Water Protection & Sustainability Branch Ground Water Extraction Projects: Framework for a Hydrogeologic Study in support of an Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate under the Environmental Assessment Act and Regulations 1. General Information Ground water extraction may be a project in of itself (for example for municipal water supplies) or a component of other major projects such as pulp and paper mills, mining projects, fish hatcheries, resorts. Where ground water extraction is being proposed from one or more wells at a combined rate of 75 litres or more per second, the Environmental Assessment Office should be contacted with regard to the reviewability of the project under the Environmental Assessment Act (refer to the Reviewable Projects Regulation, Part 5, Table 9, number 4). The following guidelines serve as reference to the types of hydrogeological information that should be included in an application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate with respect to the ground water component of the project. These guidelines are useful for projects that are reviewable under the Environmental Assessment Act as a ground water project or for other reviewable projects that have a significant ground water extraction component. The Water Protection Act affirms the province's ownership of the ground water resource and restricts the bulk export of ground water. The Fish Protection Act enables the designation of water management areas and development of plans where there are risks to water quality including ground water. British Columbia has no ground water management legislation or regulations requiring permits or regulating activities