Against all odds

Thank you to the RDOS Area “I” Director Subrina Monteith, who supported the peoples’ vision of a rural, sustainable community at Twin Lakes. The Area “B” Director stated, “I do not want development on my ALR lands, it should be up in the mountains” (also ALR land). The RDOS Board Chair, whose community is fighting a development in Naramata, opened with a pro opinion on the Development Bylaw No.2457.20, 2018 for a 3rd reading.

In 1996 the EBA hydro geologist stated at an open house meeting that development in the Twin Lake Area would not be good for either water quality or quantity.

In 2016 the RDOS approved a water variance for the Twin Lake Golf Resort (TLGR) development. A variance does not create water, it just limits and makes the numbers fit. RDOS declared a first 36 dwellings phase be built then monitor for sustainable water before approving the 2nd phase. This is a high risk cart- before the- horse water safe guard. The last dry water cycle was 2000 to 2009. By 2009, sustainable water became a concern. Many residents lost water in their water intakes (well levels fell by 12 ft. as reported by the Summit Aquifer Capacity Study), the Lower Twin Lake water dropped by 10 ft. and the Twin Lake interconnecting 1 km long Turtle Pond was astonishingly dry.

The proposed TLGR Village Centre /campground/stores/galleries and 232 dwellings was assigned a phased in approach with a covenant to prove groundwater sustainability. The Bylaw states that 36 dwellings must be “constructed and issued occupancy permits before the 2nd phase is begun”. This does not indicate living- in or any water use.

Groundwater makes up an aquifer but is not the same as an aquifer. The Twin Lake sand & gravel aquifer is a unique resource for water storage but has a limited capacity. In all of Area “I” there are only 4 alluvial (sand & gravel) aquifers. If the aquifer strata particles do not receive enough recharge it is likely to compact and storage will decrease - groundwater will move on through. There will be no going back. No amount of groundwater will cause the strata gravel of the aquifer to float & restore the once present molecular attraction. Picture yourself hauling in your water.

The Twin Lakes Area water supply is affected by its upland sand & gravel soil, the 1962 closed surface water overflow outlet, the snow pack/ low precipitation, and logging. The Province states that water licences are already over allocated. There are no other available sources of water for the Twin Lakes Area. There has been one 2010 Aquifer Capacity Study and two Hydrogeological Studies paid for by developers. In 2011 a peer review by MoTI concluded that development at Twin Lakes was not “ in public interest”.

Coral Brown, Twin Lakes