A new report is raising alarms over water shortages in B.C. affecting people and salmon.
The report is dubbed "Tapped Out," was released by the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, and calls on the province to dedicate more resources to improve monitoring and measuring, along with more stable funding for water management and water governance.
Science and Policy advisor and lead author, Tanis Gower, says about 63% of B.C.’s population lives in water-stressed areas, and while areas with the highest level of water stress covers only 3.7% of the province -- 23% of the population lives in those places:
" In our report we found that there were 8 different regions of most concern. So we are talking in the areas around Kamloops, Kelowna, Nelson, and on the east coast of Vancouver Island. Watersheds like the Okanagan, and the Nicola and the Cowichan."
Gower says B.C.’s population has doubled since the 1970’s and some of the water stressed areas have higher than average growth rates.
The report says there is an urgent need for increased efforts and funding to safeguard water for people, and the survival of wild salmon.
Tapped Out may be viewed at the following link: https://watershedwatch.ca/resource/tapped-out-a-special-report-on-water-scarcity-and-water-solutions-in-british-columbia/