Kimberley’s long-standing memorandum of understanding (MOU) with BC Timber Sales has been renewed, aimed at keeping the city’s drinking water safe.
The MOU was originally signed in 2002, as a way to keep the Mark Creek Watershed protected.
“This MOU was put in place after negotiating with the province and BC Timber Sales to ensure that any activity happening in that area was done with the knowledge of what was happening for the stakeholder group, which includes the City of Kimberley,” said Mayor Don McCormick.
“The Watershed Committee was created so all the various stakeholders could have input and some opportunity to say where and how logging was to happen in the watershed.”
Kimberley has renewed the MOU for another five years, and McCormick says he’s pleased to see the continued cooperation.
“We are looking at how we can make our watershed more resilient to things like wildfire. A big part of that is the hydrology that comes along with it,” said McCormick.
“We have naturally filtered water here and we are very conscious of being able to protect that water supply, so this MOU and the ongoing discussions with BC Timber Sales are extremely important.”
In the latest iteration of the MOU, BC Timber Sales is required to pay $15,000 per year to cover a portion of Kimberley’s annual water quality report.
“It is as much in BC Timber Sales’ interest to ensure that logging is done appropriately in that watershed as it is for Kimberley. We have a mutual interest and the working relationship we’ve had over the years has been excellent,” said McCormick
“I expect this next five-year period with the MOU will be quite cooperative, as well.”
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