Water Reservations

A water reservation sets aside water in a stream or aquifer for a specific purpose.

Surface water and groundwater may be placed under a reservation for many reasons, including for treaty negotiations and agreements; to accommodate future demand for municipal water supply or provincial power needs; or for environmental protection. Reservations are put in place through an order by the Lieutenant Governor of B.C.

• Read more in Sections 39, 40 and 41, Water Sustainability Act

Licences and Approvals on Reserved Water

Licences and approvals may be granted on an interim basis for reserved water, until the need for water secured under the reserve arises. Licences and approvals are not granted on water that is reserved under treaty with a First Nation.

Water Excluded from Reservation

Unrecorded water for domestic use, water for firefighting and unrecorded water for mineral prospecting is still allowed on water sources that are under reservation. Water in a water sustainability plan that is dedicated for agricultural water cannot be reserved for other purpose.

Find Water Reservations

Reservations made under the former Water Act remain reserved under the current Water Sustainability Act. Use the tools below to find more information about current water reservations.

• Water Reservations and Order in Council Search Tool
• Access Water Reservations through iMapBC
  • Never used iMapBC before? See the iMapBC Training Manual (PDF, 5.6 MB) and the iMapBC FAQ (PDF, 2 MB) to learn more.