Continuous nightmare drought puts pressure on water systems in British Columbia
"A small amount of rain and cooler weather can be critical for thousands or tens of thousands of salmon," he said.
Less than one-tenth of British Columbia has sufficient water to meet the needs of municipal drinking systems, agriculture, hydroelectric dams, and freshwater ecosystems, despite recent rainfall. The province is grappling with a near-year-long drought exacerbated by record heat and unusually low snow levels, affecting areas from the Lower Mainland to northern B.C.
Vancouver Island and parts of the northern Peace region are experiencing particularly severe drought conditions, with officials indicating levels four and five, the most critical categories. Coree Tull, co-chair of the B.C. Watershed Security Coalition, noted that this is the first instance of a province-wide drought. "In the past, droughts have affected regions individually, but last year we saw a simultaneous drought across the entire province," she said.
The widespread drought presents significant challenges. Vancouver Island, in stage five drought, faces a dire situation where communities can no longer rely on neighboring regions for water due to the extensive drought affecting the entire area. The drought impacts extend beyond drinking water, affecting food and electricity production. Reduced water availability for farmers, coupled with increased demand, strains the province's hydroelectric reservoirs, forcing officials to purchase power from outside B.C. to meet needs.
East Kootenay rancher Dave Zehnder highlighted how the dry conditions have heightened wildfire risks. His ranch near Invermere experienced a fire earlier this year, which, though contained, caused damage to his timber lot and threatened nearby watershed resources.
Salmon and other fish species are also endangered due to low water levels, which hinder spawning and increase water temperatures, stressing fish that require cooler water. Aaron Hill, executive director of the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, pointed out that even modest rainfall and cooler temperatures are crucial for the survival of salmon. "A small amount of rain and cooler weather can be critical for thousands or tens of thousands of salmon," he said.
With expectations that droughts will become more frequent and severe due to climate change, Tull emphasized that more proactive measures are needed. Unlike many other Canadian provinces, B.C. does not mandate water metering for municipalities, with only a few implementing it. Widespread water metering and better monitoring of large industrial water users could help reduce waste. Additionally, increasing water storage through reservoirs and wetlands, and using "beaver dam analogues" to mimic natural water storage systems, could improve water management.
Tull advocates for a billion-dollar endowment to support communities in water conservation and storage efforts, urging provincial and federal governments, along with other stakeholders, to fund preemptive drought mitigation strategies. A spokesperson for the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship noted that the province has allocated about $788 million over the past three years to various drought-related programs. However, Tull argues for a more comprehensive approach to water management.
"The climate crisis is fundamentally a water crisis, manifesting as either too much or too little water," she said, referencing both the ongoing drought and the severe floods of 2021. "While there is still enough water in British Columbia, we need to manage it more effectively."
