UBCO looks to water board for funding help

By Judie Steeves - Kelowna Capital News - April 04, 2008

Having a university in the valley may be a good opportunity for the community to benefit from research that’s of local value, but that’s a two-way street, says UBCO dean of arts and sciences, Bernie Bauer. The presence of UBCO is an opportunity for the valley to influence its growth into areas which would provide research that’s of benefit to the Okanagan, he notes. Which is why Bauer was at the Okanagan Basin Water Board this week making a pitch for local funding for a new Reservoir Ecosystem Management chairman. The research chair has provincial funding of $1.25 million, but it’s contingent on matching funds being raised by UBCO, explained Bauer. The Real Estate Foundation has committed $250,000, so $1 million more is needed to complete the endowment. The dean suggested the water board approach its member municipalities for letters of support for regional districts to fund the chair in the 2009-2010 water management budget of the OBWB. He said it could be spread across several years, and still qualify as matching funds for the provincial grant.

Or, he suggested the OBWB could write a letter to the federal minister and MPs, lobbying them for a match of provincial and local contributions to the chair. Since the position would focus on research that’s of local importance, local government is a natural source of funding, he believes. He sees it as a chance for the community to “roll up its sleeves and get involved.” Whoever the funding comes from can help set the agenda for selection of the candidate for the endowment chair, which will impact the focus of the research, he pointed out. In general however, he sees the research looking at a range of issues around both large and small reservoir systems, because they are managed bodies of water. Likely, it would involve how watersheds are integrated with reservoirs and how people manage the complexities of reservoirs, as well as human interaction with the natural ecosystems in and around reservoirs. Some reservoirs are managed for power, while others are managed for water storage or recreation, he noted. Fluctuating lake levels are often an issue around reservoirs, for instance. He said it would be a “nice marriage” between the OBWB and UBCO.

All valley residents would contribute and benefit, said Anna Warwick Sears, executive director of the OBWB, in a report to the board. She said support for the chair would be compatible in a number of ways with the OBWB’s goals. Local support for such a chair would demonstrate local commitment to good management of watersheds, she said, as well as complementing and supporting OBWB initiatives like source water protection. Bauer said they need to have the funds available and find a person for the chair at the same time, but if they had the endowment in place they could recruit heavily for the right person to take the position. The search is on for a senior academic with a research record who works well with teams and has a strong commitment to stakeholder involvement. UBCO will be targeting specialists in aquatic biology, ecology, hydrology and limnology.The board asked for some additional specifics and is considering the request.