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Drought 2015

Kelowna adopts permanent outdoor watering restrictions

KELOWNA - In the wake of this summer’s drought, Kelowna is adopting permanent outdoor watering restrictions and bumping up its enforcement of the new rules. While reducing outdoor water use during drought is one benefit, of equal value is reducing the impact of demand spikes during dry summer months on the city’s water pipes and...

Few leafy losses following summer of drought in Kelowna

KELOWNA - All that remains of the two large cottonwood trees that used to shade the city parking lot at the Water Street boat launch are the two big holes where they once stood. One tree snapped and fell over Monday night, Sept. 28, and the other tree was removed by city crews as a...

Fishing reopens on drought-affected Okanagan rivers

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Fishermen can again drop a line in streams and rivers that were closed to angling this summer because of drought in Southern B.C. The natural resource ministry announced in a press release the reopening of fishing on the Kettle, West Kettle and Similkameen Rivers and their tributaries, the Middle Shuswap River and the main...

Water drilling rush in B.C. Interior to get jump on new water regulations

IMPACT UNKNOWN THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Companies drilling water wells in the B.C. Southern Interior appear to be busier than usual and the reason may be the introduction next spring of the provincial Water Sustainability Act and its new well licensing requirements. While hard numbers of how many wells are being drilled are hard to come by...

Province suspends fishing in Salmon Arm Bay

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The province is suspending fishing in Salmon Arm Bay where the Salmon River and Shuswap Lake meet. This action is because of conservation concerns and low stream flows. Effective this weekend, Sept. 11, until the end of the year, all fishing in Salmon Arm Bay west of Engineer's Point and Sunnybrae Point is...

Water restrictions reinstated on Coldwater River

MERRITT - A water use restriction aimed at protecting fish populations in the Coldwater River has been reinstated today. As extreme drought conditions continue throughout the region, temporary water use restrictions for the Coldwater River and its tributaries was reinstated today, Sept. 2. The order affects 50 water licenses and allows for flexibility for irrigation...

Signs at boat launches encourage responsible fishing in Okanagan Lake

KELOWNA – Lovers of the lure will notice some new signs at several major boat launches in Kelowna. The signs, which are presently at launches at Sutherland Park, Water Street, Queensway, Cook Road and Cedar Creek, list the native and introduced species in the lake as well as encourage people to practice responsible fishing. “The...

Water restrictions end for Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Annual water restrictions end today, Aug. 31, but Kamloops residents are still being asked to voluntarily restrict their water use. The mandated water restrictions run from May 1 through Aug. 31 every year and while the city recently asked residents to reduce their water use, Mike Firlotte, the city’s utility services manager, says the...

Okanagan Lake water level not bad, next year could be the problem

OKANAGAN - Despite sitting smack dab in a region beset by a level four drought, Okanagan Lake is not doing too badly when it comes to water level, at least at first glance. Estimates from the natural resources ministry predict the lake won’t go down as far as it has in previous drought years. It's...

Kamloops asks residents to voluntarily use less water

KAMLOOPS – The city is asking residents and business owners to voluntarily reduce their water because of low river levels. The province recently issued a Level Four drought rating for the South Thompson and North Thompson river basins. Rainfalls have not been sufficient to replenish aquifers or local stream flow levels.  The province has taken the...

Grassland-eating grasshoppers causing grief for Interior cattle ranchers

KAMLOOPS - A district board member hopes to speak with the provincial Minister of Agriculture about "a great number of complaints" about the growing grasshopper population eating away the grasslands near Kamloops and causing concerns for ranchers.  Ken Gillis, the director for the Grasslands area of the Thompson Nicola Regional District, says he plans to...

Warm fall, mild winter in long-range forecast

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Look for a hotter, drier fall across the Southern Interior if AccuWeather’s long-range fall forecast holds true. Issued by AccuWeather’s global weather centre, the forecast says a stubborn high pressure system anchored over the West coast and abnormally warm water over the north-eastern Pacific have kept the weather warm and dry. This is...

North Thompson hits level four drought rating

NORTH THOMPSON – As drought conditions persist and stream flows decrease around the province, the North Thompson region has joined the ranks of many others at a level four drought rating. Conditions in the region are still extremely dry even after the past weekend’s rainfall. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead...

Penticton water users appear unfazed by level four drought conditions

PENTICTON - Recent escalation by the province to a level four drought rating for the Okanagan Valley and the City of Penticton appears to be having little effect on water use in the city. “We’re not meeting our targets,” communications officer Simone Blais says, referring to a July 17 request from the city asking residents...

Water managers preparing for longer-term Okanagan drought

KELOWNA - While they are still in the midst of dealing with this year’s widespread drought in the southern B.C. the province’s top water managers are already looking ahead to next year. “Current weather patterns is for a strong El Nino blob off the coast. It is setting up the scenario for a drier than...

You’re not the only one not feeling frisky in this heat

HEAT KILLING CATTLE (SEX) DRIVE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Beef is meeting supply needs so far this year, but it hasn’t been easy for ranchers as they deal with drought and extreme conditions that leave cattle not wanting to mate. Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattleman’s Association, says the hardest hit areas in the province’s...

Why you’ll want to reserve your Okanagan red wines this year

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - All through the Okanagan region, winemakers are getting excited about prospects for this year’s grape crop. Hot, sunny days that have been relatively constant since early June have brought this year’s vintage along at blazing speed, and Okanagan winemakers believe the conditions are right for one of the best vintages ever. “It’s definitely...

West Kelowna steps up water use regulations

WEST KELOWNA - Due to continuing hot, dry weather, the City of West Kelowna has moved to stage two watering regulations. Residents are advised that, effective immediately, outdoor watering is prohibited between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and is only permitted two days per week, as follows: - Even numbered addresses water on Tuesdays and...

Water meters help keep lid on consumption in Kelowna

KELOWNA - As the province deals with the one of the most widespread droughts on record, municipalities and other water providers are increasingly looking for ways to alter consumption patterns amongst their users. While staged watering restrictions can force short term changes in use, the gold standard for long term change is the water meter,...

Green bags helping Kamloops trees ward off drought

KAMLOOPS – Those strange green bags you’ve seen around city trees are a clever system of irrigation that uses less water, requires less time to maintain and is environmentally sustainable. While the city has used these water bags for a number of years, they have been placed in higher visibility areas this year. “We are...