Image Credit: CFJC Today/Kent Simminds

By Adam Donnelly

COLDWATER RIVER

City of Merritt hopes rain helps ease water restrictions

Sep 24, 2020 | 4:32 PM

MERRITT, BC — On Monday, the City of Merritt asked residents to cease watering their lawns or washing their cars after the province declared level four drought conditions on the Coldwater River.

The restrictions were meant to protect the many fish species that call the Coldwater home. However, after the precipitation that fell throughout the region on Wednesday, conditions on the river have improved, according to Merritt Chief Administrative Officer Sean Smith.

“That critical fish-rearing threshold is 0.45 cubic metres per second. We were running around 0.35 [cubic metres per second] for the past week or so,” Smith told CFJC Today. “Now we’re seeing readings of about 1.6 [cubic metres per second] up a little higher on the Coldwater River, so we should see that moving through the Merritt area soon. Hopefully, with some more rain in the forecast, this will take us out of the danger zone.”

Merritt relies on the Coldwater River for the bulk of the community’s water supply. However, because certain streamflow values are necessary to protect fish habitat, these restrictions are put into place seemingly every year. Smith says because of that, city staff are exploring an alternative intake, which would help keep fish stocks safe and provide enough water for the community.

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“We recognize that this is just a short-term solution, these watering restrictions. we’re looking forward to being able to implement potential long-term solutions that would very likely involve us drawing water from an aquifer that is fed by the Nicole River. That’s something we’re currently exploring, and potentially making some grant applications for.”