Why is kelowna so dry

It was a huge body of water — and there was an endless supply. No one knows the real value of water until the well runs dry. We in Canada have been blessed by unlimited access to water. We bathe in it, wash with it, pour it on our crops, sprinkle our lawns with it, clean the dust off our cars with it, drink it, cook with it, and flush away our waste with it. The average British Columbian uses a whopping litres per day, more than twice that used by the average person in France.

Without water — we die, and fairly quickly too. That is the crux of the problem. This finite resource is facing even greater demands in the Okanagan as two factors combine — population growth and climate change.

The population of the Central Okanagan has doubled from its , people in All you need to do is take a short drive around the cities of Vernon, Kelowna or Penticton to see the sprawling new subdivisions that now reach well onto the dry hillsides of the valley to realize how much growth has happened within the last 10 years.

We all seem to aspire for the same thing, a detached home with a broad expanse of lawn, perhaps a swimming pool, and an unrestricted flow of water. That might be possible if nature cooperated, but nature seems in a contrary mood as climate statistics suggest. Historic climate data collected from records kept by places such as Coldstream Ranch tell us that the summers are getting warmer and the winters are becoming shorter.

The onset of the snowmelt at the McCulloch Lake area now begins 11 days earlier than it did in Jim Byrne, an expert in snow hydrology at the University of Lethbridge has done studies in the Okanagan.

What difference does a few days or degrees make? It is really in our best interest to pay attention because climate change knows no political or socio-economic boundaries. So to the local scene. The water problems facing the Okanagan have been no secret. In the early s a large study was conducted and made recommendations about preserving the integrity of our water supply.

The results were minimal. The recommendations received the typical sober nods from the bureaucrats who then did nothing because nobody gets reelected by telling people they have to stop wasting water. If you can walk on water or cause it to divide, then you have a good election platform, but to suggest we should create a central authority to control water in the Okanagan Basin was not something our leaders ran with. The problems outlined in the Okanagan Water Basin Study of failed to disappear over the next 30 years.

Our summers have been getting measurably warmer, water use increased with population and summer temperatures, snow pack has been smaller, spring run-off has been earlier, and winter precipitation has been more in the form of rainfall.

The upper lakes of the plateau do not have the capacity to store all the water we need. Snow does, but it needs to hold this water and release it gradually to prolong the runoff so we will have sufficient water for the period of highest demand for both household and agricultural use later in the summer. On June 30, after breaking three records in a row — topping out at The wildfire caused the entire village to evacuate and aerial photos show that little is left standing.

Lundquist said that while climate change will raise temperatures on average, not every summer will be blazing hot and break heat records. There have been fires in total this year, of which have started in the past week. Brolund said the local fire department is ready to spring into action and he urged the public to do the same. Brolund is strongly recommending people follow FireSmart principles to get themselves and their properties ready for forest fire season.

Click here for more information on the FireSmart program and the grants being made available. World Canada Local. Driest spring on record in Central and North Okanagan fuels fire concerns. Full Menu Search Menu. Close Local your local region National. Using the freshest local ingredients, Kelowna's top chefs bring you creative menus that will keep you coming back. A few of my local favourites include. The Okanagan is known for its great wines and vineyards, so naturally, many Wineries around Kelowna have become home to world-class restaurants with million-dollar views.

With its steady growth, Kelowna has a lot to offer professionals looking to relocate or medical staff that want to enjoy the Kelowna Lifestyle. To give you an idea of the employment situation in Kelowna, here are a few of the biggest industries :.

Its common knowledge that Kelowna has some of the best weather in Canada. Summers in Kelowna are typically warm and dry while winters can be a little cloudy but usually above zero. In general, it is one of the warmest cities in Canada with a yearly average high temperature of The nightlife and arts scene is often a factor for people when deciding to move to a new city. The good news is there are plenty of things outside of the weather that will keep you entertained. Here are a few ways that you can spend your free time in Kelowna:.

No matter the time of the year, you'll find a show, festival or cultural event to enjoy. Kelowna is no longer all about award-winning wines. Over the last few years, Kelowna has developed a rich culture of small-batch, locally made craft beers that are defiantly worth a try. Most of the microbreweries offer tasting rooms where you can not only taste their great beer; you can also learn the stories behind them.

Kelowna is in the middle of a Valley, which makes it perfect for people who enjoy hiking.