Innovation-March_April 2013

f ea t u r e s

The Challenges of Identifying, Evaluating and Managing British Columbia’s Karst Lands

Dr. Tim Stokes, P.Geo.

Karst is a complex three-dimensional landscape that develops mainly in carbonate bedrock, such as limestone, and is formed by solutional processes associated with chemical weathering and the infiltration of weakly acidic rainfall. A karst landscape is characterized by a solutionally weathered surface, distinguish- ing features such as sinkholes, a subsurface drainage system with conduits, caves and other underground karst voids, and has the potential for hosting specialized habitats and ecosystems. A karst landscape, with its significantly different surface/ subsurface processes, is inherently more sensitive than many other landscapes primarily due to the connectivity between its surface and subsurface domains. The management decisions and strategies developed for activities on karst landscapes differ

considerably from those for non-karst lands. Working with the karst lands of British Columbia is challenging for a variety of reasons that include: a) the complex nature of karst landscapes, which have both surface and subsurface components; b) the need for special assessment techniques and approaches for land management; and c) issues related to obtaining skills and training in karst science and karst assessment procedures. Specialized techniques are needed for the assessment of any planned projects or activities on or near karst (e.g., forestry, renewable energy, rural and urban development, oil and gas, transportation routes, or mining) to ensure they are developed in a safe and environmentally sound manner. In many cases a karst assessment requires a systems approach when establishing both

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