Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
The Bolduc family has been farming and ranching near Stavely, Alta., for generations and this year will be remembered for its scorching heat, lack of rain, parched fields, reduced yields and water restrictions. It's something their family and many others have seen before, but it doesn't make it any easier as they look to harvest whatever they can from their barley, alfalfa and corn fields.
Calgarians’ outdoor water use is being limited to two hours per week as the city faces continued drought conditions, officials announced Tuesday. It’s the first time the city has imposed such restrictions due to dry conditions, with water flows in the Bow River at their lowest level since 1911 and the Elbow River since 2000, said Nicole Newton, the city’s manager of natural environment and adaptation.
The City of Calgary says it has moved its drought monitoring dial to dry from normal. It says the decision is based on tracking of precipitation levels, reservoirs and lake levels, stream flow rates in the rivers and water demand. "Despite the moments of intense rainfall through July, our monitoring team continues to see impacts of this year's dry conditions across Calgary and the region," Sarah Marshall, the city's water resources planner, said in a statement.
The City of Nelson has reminded residents that the city is still under Stage 1 water restrictions. Here are the rules, according to a news release Tuesday. If you live at an even-number address, you can only water your lawn using a sprinkler or irrigation system on Wednesday and Saturday between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. If you live at an odd-number address, you may only water your lawn using a sprinkler or irrigation system on Thursday and Sunday between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Regardless of your address, you may water vegetables, flowers, trees and shrubs using a sprinkler between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on any day. You can water these items using a hose with a shut-off nozzle or a drip irrigation system at any time. All hoses must have an automatic hand-held shut-off device/nozzle. “Conservation is a community effort to reduce strain on the city’s drinking water supply and fire protection,” the news release states. “Working together, we can offset further restrictions.”
Hundreds of Vancouver residents have violated water restrictions, despite a conservation warning from the B.C. government as drought conditions intensify. Since water restrictions came into effect May 1, Vancouver has issued 287 $250 fines for breaking water restriction laws for a total of $71,750, according to city staff Saturday. On top of that the city has issued 395 warnings or letters to residents to advise them of unnecessary water usage.
The Province is declaring a state of emergency for the unincorporated Stikine region in response to the ongoing wildfire situation and is expanding campfire bans throughout the province. An evacuation order is in place for specific areas in the region affected by the Little Blue River wildfire. The Stikine region is B.C.’s only unincorporated region. The Province is responsible for implementing evacuation orders for the region, which requires the Province to issue a state of emergency for the region.
With Canada Day on the way, expect changes to your lawn sprinkling as the Comox Valley Water System is moving to Stage 2 restrictions. The change comes as a response to current drought conditions, high demand for water, and strain on the regional water infrastructure. They apply to Courtenay, Comox, and the Comox Valley Water Local service area. Senior manager of Water and Wastewater Services Kris La Rose says the past couple of weeks have seen a near record use of water from the community.
The British Columbia government is urging people to save water, saying the forecast predicts drought across much of the province this summer. A statement from the Forests Ministry says recent rains have provided some relief in parts of B.C., but it hasn't been enough to make up the deficit. B.C.'s drought map shows much of the northeastern corner of the province is at drought level four on the five-level scale, meaning conditions are extremely dry, with communities and ecosystems likely to experience adverse impacts.
California - one of the driest states in the US - is being inundated with torrential rain and flooding. And given the decades-long drought in the region, which has led to restrictions on water usage in some areas, you might be wondering if this extreme weather could in some ways be a positive. But the downpour is unlikely to have a big impact on the drought. In fact, experts say it would take consecutive years of severe wet weather to reverse it in the long-term.
Federal water managers on Monday urged numerous California cities and industrial users to prepare for a fourth dry year, warning of possible "conservation actions" as drought conditions continue despite early rains. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said water storage is near historic lows in the reservoirs it operates in the state, which serve the Central Valley breadbasket as well as the cities of Sacramento and San Francisco.
