Preparing for Droughts

What is Drought?

Drought is a recurrent feature of climate involving a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, resulting in a water shortage.  In British Columbia, drought may be caused by combinations of insufficient snow accumulation, hot and dry weather or a delay in rainfall.

How does drought affect us in B.C.?

Drought conditions can impact communities and individuals in many different ways. Previous droughts, including that experienced in southern BC in 2009, highlight the importance of having clear actions and strategies to manage water in times of drought for both water users and aquatic ecosystems.

Being prepared to respond to droughts when they occur will help communities manage water for drinking, sanitation, fire protection, agriculture and other economic activities.  It will also help protect fish and aquatic ecosystems.

Drought Response Planning in B.C.

The B.C. Government is working on the development of a drought response plan. This plan will build on existing tools and outline the actions taken during and immediately following a drought to reduce its impacts. It will include communication steps required to ensure timely and appropriate action. Input from the four regional drought planning workshops (March 2010) will inform the response plan.

» http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/public_safety/drought_info/