File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze

Drought Response Plan

Kamloops Drought Response Plan outlines new water use and irrigation restrictions following 2023 drought season

Feb 23, 2024 | 11:42 AM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops has released its plan to respond to drought conditions in the region.

The city’s Drought Response Plan was created on Feb. 2, 2024 and was attached in the agenda for Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) regular Kamloops council meeting. Council will be asked to authorize staff to create amended waterworks and municipal ticket information bylaws to support the plan.

The Drought Response Plan features sections on water use restrictions and phased irrigation reduction. A communications portion is expected to be complete in 2024.

Under the plan, if the provincial drought level for the South Thompson River reaches Level 5, residents would be restricted to a maximum of three hours of irrigation on designated days. No water use would be permitted for lawns, sprinkler use wouldn’t be allowed for plants and trees, crops would only be able to receive hand watering and one day of drip irrigation per week. Washing hard surfaces like patios and exteriors could only be done for safety purposes.

Image credit: City of Kamloops

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For phased irrigation reduction, the Drought Response Plan outlines maintaining the health of grassed areas such as Riverside Park will be permitted. The city’s sports fields will also undergo regular irrigation until Level 5 drought, at which point they would receive watering every second day. Outdoor spray parks would remain open during extreme heat events.

The Drought Response Plan comes after Kamloops and the Thompson region experienced an unusually hot and dry summer in 2023. The North, Lower and South Thompson basins were at Drought Levels 4 and 5 for 105, 77 and 105 days, respectively between June 1 and Nov. 30, 2023. Compared to 2022, the three basins peaked at Drought Level 3.

Details of the Drought Response Plan can be viewed here.

As of Feb. 1, the B.C. River Forecast Centre reports snowpack readings in Kamloops and area are still below normal for the time of year. The forecast centre says low snowpack and seasonal runoff forecasts, along with warm seasonal weather forecasts and lingering impacts from previous drought, are continuing to create increased drought hazards for the spring and summer.

Another snow bulletin is scheduled for March 8.