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The following provides an overview of groundwater conditions in the South Coast Region.

This report was generated on November 22, 2024.

Background

The province maintains a network of groundwater observation wells to monitor water levels in priority aquifers. These observation wells (OW) record water level fluctuations which allow for improved understanding of how aquifers respond to changes in climate, precipitation, and effects from pumping. Many of the observation wells are equipped with satellite telemetry to provide real time information on water levels.

The following summaries compare recent groundwater levels to all historical continuous daily records to determine percentile classes, with a minimum of 5 years of data. Historical monthly water level samples (before ~2004) are not included. A percentile is on a scale of 100 and indicates the percent of a distribution that is equal to or below it. For example, a groundwater level at the 10th percentile is equal to or greater than 10% of the water level values recorded on this day of the year during all previous years of data.

In general, a groundwater level value that is:

  • the highest ever measured for the day of year is considered High
  • greater than the 90th percentile is considered Much Above Normal
  • between 75th percentile and 90th percentile is considered Above Normal
  • between 25th and 75th percentiles is considered Normal
  • less than the 25 percentile is considered Below Normal
  • less than 10 percentile is considered Much Below Normal
  • the lowest ever measured for the day of year is considered Low

Wells classified as “Not Available” in this report do not have recent groundwater level data within the past 14 days or do not have sufficient data (less than 5 years continuous data).


Definition of Normal

It should be noted that describing water levels relative to “normal” steady state baselines requires historical water levels of a well to be relatively stationary and without significant trending in the short or long-term. Use of the term “normal” in reference to groundwater levels that are indicating a trending pattern should be regarded with caution, as there is no true “normal” water level for a given time of year in these scenarios. As a result, this report uses the “normal” term solely in reference to water levels between the 25th to 75th percentiles of historical data, not to imply a steady state baseline for comparison. Percentile data should be interpreted with the context of long-term data records, patterns, and trends.

Groundwater Level Conditions


Wells by Percentile Class

Current Year
Last Year
2024-11-21 2023-11-21
High (100) 10 (16.9%) 1 (1.7%)
Much Above Normal (90-100) 4 (6.8%) 0
Above Normal (75-90) 11 (18.6%) 2 (3.4%)
Normal (25-75) 11 (18.6%) 15 (25.9%)
Below Normal (10-25) 3 (5.1%) 9 (15.5%)
Much Below Normal (0-10) 0 6 (10.3%)
Low (0) 1 (1.7%) 22 (37.9%)
Across All Classes 40 55

Percentile Class Changes Since Last Year

This plot shows groundwater level percentile classes for each day over the past year to observe how conditions have changed over time. Using a different colour scheme than the rest of the report for visual purposes, more darker brown colours mean more wells in lower percentiles while more darker blues mean more wells in higher percentiles. Water levels in the 25-75th percentiles are in the lightest blue.

Wells Below Normal

This section reports on the percentage and number of wells below the 25th percentile for the past 14 days and one year prior for comparison. Only wells with data during the two time periods are included.

All Wells

Current Year
Last Year
2024-11-21 2023-11-21
6.8% (4/40) 63.7% (37/55)

By Aquifer Type

Aquifer Type
Current Year
Last Year
2024-11-21 2023-11-21
Confined sand and gravel 30% (3/10) 73.8% (14/19)
Crystalline bedrock 33.4% (2/6)
Sedimentary 50% (1/2)
Unconfined sand and gravel 3.8% (1/26) 64.5% (20/31)

Latest Details

Latest details on observation wells. Click on a well number in the table to find a link to a hydrograph and long-term record plot. Click on an aquifer number to find more information about the aquifer.

