Kootenay Boundary Regional Drought Level Update Oct. 6th, 2021
The list below shows the most recent Kootenay Boundary Region drought levels, updated on Wednesday October 6th. The BC Drought Information Portal has been updated with the current drought status and any recent provincial information bulletin can be found Here. Once again, please be aware that the four level drought scale (1-4) most are familiar with has been replaced by a six level system (0-5). This six level scale and associated indicator thresholds have been revised in the retitled “BC Drought and Water Scarcity Response Plan”.
The current Kootenay Boundary Region basin drought levels and associated recommendations are as follows.
- Upper Columbia- Level 0- no drought concern at this time.
- East Kootenay- Level 2- emphasize stewardship and to prepare under the precautionary assumption that conditions may deteriorate again.
- West Kootenay- Level 2- emphasize stewardship and to prepare under the precautionary assumption that conditions may deteriorate again.
- Lower Columbia- Level 2- emphasize stewardship and to prepare under the precautionary assumption that conditions may deteriorate again.
- Kettle- Level 3 – requesting voluntary water use reductions of 30%. This includes both surface water and groundwater.
We have continued to observe improvements in streamflow and more frequent precipitation throughout many parts of the region. This trend has again prompted the lowering of drought levels in most KBR drought basins. With the general licenced irrigation season ending on September 30th and overall water use reductions occurring due to seasonal changes, water use pressure on many sources has largely eased. Despite this, some areas remain at a moderate drought level where we ask that water users remain vigilant for the time being and continue to monitor the BC Drought Information Portal for weekly updates.