Watermark > Summer 2001 > Features: Are parts of BC Facing a Drought?

Features

• BCWWA's 29th Annual Conference
  "Excellent Value, Well Organized" Technical Program
  Photo Highlights of the Conference
• Drinking Water Quality: The Cost of Doing Nothing has Become Unaffordable
  By Larry Sawchyn & Sean Brophy, Co-Chairs, Drinking Water Committee
• "Doctor T" Talks Decentralization to BC's Waste Quality Leaders
  By Colwyn Sutherland, Chair, Decentralized Waste Treatment Committee
• Are Parts of BC Facing a Drought?—With the snowpack throughout the province well below normal, this questions is increasingly being asked.

Are parts of BC Facing a Drought?

With the snowpack throughout the province below to well below normal, the question is increasingly being asked "are we in a drought?" This is not a simple question to answer as there is no easy, quantifiable definition of a drought. According to the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, there are generally considered to be three types of drought that may occur separately or in combination. These are: meteorological droughts (measured by lack of precipitation); agricultural droughts (measured by lack of soil moisture to support crops); and hydrological droughts (measured by low water levels in streams, lakes and wells).

Because British Columbia's water supply is largely stored as snow at this time of year, the below normal snowpack certainly indicates the potential for a hydrologic drought later in the year when the runoff occurs. With the three-month totals (Nov - Jan) for precipitation at less than 70% of normal in most areas of the province, by some standards, we could be said to be in a moderate drought. The adjacent areas of the United States have been declared to be in a "Moderate Drought - Water, Hydrological."

The regional snow water equivalent index for the upper Fraser is estimated to be only 59% of normal, the lowest index recorded in this region in the past 40 years. In the Columbia Basin, the snowpack also remains close to previously recorded minimum levels, with most long-term snow courses in the lower Columbia reporting their lowest readings ever. On Vancouver Island, snow accumulation was close to normal and the regional snowpack index remains at 64% of normal. The NorthWest Region is one of the few exceptions in BC where the regional water equivalent index has risen to 87% of normal, the same value as was estimated at this time last year.

A continuation of the dry conditions could have impacts on several facets of life in B.C.

Water Supply: Most reservoirs and storage dams in B.C. rely on filling from runoff from winter rains (on the coast) and from snowmelt (in the interior.) Reservoirs that do not fill from these sources generally will be unlikely to make up the deficiency later in the year unless it is abnormally wet. This can obviously impact water supply for domestic, irrigation and hydroelectric power - particularly later in the year if the dry conditions persist.

Agriculture: Non-irrigated agriculture depends on soil moisture levels and the lack of precipitation over the winter will normally result in lower soil moisture levels in many areas. The recovery from dry conditions can, however, be quite quickly achieved if there is close to normal rainfall later in the year. Agriculture relying on irrigation normally depends on a surface water source (reservoir or stream) and these are unlikely to recover from a winter/spring drought unless subsequent precipitation is substantially greater than normal.

Forestry: The most apparent effect of dry conditions on forestry is the increased danger of forest fires. A dry winter/spring can have the result of an earlier start to the forest fire season than normal and the likelihood that the fires will be more intense than under wetter conditions. Again, subsequent wet conditions can quite rapidly reduce the hazard levels.

Fish: The lower than normal snowpacks will probably mean that rivers will peak at lower than normal levels during the freshet - and quite possibly that the peaks will occur earlier than normal. In the major rivers this usually has the effect of lower flows for the rest of the summer, very often resulting in warmer water temperatures. Both low flows and warm temperatures increase stress and hence mortality levels in fish. A return to normal levels of precipitation would not normally do much to alleviate this condition.

For more information on snowpack conditions, visit this website: www.elp.gov.bc.ca/wat or contact R. McNeil at tel (250) 387-9472 or D. Gooding at tel (250) 387-9480.

So What Should BC Consumers Do to Conserve Scarce Water Supplies?

• In your house, check for leaks from faucets and pipes; even the smallest drip can waste as much as 75 L a day.
• Instead of running the tap to get cold water, keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. It saves time and water!
• Don't waste water on sidewalks and driveways, grass doesn't grow there anyway. When watering the lawn or garden, place the sprinkler so that water isn't wasted.
• While brushing your teeth, instead of leaving the tap running, fill a glass to rinse your mouth.
• Baths use less water than a typical shower. Soaking in a partially filled tub will use less water than a short shower.
• Showers use 11 to 20 L per minute. So if you must have a shower, make it quick.
• The human body is about 70% water; we cannot survive more than a week without water.
• Water makes up about 75% of the brain and 83% of blood; the total amount of water in the body of an average adult is 37 L.
• Almost 80% of the earth's surface is covered in water. Of this 97% is salt water, 2% is glacial ice. That leaves less than 1% as fresh water for us to use.
• Did you know that in North America, the average person uses more than 650L a day?
• In Canada, an average adult drinks about 1.5 L of water each day. This isn't all straight tap water, but includes water used when making hot and cold drinks such as juices, coffee and tea.
• In most cities and towns, drinking water coming from your tap is treated so that we don't get sick with diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, which are caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites found naturally in the water.
• Don't use water from the hot water tap for drinking or cooking.
• You should never drink water straight from a lake or river; you could get sick!
• If you live in an older home that has lead pipes, first thing in the morning, run your water for a couple of minutes, or until it gets cold, before you drink it.
• Your drinking water may be fluoridated to help prevent dental cavities.
• Don't pollute rivers and lakes; they may be someone's source of drinking water.

Do you know how your drinking water gets purified and then goes to your house? Why not ask your teacher to arrange a tour of your local water treatment plant. It will be fascinating and will help you better understand why we should conserve and protect our water supplies!