Drought emergency declared on Sunshine Coast, British Columbia lifted

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SECHELT — A drought-response regional emergency along British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been lifted as water flows return to major sources.

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A statement from the Sunshine Coast Regional District, Sechelt District and Sishar Nation said water levels in the basin had risen slightly due to a warmer-than-expected thaw.

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Regional District Director Leonard Lee said staff have worked hard to ensure residents have access to water through a 100-day summer drought and the unprecedented transition to freezing.

Phase 4 water conservation regulations are still in place, according to the statement, which does not allow the use of water for purposes such as watering lawns and playgrounds, washing vehicles, and filling hot tubs.

Rain is forecast for next week, and staff said they will be monitoring the impact on recharging in the Chapman Basin to see if those restrictions are lifted.

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A state of emergency was declared last month and drought has dried up the water system that supplies 90% of households and businesses in the Sechelt area.

Until the soil in the watershed is fully recharged, prolonged periods of cold, dry weather could threaten water supplies, according to the statement.

Sichar Nation chief Warren Paul says the past few months have demonstrated the impact of climate change on the region’s land and water supplies.

“Going forward, we must take a collaborative approach with all levels of government involved to ensure water supplies to the region,” he said in a statement.

Regional District Director Donna McMahon said this week that the Emergency Operations Center had warned that restrictions could be in place until the spring.

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The Sechelt region experienced little rain from July to mid-October, usually with more than 200mm of rainfall. When it finally rained in late October, temperatures quickly dropped below freezing at higher elevations, preventing reservoirs from refilling, Remko Rosenboom, head of the Emergency Operations Center, said earlier this month.

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