File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Silvia Senna

DROUGHT

B.C. drought conditions perilous for aquatic life

Aug 9, 2023 | 4:26 PM

KAMLOOPS — The water levels are low and the water temperatures are high. According to hydrologist Jonathan Boyd of the B.C. River Forecast Centre, these are the worst conditions for salmon. They are a cold water species and current conditions are pushing them to the limit.

“The challenges when we do get into drought situations, one is the flow may be so low that it is actually impossible for the fish. But the bigger driving force for danger is the heat of the stream itself. To be this low and this early is concerning, because the lower the river is, the warmer it will end up being,” Boyd explained.

Jason Hwang, Vice-President of Salmon Programs at the Pacific Salmon Foundation, said the organization is doing everything it can to preserve the aquatic life and will be examining ways to improve fish habitats.

“One thing that we are looking at is going out into areas where the rivers are getting really low, but there is water flowing… and we are looking at opportunities to go in with potentially excavators or maybe with hand work and deepen out some of those areas, make deeper pools,” he said.

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British Columbia is in the midst of a severe drought and even though it is hard to predict what the weather will be like in the near future, both Boyd and Hwang believe similar conditions could be expected in the upcoming years.