A Study of Water Balance in Gabriola Island, BC, Canada

Gabriola Island, the most northerly of the Southern Gulf Islands, suffers from the lack of surface freshwater during summertime. Because the majority of water consumed on Gabriola Island is extracted from the groundwater system, only a small portion of consumed water is harvested rainwater. On Gabriola Island, groundwater in the fractured rock aquifers is recharged from rainwater. Over-pumping from fragile groundwater resources to meet increasing water needs leads to saltwater intrusion into the potable water supply sources, caused by the rapid increase of population during summertime.

The purpose of this project is to provide an assessment the water balance of Gabriola Island, as it is being affected by land-use changes, increase seasonal tourist populations and increased climatic variability. The aim of the paper is to conduct a risk assessment of saltwater intrusion resulting from future climate change scenarios.