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By Victor Kaisar

Drought Preparedness

Low snowpack, early-season melt has City of Kamloops preparing for possibility of summer drought

May 15, 2025 | 1:04 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops is once again preparing for the possibility of drought, as warmer weather last month has contributed to an early melt this spring.

Utility and Environmental Services Services Manager Greg Wightman says the South Thompson basin – where the snowpack was at 72 per cent of normal as of May 1 – is particularly concerning.

“The Celista snow basin in the South Thompson region is at the lowest its been in 18 years, so really concerning numbers,” Wightman said during the May 13 Committee of the Whole meeting. “What this means is less likelihood of flooding, though you can’t eliminate it entirely because snowpack is just one factor, weather is the biggest driver of freshet.”

“We’re seeing a real early freshet this year. A lot of the snow melt that occurs later has already occurred, so you’re seeing rivers at an elevated level. But what this does indicate is high likelihood of concerns of drought this year.”

According to data from the BC River Forecast Centre, the South Thompson snowpack was at 80 per cent of normal at this time last year. Elsewhere, the North Thompson snowpack was at 84 per cent of normal this year, compared to the 71 per cent it was last year.

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Wightman said the City has of Kamloops a number of seasonal preparedness teams that work to monitor and plan for seasonal hazards like drought, flood, as well as extreme heat and cold.

He added when it comes to freshet season, the team begins work in February and they usually wrap up around this time.

“After May 1, the snowpack is not as important as weather becomes more important so we are receiving specialized information that we get from Environment Canada and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness,” Wightman added.

“We attend coordination meetings that EMCR puts on, so whether that be wildfires or flood or drought to keep up to the date with the latest information.”

Wightman also said while the risk of flooding remains low, crews are doing weekly dike inspections at the moment to ensure there are no issues should conditions change.

“We’ll continue to monitor drought and wildfire and all of the other things that these seasonal preparedness teams are doing,” he added.

In April last year, new year-round water restrictions took effect in Kamloops, though Wightman said because drought levels were “manageable,” the City was unable to fully analyze how effective it was as the enhanced restrictions were never enacted.

“Last year, despite all the predictions that we having about a bad drought season, we actually peaked at drought level 3 for the time of Aug. 15 to 29, meaning we never got out of our normal stage,” Wightman said.

“To fully evaluate the effectiveness of this plan was a bit challenging but the plan has received national interest.

The next release of snowpack data from the BC River Forecast Centre, which will include data as of May 15, is scheduled to be released on either May 22 or 23.