Wet weather eases drought concerns

There’s a silver lining to the cooler, dreary weather in the North Okanagan lately, and it has to do with water.

Zee Marcolin, general manager of utilities for the Regional District of the North Okanagan said the recent weather worked in their favour to reduce drought.

She told the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee there were drought concerns in June, but they have since waned thanks to cooler, wet temperatures.

“In June I had many sleepless nights because it looked like we were severely going into a drought but for the last couple of weeks we have been doing really well,” she said.

The region is still on the dry side thanks to a drier than normal June but Marcolin said they are doing their part to reduce the likelihood of drought for the remaining weeks of summer.

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Despite the reprieve, some of the reservoirs did not reach 100 per cent capacity, which is concerning.

In fact, a reservoir for agriculture only reached 60 per cent capacity this year according to Marcolin.

“We are actually doing a bunch of studies and finding out if we are losing water anywhere, because it is never not filled, as far as I know,” she said.