The District of Lake Country is set to begin work on Phase 3 of the Beaver Lake Chain and Vernon Creek Water Management Plan, bolstered by funding aimed at enhancing agricultural water supply and management.
“Our top priority is to maintain sustainable water flows for the aquatic habitat in Middle Vernon Creek while also safeguarding the community's water needs,” Mayor Ireland said. “It's crucial that we support the creation and restoration of healthy ecosystems for future generations. This funding reflects the Province and the District's shared commitment to protecting the environment and securing a reliable water supply for the future.”
The project is made possible through the financial support of the Province of British Columbia via the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. The Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program aims to increase the use of efficient irrigation infrastructure and improve agricultural water supply and management in British Columbia. This program contributes to enhancing stream flows, supporting fish populations, and promoting sustainable food production.
“The Agricultural Water Infrastructure program helps the agricultural sector by supporting water supply and management in water-scarce areas, so people in those communities can have a more resilient local food supply,” said Harwinder Sandhu, parliamentary secretary for agriculture and MLA for Vernon-Lumby. “We know climate change is impacting food security in British Columbia, and we will continue to make the investments needed to help improve local agricultural water supply and management systems. I have seen firsthand the positive impacts of this investment by visiting farms in the Okanagan and hearing directly from the farmers.”
The overarching objective of the Water Management Plan is to provide reliable Environmental Flow Needs (EFN) in Middle Vernon Creek, without jeopardizing the community water availability in a multi-year drought. The plan has been developed in three phases:
• Phase 1 focused on defining challenges and concerns within this multi-jurisdictional waterway.
• Phase 2 explored potential solutions and engaged stakeholders.
• Phase 3, now beginning, will conduct feasibility and environmental studies on the proposed solutions identified in Phase 2.
One of the biggest challenges in this waterway is that Duck Lake drops below its outlet level into Middle Vernon Creek during the summer due to evapotranspiration and agricultural withdrawals, causing the creek to nearly dry up. To compensate, the District must release large volumes of water from Beaver Lake to refill Duck Lake until it reaches the outlet level, reestablishing environmental flows in Middle Vernon Creek. However, these releases make the District’s Beaver Lake supply more vulnerable to multi-year droughts.
"Resolving this issue is critical to protecting the community’s water supply," said Kiel Wilkie, Capital Projects Manager with the District. “The District and residents are committed to environmental stewardship and are confident that this can be achieved without compromising water availability, even during a multi-year drought."
Photo caption: the map highlights the challenges discussed above.
For more information contact:
Kiel Wilkie
Capital Project Manager
District of Lake Country
kwilkie@lakecountry.bc.ca
250-766-5650