Glen Davidson, P. Eng.

Director

Water Management BranchOsoyoos Lake Water Science Forum

Oct. 9, 2015 Osoyoos BC

DROUGHT 2015:Planning and Response

OUTLINE• Causes and current status of the 2015 drought• Drought impacts • How did the Province and communities plan for and

respond to the drought?• Preparing for next year

• Low snowpack levels in winter of 2014-15• Low spring precipitation• High temperatures caused early snowmelt• Extremely warm and dry summer

What Caused the Drought?

• Fish stress and mortalities across southern half of province.

• Many communities were water stressed, with some close to losing all water supplies

• Agriculture impacts• Hydropower impacts

Drought Impacts in 2015

• Outlines procedures for setting drought levels• Describes roles, responsibilities, communication

protocols for agencies. MFLNRO lead agency• Establishes working groups that are responsible for

drought actions• Outlines a series of actions to be undertaken by

agencies and local governments at each drought level.

BC Drought Response Plan

Role of Province• Coordinate provincial interagency

preparedness and response• Monitor provincial conditions• Determine drought levels, stream

advisories• Implement statutory regulations• Provincial communications• Support local emergency

preparedness and response efforts

Role of Local Government• Monitor local conditions• Manage community water supplies• Implement water conservation

strategies• Communicate with residents, local

media• Lead for emergency preparedness

and response efforts; liaison with province

• Activation of BC Drought Response Plan• Communications• Some regulation of water use under Water Act and Fish

Protection Act• Closure of many streams to angling under the Fisheries

Act• Planning for deteriorating conditions

Provincial Actions to Date

Provincial Actions in the Okanagan

• FLNRO developed and activated regional drought plan• Implementation of OLRS• Monitoring of stream and fish conditions• Potential regulation of Similkameen, Kettle/Granby rivers• High level of compliance with voluntary water

conservation

• Activation of local drought response plans• Conservative management of water supplies• Widespread application and enforcement of water

restrictions• Active communications with residents• Participation in local and provincial drought teams• But not all communities were prepared

Community Actions in 2015

Going Forward….• Plan for multi – year drought• Learn from events of 2015• Clarify roles and responsibilities• Increase capacity and resources to respond to drought

Key Messages

• Expect more droughts like 2015 or worse.• Droughts can cause significant impacts on society, the

environment, and economy.• Governments at all levels will need to ramp up planning and

response.• Infrastructure makes a difference.• Water conservation makes a difference• We’re all in this together.

Thank you!

For more info please contact:

Glen.Davidson @gov.bc.ca

or

http://www.livingwatersmart.ca/drought/