Boundary Region: Extreme & High Fire Danger Rating
With the continued hot weather, be extra careful driving or spending time in our forests. Our region is drying out very quickly. Know before you go. Get the BC Wildfire App (link below), we are seeing many fire starts close to the Boundary.
As we watch the rivers rise with our recent rain, I’m always impressed with those sites that can present our local conditions in an easily accessible format. https://droughtportal.gov.bc.ca/ not only offers drought information but also has links for water levels, how the river levels relate to normal conditions, precipitation and snow condition. This site uses daily averages, and be warned – it is usually a few days behind in uploading the data, but a nice visual for weekly/average conditions.
The images attached look at current water levels from the Water Survey of Canada (wateroffice.ec.gc.ca) for the Granby River and West Kettle River – you can see the rise in water levels from the rain over the past few days, compared to the droughtportal.gov.bc.ca that shows how the daily average compares to previous years. I’ve included an arrow where it tells you the date of the last data upload.
As we face low snowpack and hot spring weather, it’s important for us all to prepare for the possibility of a summer drought. Now’s the time to water your plants deeply – watering plants deeply and less often encourages deep root growth, helping them access water stored deeper in the soil during drought. You may want to consider swapping out water-intensive varieties for drought-tolerant options. Luckily, there are plenty of stunning examples of xeriscaping with plants throughout our region. As you’re checking them out, it’s a great time to see which plants are deer-resistant, or at least somewhat deer-resistant! Let’s do our part to conserve water and keep our landscapes thriving.
Feeling the heat lately? With the snow melting and temperatures soaring, our river water levels are rising. Here’s a snapshot of river water levels compared to previous years. While we’re still within the ‘normal range’ (green section), we are on the very lower end of it. Seeing those rivers swell is a good sign, as it replenishes aquifers and nourishes our riparian ecosystems ahead of summer’s dry spell. Let’s stay mindful of our waterways and the balance they bring to our environment. BdryWaterWise
The Province has just increased the drought level for the Okanagan River Basin to a Level 2 (very dry) and the Kettle River Basin to a level 5 (exceptionally dry). Within the Kettle Basin the two more southern sub-basins (Middle Kettle and Lower Kettle) have increased to a level 4, with the west and northern sub-basins at a level 5. BC Drought Information Portal
With the anticipation of rain continuing this week, the hope is that there will be enough precipitation to bring our stream water levels back to a normal level for this time of year.
If you have any comments, observations and/or concerns in your region that you would like the RDKB to pass on to the Province in support of their reviews, please email them to: [email protected].
With this changing climate, we need to prepare now as it is likely we will start seeing these dry conditions more often. The RDKB is encouraging people to think about how they can reduce their water needs and strengthen their private distribution system to minimize water waste.
Click below to see what residents in the Boundary are already doing to reduce their personal water needs:
Summary of actions already happening in the Boundary to reduce personal water use
If you have any ideas on education or tools that the RDKB Watershed Program should explore or consider incorporating to help support efficient water use, please let me know.
