British Columbia's ongoing drought is unlike any previous one in provincial history, according to Bowinn Ma, B.C.'s minister of emergency management and climate readiness.
"The type of drought that British Columbia – and the government of British Columbia – is typically familiar with is localized, short-term drought, and that's what a lot of our drought planning is based on," Ma said at a news conference Wednesday.
"What we're facing in B.C. this year, and what is likely to happen more and more into the future as a result of climate change, is widespread, province-wide, prolonged drought."
She stressed that it's too soon to say exactly how severe the current drought – or future ones – will become, nor what impacts they will have on the province.
Ma said the government is working to address this "new reality" of more widespread, long-term drought, touting a "cross-ministry, cross-government" effort to "understand where our gaps in knowledge are and how we can fill those gaps as quickly as possible."
"It is too early to know exactly what this will look like into the future, but I think it is safe to say that with the climate crisis and the changing climate, we will have to be more prepared and aware of drought conditions into the future," Ma said.
As of Wednesday, 80 per cent of the province was experiencing a Level 4 or 5 drought – the two highest levels on the provincial scale – according to Forests Minister Bruce Ralston.
At Level 4, "adverse impacts on both communities and ecosystems" are likely. At Level 5, they are almost certain.
While it's not uncommon for B.C. to experience drought conditions in late summer and early fall, this year has been unusual. Many communities were already in severe drought by early summer.
On the Sunshine Coast, which imposed Stage 4 water restrictions banning almost all outdoor water use last week, water levels in Chapman Lake have dropped to 14 per cent of capacity.
Connie Chapman, acting director of the Water Management Branch of the Ministry of Forests, said reservoir levels across the province are lower than is desirable for this time of year.
"We are going to have to keep an eye on the reservoirs and really look at planning and water use into next year if we don't see the reservoir elevations increase in the coming months," she said.
