Tourists visiting some of British Columbia's hottest destinations this summer, including Vancouver Island and the Okanagan, should prepare for potential drought conditions and water conservation measures, say officials. Some regions, like the Gulf Islands, even recommend travellers bring their own drinking water for their vacation.
Low Snowpack and Early Melt Raise Concerns
Low snowpack, early snowmelt and hot-and-dry weather forecasts are elevating drought hazards, particularly for B.C.'s South Coast and southern Interior, according to the latest snow and water bulletin. Vancouver Island — home to vacation hot spots such as Tofino, Parksville and Victoria — has a below-normal snowpack, just 11 per cent of normal as of May 15 while the rest of the South Coast is 33 per cent of normal.
Another tourist favourite, the Okanagan with its vast vineyards and lakeside resorts, also faces drought and elevated wildfire risk with a snowpack at just 16 per cent of normal.
Record Low Snowpack in Okanagan
“Without a doubt the area that’s most concerning and is a record low this year is the Okanagan,” Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist with B.C.’s River Forecast Centre, said Friday. “The Okanagan was in a deficit for precipitation for the whole fall and winter, and that’s the area where I think the most critical focus is for the potential impact for drought.”
Boyd said while the snowpack on Vancouver Island is significantly below normal for this time of year, 2015 holds the record at 15 per cent of normal compared with this year’s 44 per cent of normal using the April 1 bulletin, which scientists use to analyze historical data.
Warm Temperatures Accelerate Melt
Warm temperatures during the first week of May caused rapid melt of the lower and mid-elevation snowpack, with many locations across B.C. measuring record-high maximum temperatures on May 3 and May 4, according to B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. Bobby Sekhon, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said while Vancouver Island had near normal rainfall over the fall and winter, the warmer-than-normal temperatures prevented snow pack development.
He also said April and the first half of May were drier than normal on B.C.’s South Coast. Some showers are expected on Sunday and Monday but whether that will be enough to ease drought fears is uncertain. “We can’t expect a lot of precipitation from it and amounts are always a bit unpredictable this time of year,” said Sekhon. “So we’ll have to see how things play out with the Sunday-Monday system.”
He added that he’s not seeing much of an indication that June will be wet either. “Keep in mind, June, July, August — these are pretty dry months here on the South Coast and on Vancouver Island,” said Sekhon, adding there’s not a lot of precipitation expected.
Early Lawn Watering Ban and Other Measures
Earlier this month, Metro Vancouver implemented an early lawn watering ban, signaling tougher water restrictions ahead and raising drought risk for the region. The ministry says about quarter of a season’s snowpack usually melts by May 15. This year, the snowpack is melting earlier and faster than normal with approximately 40 per cent of the snow melting.
Officials urge residents and visitors to conserve water and stay informed about local water restrictions as the summer progresses.
