Kamloops tightens water use restrictions as drought puts strain on salmon habitat

Kamloops is implementing stricter water use regulations amid worsening drought conditions in the Thompson River, a situation one conservationist says is putting salmon habitat at risk.

The new water conservation measures the municipality in B.C.'s Interior is putting in place include a ban on water sprinklers for lawn irrigation. However, watering is still permitted with handheld spring-loaded nozzles.

The city is also allowing boat and vehicle washing but only at commercial car washes and is prohibiting the pressure-washing of cars for esthetic reasons.

Violations carry fines of $100 for the first offence and $200 for subsequent offences.

In early August, the B.C. government announced the drought status in both the North and South Thompson River basins had risen from Level 4 to Level 5.

In the province's classification, Level 4 indicates drought is likely to have adverse impacts on socio-economic or ecosystem values, while Level 5 signifies such impacts are certain.

Irrigation of playing fields and waterparks permitted

Before introducing strict limits on water usage, Kamloops urged residents and businesses last month to reduce water consumption by 25 per cent across the city when the drought was at Level 4 — a measure that's still in place.

City utility services manager Greg Wightman says despite the severity of the situation, irrigating parks, playing fields and water parks is still permitted.

"[Waterparks] will remain open because they are a place for people to cool down," he said. "[Parks and playing fields] are public infrastructure, and we need to keep those protected, so we will allow irrigation to continue on those."

The city says its water usage restrictions are designed to safeguard salmon and other aquatic species in the Thompson River, as these species are under threat due to rising river water temperatures caused by reduced water flow during the Level 5 drought.

Jason Hwang, the vice president of the Vancouver-based environmental advocacy group Pacific Salmon Foundation, says the higher water temperatures will be challenging for spawning salmon returning from the ocean to the Thompson River.

"It's like trying to run a marathon in a hot tub or in a sauna — they have to do it every day, 24 hours, seven days a week until they can get home and get to their spawning grounds," Hwang said. 

Check for water leaks and use ollas for plant watering

Meanwhile, Paul Simpson, a plumbing instructor at Thompson Rivers University, is encouraging Kamloops residents to check for water leaks from toilets and faucets at home to help conserve water.  

He recommends using water meters to detect any water wastage due to leaks.

"It might not save any one of us a lot of water, [but] it could make huge benefits for our houses, or cumulatively across the province, we could see huge savings of actual water use," he said.

Megan Blackmore, a master-gardener-in-training based in Kamloops, advises people who grow plants at home to water directly at the roots rather than wasting water on parts of the plant that require less. 

She also suggested using ollas, or water-filled terracotta pots buried in soil, as a way to efficiently water plants.

"Because clay is porous, you fill it with water every couple of days and just up to the top, and it slowly leaks out into your soil," she said. "It keeps it moist without [you] having to constantly go out and water it."