Skip to content

B.C. preparing farmers for coming summer’s potential drought

Workshops detailing tactics and supports taking place in 30 communities through February and March
web1_230907-vms-westwold-water-1_1
More than 200 people gathered at a town hall at the Westwold Community Hall Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, where seven MLAs heard the concerns of local farmers and ranchers regarding a fish protection order that has cut off irrigation at a critical time for crops. The provincial government is holding a series of workshops across the province to help farmers and others prepare for a potential drought in 2024. (Black Press Media file photo)

Farmers and other water users are encouraged to sign up for workshops across B.C. to prepare for a potential drought this year.

The workshops organized by the provincial government are held in 30 communities across B.C., mainly in all regions of the Interior and Vancouver Island with some in the Lower Mainland.

The first workshop happened on Feb. 2 in Duncan as part of the Island Agriculture Show with workshops depending on location running through February and March into early April.

Government is billing the workshops as part of efforts to help farmers prepare for drought and understand water management decisions. This comes against the backdrop of figures from the River Forecast Centre that show snowpack levels well below seasonal norms following B.C.’s worst drought in memory and unseasonably warm January temperatures.

RELATED: B.C.’s snow-pack 44% below normal on heels of worst drought in recent memory

Workshops fall into two categories: those that help producers manage water during times of scarcity; and thost detailing available financial supports.

The province, the federal government, regional districts, municipalities and First Nations share responsibility in responding to drought. Last year, the provincial government initiated its drought and water scarcity response plan in April 2023, setting the stage for the local plans.

RELATED: Westwold farmers irate, fear crops will be lost as fish protection order cuts off water

RELATED: Okanagan drought rating heats up to highest, level 5

RELATED: Stranded fish due to low creeks turns up Armstrong water restrictions

RELATED: ‘Difficult days’: B.C. may be facing worst wildfire conditions of the summer

Measures to conserve water vary. They include the issuance of so-called temporary protection orders under the Water Sustainability Act in watersheds where fish populations or aquatic ecosystems are at risk.

Last year, the provincial government issued four TPOs, including the lower Salmon River east of Westwold and the Bessette Creek watershed northeast of Lumby on Aug. 15 where drought put trout and salmon stocks at risk. Both the lower Salmon River and Bessette Creek feed into Shuswap Lake near Salmon Arm.

Government also issued TPOs for the Tsolum River and its tributaries and Koksilah River and its tributaries on Vancouver Island. On Aug. 17, 28 out of 34 basins in B.C. were at the worst or second-worst drought rating.

Local reactions to the TPOs were less than understanding, especially in Westwold, a farming community between Kamloops and Vernon. Forage crop farmers in Westwold were unable to irrigate until at least Sept. 30, prompting heated, anti-government reactions at a community meeting on Sept. 2.

The coming workshops can be read as an attempt to prevent such reactions by explaining its process and also draw attention to available resources in the case of drought.

—with files from Brendan Shykora



Wolf Depner

About the Author: Wolf Depner

I joined the national team with Black Press Media in 2023 from the Peninsula News Review, where I had reported on Vancouver Island's Saanich Peninsula since 2019.
Read more