B.C. asks Vancouver Islanders to conserve water as highest drought alert issued
VICTORIA — Low rainfall and record-high temperatures have prompted British Columbia to issue its highest drought alert for residents across southern and eastern Vancouver Island.
The province is urging people to conserve water as much as possible because of extremely dry conditions that will force the closure of the sports fishery in much of the southern island between July 1 and Sept. 1.
“The closures are deemed necessary because increased temperatures and reduced flows can have impacts on survivals and stress levels on fish,” said Mike Ramsey, fisheries manager for the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
Fisheries biologists have determined conservation is triggered for streams and watersheds where temperatures exceed 20 C and river flow drops below five per cent, Ramsey said Tuesday.