Reaching drought level 4 on the provincial scale, as eastern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have, means an almost certain impact on fish and ecosystems in the area.
In Greater Victoria, the Tetayut (Sandhill) Creek watershed has been listed by the province as being at risk from water scarcity. The area expands from Bear Hill Regional Park in Saanich through the Tsawout Nation lands and north to Central Saanich’s border with North Saanich.
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development announced Tetayut Creek on a list of Island communities where drought or water scarcity situations are being monitored.
Having recorded little to no rainfall in more than five weeks, and with no significant precipitation forecast, adverse impacts on fish and ecosystems are likely in many areas, the ministry stated in a release Thursday.
RELATED STORY: Most of eastern Vancouver Island now at drought level 4
The Tetayut Creek watershed was listed among those areas with high risks of additional impacts from water scarcity. Others included the majority of the Gulf Islands, Fulford Creek on Salt Spring Island, the Koksilah and Chemainus rivers in the Cowichan Valley, Millstone River near Nanaimo, and French Creek, Tsolum River and Black Creek in the mid-Island region.
Provincial staff are actively monitoring the situation and working to balance water uses with environmental flow needs. The province encouraged residents and commercial users in these and other areas to practise water conservation to reduce the risk of impacts on the environment and other water users.
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