The city of Dawson Creek is looking to accelerate an estimated water pipe of $ 100 million as an unprecedented drought and years threatens the only source of drinking water in the city.
The Kiskatinaw river, which provides water to 15,000 people in the northeast of British Columbia, has fallen to register minimums and can soon fall below the daily demand of the city.
Mayor Darcy Dober says that the city is asking the province to help find a new water supply and exempt a pipe connection from a complete environmental assessment. That would reduce an approval process from five years to two, but even then, Dober says that the city cannot afford to wait if the conditions continue to deteriorate.
“This is the number one priority for the future of our community,” said Dober. “These are about 50 years, 100 years later.”
Dawson Creek and the Kiskatinaw basin are currently classified as level 3 drought. [at] Minimum record for this time of year. “
The conditions are not better in Bearhole Lake, a protected area in the eastern foothills of the rocky mountains that are the headers of the Kiskatinaw. Both depend completely on seasonal rain and snow.
“We have two or three days of rain and the next day, there are not even puddles,” said Dober. “The soil is absorbing it faster than it is coming.”
Province that works in emergency plans
In a written statement, the BC (EAO) Environmental Evaluation Office confirmed that it is guiding the city through the exemption review process, but that regulatory requests have not yet been formally submitted.
Once presented, the EAO says that a 90 -day participation process will begin with the governments, the first nations and the public. From there, the city must present a detailed description of the project, which the EAO says that it will review before making a recommendation to the Minister of Environment.
“The EAO appreciates the urgency of the situation and is working closely with [the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship] To guarantee a timely and transparent review, “said a spokesman.
The spokesman said that the EAO is also working with the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Preparation to “prepare for possible emergency response measures if drought conditions persist in the fall.”
“These efforts aim to support the city’s water needs while preserving environmental flows in the Kiskatinaw river.”
Planning of a drier future
Dawson Creek officials say that the cumulative cost of recent drought in the region dates back to the 2021 heat dome.
Kevin Henderson is the administrative director of the city and has been dealing with water problems for most of his career of almost 30 years with the city. While the previous councils made smart investments in storage deposits and landfills to develop capacity in the water system, he says that today’s conditions are exceeding the limits of that infrastructure.
“We never expected a four -year -old drought. We always thought we needed to spend a one -year drought, so we invest in that direction,” said Henderson. “The system has been extremely resistant, but we believe that we are now in a turning point.”
Water restrictions in stage 2 entered into force on July 25, which limits the irrigation of residential grass and the use of industrial water, including bulk withdrawals for hydraulic fracture. The storage deposits of the city have about 200 days of water. But drawing them is a last resort, and could lead to more strict restrictions for residents and companies.
“We have to move forward with some plans,” said Henderson. “All studies that have been conducted over the years certainly indicate that this, what we are seeing, is likely to be more common in the future and that our environment is becoming more arid.”
Pipe project seen as the best solution
Previous studies have ruled out groundwater aquifers in the area as inadequate for drinking water. The city sees a pipe to the Peace River, about 55 kilometers away, such as the best long -term solution.
It is not a new idea. A 2013 survey found strong support, with 71 percent of the residents who supported a connection with La Paz or the Murray River. The advice at that time chose a different path, said Henderson, such as investing in a new deposit, maximizing the use of the existing water treatment system and leaving the pipe as a future option.
Potential pipes of pipes are still being considered, but the Peace River is emerging as the most viable and sustainable source, Henderson said.
“Due to the changing climate, although the Murray or the Pine [rivers] It could be an update of the Kiskatinaw, they still see low flows in the cataracts due to these prolonged droughts, “he said.” So we feel that if we do, we must see the largest river in the region, which is peace, and start exploring that. “
Early estimates suggest that a water pipe could exceed $ 100 million, a cost that Dober recognizes is beyond the city’s tax base.
Dawson Creek will need the financial support of higher government levels, as well as associations with industry and the first nations, so that this happens, he said.
“We are not going to stop until we obtain a safe source of water for our community and find a way to do it in the most profitable way for our taxpayers.”
As the driest approach to summer months, the BC government has presented a new system to track and inform drought conditions in the province. The program will show how much water a community has stored for use and how well rivers and streams are flowing.
