Stock photo of snow in the Okanagan hills (Image Credit: ID 112342096 © Annefrigon | Dreamstime.com)

By Liam Verster

Water Supply Update

Aberdeen snowpack below regional levels, reservoir levels being watched

Mar 12, 2026 | 11:21 AM

The North Okanagan’s snowpack was lower than the regional average to start the month, while concerns have started to emerge about this year’s water supply.

A report from the Regional District of North Okanagan said the Aberdeen Plateau had a snowpack of 55 per cent of normal as of March 1.

That was below the Okanagan’s average snowpack of 62 per cent of normal, and the provincial average of 91 per cent as of March 1. 

“Recent years have delivered only 57–86 % of normal precipitation,” the RDNO report stated.

“As a result, our higher-elevation lakes are starting each year with reduced storage, giving us less flexibility during dry periods.”

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The report added storage at the Duteau Reservoir and at Kalamalka Lake were below average and provincial targets, and while forecasts called for near-normal precipitation February through April it warned that temperatures were expected to be warmer than average.

With that in mind, Greater Vernon Water had committed to begin early public messaging about the potential risk of drought, and a notice to agricultural users outlining storage conditions.

Greater Vernon Water will host an information session on March 20 to discuss how reduced storage may influence water restrictions and to highlight ways people can cut back their use to avoid the need for restrictions to be put in place.