Well Location Aquifer Aquifer Type Latest Date Percentilea
Lower Mainland / Fraser Valley
OW002 Abbotsford 15 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (57.1%)
(n = 21)
OW008 Abbotsford 15 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (33.3%)
(n = 21)
OW255 Chilliwack 1216 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-11-20 Above Normal (85%)
(n = 21)
OW259 Maple Ridge 26 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-06-25 Not Available
(n = 21)
OW272 Abbotsford 15 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Below Normal (10%)
(n = 21)
OW275 Surrey 41 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 21)
OW299 Abbotsford 15 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Much Above Normal (94.4%)
(n = 21)
OW301 Abbotsford 15 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Much Above Normal (95.2%)
(n = 21)
OW349 Belcarra 68 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-07-25 Not Available
(n = 21)
OW353 Langley 41 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 20)
OW354 Langley 35 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Much Above Normal (94.7%)
(n = 19)
OW357 Abbotsford 29 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-08-01 Not Available
(n = 20)
OW359 Langley 33 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-07-25 Not Available
(n = 20)
OW360 Langley 41 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 19)
OW361 Langley 27 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Much Above Normal (92.9%)
(n = 19)
OW406 Chilliwack 8 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (76.9%)
(n = 14)
OW414 Langley 1144 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Low (0%)
(n = 13)
OW415 Langley 33 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Below Normal (10%)
(n = 13)
OW440 Langley 50 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Normal (57.1%)
(n = 7)
OW441 Abbotsford 28 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Below Normal (11.1%)
(n = 11)
OW446 Langley 52 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 11)
OW447 Surrey 61 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-07-31 Not Available
(n = 11)
OW448 Agassiz 4 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (81.8%)
(n = 11)
OW449 Agassiz 4 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (72.7%)
(n = 11)
OW450 Chilliwack 6 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (90%)
(n = 10)
OW451 Hope 1 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (55.6%)
(n = 10)
OW452 Langley 37 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (90%)
(n = 10)
OW453 Langley 35 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (90%)
(n = 10)
OW456 Langley 59 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-06-25 Not Available
(n = 7)
OW457 Abbotsford 21 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Above Normal (85.7%)
(n = 7)
OW458 Langley 27 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 10)
OW459 Chilliwack 8 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Above Normal (83.3%)
(n = 6)
OW461 Surrey 58 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-02-15 Not Available
(n = 7)
OW462 Maple Ridge 19 Sedimentary ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 6)
OW463 Mission 884 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 6)
OW474 Miracle Valley 25 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-08-01 Not Available
(n = 6)
OW479 Maple Ridge 19 Sedimentary ** 2024-11-21 Normal (40%)
(n = 6)
OW485 Dewdney 12 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (60%)
(n = 5)
OW486 Deroche 12 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (60%)
(n = 5)
OW490 Langley 24 Unconfined sand and gravel 2024-07-17 Not Available
(n = 8)
OW491 Maple Ridge 26 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 4)
OW492 Columbia Valley 20 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 4)
Sea-to-Sky Corridor
OW352 Whistler 390 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2023-08-22 Not Available
(n = 20)
OW454 Squamish 401 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (44.4%)
(n = 9)
OW475 Pemberton 326 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (66.7%)
(n = 6)
OW476 Pemberton 326 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-07 Not Available
(n = 6)
OW477 Whistler 395 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Above Normal (83.3%)
(n = 6)
OW478 Whistler 387 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Above Normal (83.3%)
(n = 6)
OW483 Squamish 397 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Normal (60%)
(n = 5)
Sunshine Coast
OW292 Powell River 836 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-10-01 Not Available
(n = 20)
OW408 Savary Island 834 Confined sand and gravel ** 2024-10-02 Not Available
(n = 13)
OW460 Gibsons 560 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Above Normal (85.7%)
(n = 14)
OW471 Lund 960 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-10-01 Not Available
(n = 6)
OW473 Bowen Island 747 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-11-21 High (100%)
(n = 5)
OW480 Keats Island 548 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-10-10 Not Available
(n = 6)
OW495 Bowen Island 746 Crystalline bedrock ** 2024-09-18 Not Available
(n = 6)
OW497 Scrd 560 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Not Available
(n = 3)
OW498 Sechelt 566 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-21 Not Available
(n = 3)
OW499 Sechelt 566 Unconfined sand and gravel ** 2024-11-20 Not Available
(n = 3)
a n is the number of years included in the percentile calculation.
** Values with a Working approval status

Historical Water Level Plots

Annual hydrographs and historical records for the observation wells summarized above can be found in this section.

Note: ‘Working’ data are preliminary and have not yet been finalized as ‘Approved’ data with approved corrections and data grades for quality assurance. Quality assurance procedures may result in differences between what is displayed as ‘Working’ and what will become the official record.

OW002OW008OW255OW259OW272OW275OW292OW299OW301OW349OW352OW353OW354OW357OW359OW360OW361OW406OW408OW414OW415OW440OW441OW446OW447OW448OW449OW450OW451OW452OW453OW454OW456OW457OW458OW459OW460OW461OW462OW463OW471OW473OW474OW475OW476OW477OW478OW479OW480OW483OW485OW486OW490OW491OW492OW495OW497OW498OW499

Appendices

A - Disclaimer

Warranty Disclaimer

This information is provided as a public service by the Government of British Columbia, Box 9411, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada V8W 9V1.

This website and all of the information it contains are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, whether express or implied. All implied warranties, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, are hereby expressly disclaimed. Links and references to any other websites are provided for information only and listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. The Government of British Columbia is not responsible for the content or reliability of the linked websites and does not endorse the content, products, services or views expressed within them.

Limitation of Liabilities

Under no circumstances will the Government of British Columbia be liable to any person or business entity for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages based on any use of this website or any other website to which this site is linked, including, without limitation, any lost profits, business interruption, or loss of programs or information, even if the Government of British Columbia has been specifically advised of the possibility of such damages.

B - Calculations

General details

  • Water year starts in October.
  • Well measurements are all in Depth Below Ground in metres.

Percentiles

  • Percentiles are calculated individually for each day of the year for each well, so only years with continuous daily data are used in calculations (no historic point samples used).
  • Recent percentiles values are calculated with all years of data, however the current year values are not considered for the percentile class hydrograph plots; and so there may be slight differences in how the most recent value’s percentile compares on the figure.
  • Minimum 5 years of data required for a percentile calculation.
  • 366th day in leap years is omitted.