Drought conditions remain at level 4

Drought levels around Merritt have been at level 4 since July 21, and as of the latest report from the River Forecast Centre both the Nicola and Coldwater basins remain at level 4. Drought in BC is measures on a scale from 1-6.

While recent rain across the region has helped, Senior Authorizations Officer Patrick Farmer spoke to Q101 about the summer drought.

“The Nicola, and Upper Nicola is actually more concerning than the Coldwater this year,” said Farmer. “The conditions we’re seeing in the Upper Nicola part of the watershed is drought level 5, we’re seeing streams at levels that are unprecedented for this time of year.”

The surprise comes as the Coldwater basin usually suffers some of the worst drought anywhere in British Columbia.

“Fish migration has already begun on the Nicola River, and those fish at the moment are able to migrate up. Of course there is still come challenging conditions along the way with temperatures and low water,” added Farmer.

Farmer said while it’s been a tough season, the local community has stepped up.

“We’ve really seen people in Merritt step up by conserving water, by not watering their lawns. We’ve seen the agricultural and First Nation communities band together to release water into streams that would otherwise be dry,” said Farmer.