From the eastern tip of St. John’s to the shores of Lake Superior and extending to the western reaches of Prince George and the B.C. coast, the latest update from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada paints a stark picture of country-wide drought conditions, says Living Lakes Canada, adding, “as of Jan. 31, an alarming 70 per cent of Canada is abnormally dry, with extreme and exceptional drought hotspots, including southern Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and northern B.C.”
Zeroing in on the west coast, the BC River Forecast Centre’s snow survey update in early February revealed that the province-wide snowpack remains very low, averaging 39 per cent below normal (compared to 21 per cent this time last year).
Reduced snowpacks threaten freshwater availability critical for agriculture, communities, and ecosystem health.
Snowpacks serve as a natural reservoir, gradually releasing water into rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes and groundwater during the spring snowmelt. A thinner snowpack foreshadows a likely drought again this summer.
Drought impacts, however, vary between watersheds and regions, which Living Lakes says underscores the need for locally specific data, and knowledge to inform data-driven decision-making around climate adaptation and water stewardship.
This is where community-based water monitoring (CBWM) steps in. Community-based water monitoring refers to local communities actively participating in collecting data on water quality and quantity, empowering them to contribute to the management and conservation of water resources.
Leaders in CBWM include First Nations governments, Indigenous-led organizations, water stewardship non-profits, local governments, and regional water boards.
“CBWM plays a crucial role in connecting communities to watershed-related planning, decision making, stewardship and research,” notes Ian Sharpe, in a Living Lakes’ Feb. 27 press release.
“Community-led watershed monitoring of many kinds produces data of similar quality to data collected by governments or the private sector.”
Sharpe is an environmental consultant and retired aquatic biologist who worked for B.C.’s Ministry of Environment for 25 years. He is also the co-author of Living Lakes Canada’s recently released report featuring five CBWM case studies from across B.C.
“Sharing success stories is vital to raising the profile of valuable, cost-effective CBWM projects to help support watershed security efforts.”
Read more at LivingLakesCanada.ca.