A grain farmer near Fort St. John says he and other growers are struggling as drought conditions continue to impact northeastern B.C., resulting in some of their poorest yields in years. "There was very little crop because everything got dried out," Malcolm Odermatt, a farmer and president of the B.C. Grain Producers Association, told CBC's Betsy Trumpener. "The plants went into survival mode … we're not going to do a big yield. We're just going to get a few seeds. We had absolutely no rain."
The 60-plus children recently gathered with members of the We Wai Kai Nation, Quadra Island school and community leaders and the B.C. Wildlife Federation to celebrate their new wetland restoration project by planting a selection of native trees and shrubs. The wetland will provide a habitat for endemic plants and animals and serve as an outdoor classroom for students, said Sheldon Etheridge, the School District 72 teacher who spearheaded the project. Nothing underscores the importance of protecting or restoring wetlands at a community level like drought conditions across the province provoked by a global climate crisis. “It’s exciting. The project’s all coming together,” Etheridge said. “Except for the water.”
It’s the time of year when salmon are returning to freshwater to spawn, but across the Island, fish are holding out in the ocean, waiting for the seasonal rise in creek levels to take hold and allow them to complete their life cycle. On average, Victoria sees about 88 millimetres of rain in October; so far there has been none with no precipitation in the forecast for the next week. In fact, it’s been weeks since the Island had any sizable amount of rain at all. Greater Victoria alone has only had 2mm since July 8, and water levels are falling across the region.
Unseasonable warmth over much of British Columbia is showing no sign of easing, with another day of temperature records in the books and many regions reporting no significant rain since early July. Environment Canada says 11 daily maximum temperature records were set Wednesday across parts of Vancouver Island, the Central Coast, the southern Interior and southeast B.C. At 26.9 C, the Pemberton area broke a record that has stood since 1908.
A swath of Canada better known for maple syrup is being tested to mass produce berries normally grown in warmer locales, making it the unexpected beneficiary of extreme weather, local demand and rising costs in traditional growing areas like California. Driscoll's and grower-owned Naturipe Farms LLC, two of North America's largest fruit sellers, are both testing commercial production of berries in Ontario and Quebec, executives said.
Drought conditions in parts of North America, Europe and Asia have left lakes, reservoirs and rivers much lower than usual. The dry conditions are causing problems for people who depend on the water for animal grazing and the shipment of goods. Some regions are being forced to ship water to those in need while others are resorting to cloud seeding in a bid to promote rainfall.
Just under two months ago, Elise Walker was sure her farm near the Milk River would experience another summer of drought conditions. But with a cool, rainy spring now in the rearview, things are looking much different. The native prairie has a nice green tinge, she said, and the rain keeps coming. "It makes a huge difference, considering how dry we've been the past 12 months," she told the Calgary Eyeopener Monday.
Steve Donald has one word to sum up the current condition of his southeast Saskatchewan farmyard: "Muck." The 42-year-old grain and cattle farmer near Moosomin, Sask. — just over 200 kilometres east of Regina — says repeated spring snowstorms have delayed seeding on his land. But he's optimistic the extra moisture will provide adequate feed and water for his cattle, and better growing conditions.
It is that time of year when farmers are heading into spring seeding season but Mother Nature still needs to play catch up. What was said to be the biggest snow storm in decades left behind plenty of snow for many southern parts of the province. Now there is more snow on the way and while many people are ready to put winter behind them, farmers are welcoming any extra moisture after last years’ drought.
The deadline has been extended for livestock producers wanting to apply to the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program. The announcement for the temporary enhanced funding came Tuesday from the Canadian and Saskatchewan governments. In a release, the provincial government acknowledged that producers have experienced difficulties in sourcing materials and contractors to build water development projects following 2021’s drought conditions. The program is now adjusted to allow producers who plan to claim more than $50,000 in rebates to submit a preliminary application by Mar. 31, 2022 in order to complete their projects.
