Islands Trust Freshwater Footprint Methodology Development and Gabriola Case Study - GW Solutions Report (Project 24-16)

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September 1, 2025 
 Project 24-16 
 
GW Solutions Inc. 
Unit 24 – 4800 Island Hwy, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 1W6 
T: (250) 756-4538  abarroso@gwsolutions.ca; sbarroso@gwsolutions.ca; dbethune@gwsolutions.ca 
Islands Trust Freshwater Footprint 
Methodology Development and Gabriola Case Study 
 
Prepared for: 
Islands Trust Council 
Victoria, BC 
 
Prepared by: 
GW Solutions Inc. 
September 2025 

Islands Trust Freshwater Footprint Methodology & Gabriola Case Study September 1, 2025 
 
Page i    Project 24-16 
Executive Summary 
Maintenance and protection of limited freshwater supplies is essential for sustainable island communities. In this study, a 
freshwater footprint methodology is developed based on key indicators of groundwater quantity and quality to identify areas 
of freshwater stress unique to the island-setting of the Islands Trust Area, in coastal British Columbia. The approach is then 
applied on Gabriola Island, east of Nanaimo, BC.  
Globally, various approaches have been used to define sustainable limits for the use of groundwater and other water 
resources. In the simplest sense, sustainable groundwater management means: 
 Groundwater demand does not exceed supply 
 Monitored groundwater conditions (water level, flow, temperature, quality) remain dynamically stable 
 Ecological needs, including groundwater baseflow to freshwater ecosystems, are considered 
 Secure local groundwater, food, and energy systems 
 Preservation of groundwater resources for future generations, and 
 Groundwater governance models include First Nations leadership and perspectives, with municipal, regional and 
provincial government collaboration focussed on a long-term vision. 
In practical terms, achieving these goals faces various challenges. Local planning and development are often undertaken 
without a sufficient understanding of water-related limits on availability. In BC, implementation of the Water Sustainability 
Act, which came into effect in 2016, has focused largely on groundwater quantity, including the licensing of non-domestic 
groundwater use. Water budget and water balance studies have been completed for various BC communities to quantify 
different components of the water cycle, including groundwater recharge and water use. However, groundwater of suitable 
quality for potable and other uses is equally important. Islands within the Trust Area are highly dependent on limited 
groundwater supplies that are vulnerable to hazards such as seawater intrusion. While overexploitation of groundwater 
sources may lead to drilling of deeper wells in bedrock aquifers, that produce more mineralized groundwater from deeper 
fractures, containing natural contaminants such as fluoride, manganese or arsenic. Decisions on land use including zoning 
and density can impact both water availability and quality, increasing stress on local water supplies. 
To take a more holistic approach, the water footprint methodology includes a: 
 Water balance component, which

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