Drought problems in the Cowichan Valley

Water levels in Cowichan Lake and the Cowichan River are at record lows. What does this mean for our summer?

Yes, Winter Drought is a Thing

Water levels are low in the Cowichan River this spring. Snowmelt may help, but will it be enough? This past week, officials notified Cowichan Valley residents that water levels in the Cowichan River are lower than predicted, and are actually at the values we expect to see in August. The reason we usually get such…

Communicating Scientific Results to Local Communities: BC Floods 2018

The top disaster news in the past few weeks has been major flooding in communities across Canada. From New Brunswick to Alberta and British Columbia, it’s been a wet spring for Canadians across the country. Here in BC, the city of Grand Forks was inundated with the most water they’ve seen since 1948. Other communities…

Spring: Snow, Water, Wildfire, and Gardening

The BC River Forecast Centre (RFC) released their April 1 snow survey bulletin this week. April 1st snow water equivalent (the depth of water you’d have if you melted the snow instantaneously) is used as a surrogate for the total seasonal snow accumulation and for the maximum seasonal snowpack on the ground. After April 1,…

Wishing for Snow

I’ve just returned from another soggy dog walk. My rain pants and jacket are dripping on the floor, and the baseball cap I wear to keep the rain off my glasses is sopping. Not to mention the dog who – despite shaking herself off regularly along our 45 minute route – is soaked to the…