Significant Karst Springs

The following section summarizes the management objectives and recommended best management practices for significant karst springs. As these are only brief summaries, you should also check out more detailed information in the Karst Management Handbook for British Columbia.

Management objectives

The following is a summary of the management objectives designed to protect significant karst springs. Reserves should maintain:

Water quality and quantity
Wildlife habitat
Visual quality, in cases where recreational values are identified.

Recommended best management practices

Run your mouse over the following bullets to assist you in learning about the recommended best management practices.

	Leave a minimum 20-metre reserve extending outward from the discharge point.

	Leave an adjacent management zone of an appropriate size to protect the reserve from windthrow. See Managing Windthrow.

	If the spring discharges into a stream channel or disperses into a wetland, consult the default standards for riparian management as specified in the regulations supporting the Forest and Range Practices Act.



Figure 3-7: Karst springs often create favourable environmental conditions and habitats for rare flora and fauna.


	Consider the level of activities conducted in the recharge areas of karst springs when managing for water quality and quantity.

	Where unique or unusual species are encountered around karst springs, consult the Conservation Data Centre for assistance in determining appropriate management actions. See: http://srmwww.gov.bc.ca/cdc/request.htm.