glaciation period and is among one of the dynamic areas our research team has visited. On Friday, April 6th, our project lead and students from the VIU Earth Science department ran geophysical survey lines along Spider Lake. This part of the project was supported by VIU's Regional Initiative Fund which provided funding to Earth Science professor, Jerome-Etienne Lesemann, to investigate groundwater flow in partnership with our wetland mapping team.

The purpose of using ground penetrating radar is to map the subsurface architecture in the area, giving researchers an understanding of the distribution of materials that control the connection between surface and groundwater systems. Students spent the day walking over 7 kilometers, gathering imagery of the subsurface. In the weeks to come our project lead and students from VIU will be interpreting the results with the help of Dr. Lesemann. Our team is very excited to see the hidden wonders of the subsurface and to understand how surface water is moving into the underlying perched aquifer.

Stay tuned for the results of our survey!

To date, student researchers at Vancouver Island University and MABRRI have mapped a total of 31 wetlands across five different water regions. Of these five water regions, three wetland classification and geologic assessment reports were developed for the Little Qualicum, French Creek and South Wellington water regions as per the 2017 deliverables. Have a look at our map, below.