Severe Water Restrictions in April?

That's what he's basically demanding.
That Greater Vernon Water customers face severe water restrictions as soon as the irrigation season starts...because reservoirs aren't full.

Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton, according to the Morning Star newspaper February 18th, said "snowpack levels in March and April will be the benchmark for the province to confirm the outlook for potential flooding."

"It would be nothing more than a show

 that NORD is trying to help."

     Anonymous 

Our area's snowpack levels are 131 per cent of normal, versus last year's at 78 per cent.

So he and Lumby Council have contacted RDNO--who control water levels on Duteau Creek Storage Reservoirs (Aberdeen, Haddo and Grizzly)--to ask that water be released at this time of year.  In other words, to not allow Grizzly, Haddo and Aberdeen to fill to the point of overflowing.

"If you don't live on a knoll, you're probably in a bowl"

  Anonymous

The topic was even discussed during the coffee klatch's meeting today.  Overheard were only snippets, one of which resonated:  "If you don't live on a knoll, you're probably in a bowl" (relating to spring flooding), "and unless you build your own berms and dikes, we're not going to short our water supplies.  But thanks for the idea, Mr. Acton."

Another comment was a bit more succinct: 

"The problem is, the lakes are already drawn down normally at this time and any more would affect water quality....we are still drinking that water and using the reservoirs. Plus in the grand scheme of things the three lakes only capture a SMALL portion of the runoff, it would only delay the inevitable. AND there's a lot that joins Duteau Creek below the dams, including Harris and Bessette Creeks which are totally unregulated. It would be nothing more than a show that NORD is trying to help. I think they should look at a canal to get the water flowing around Lumby during higher runoff years. It's all farmland around the village and would probably be a relatively easy fix."  (also Anonymous)

Mayor Acton was quoted in the newspaper as saying "We are wanting to be proactive in response to potential flooding." 

No, you're not, Mayor Acton.

You want all of Greater Vernon Water's customers to suffer horrendous--and unnecessary--water shortages all summer long. 

from the internet

"Next idea, Mayor Acton?" Kia would've asked, remembering something called climate change.

There isn't another idea.

The Mayor of Lumby asks the same thing every year.

Kevin's Correct!

As reported today in Bob Spiers' blog and the Morning Star, Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton is not impressed with the Okanagan Basin Water Board which is urging residents to conserve water now in case of drought this summer.

"There isn’t a shortage of water now,” he said, adding that there isn’t a need to cut back on water use. “I am disappointed to hear their advertisements when there isn’t a drought right now.” 

Right on, Kevin!
Exactly!

The rest of Richard Rolke's story is:

Lumby officials fear the community could be washed out again. The village has sent a letter to the Regional District of North Okanagan protesting the release of water from Aberdeen Plateau reservoirs that can lead to flooding in the downtown core.

“The regional district has the ability to help mitigate the flooding situation,” said Mayor Kevin Acton. “They need to follow best practises so they don’t cause flooding.”   In 2013, significant flooding swamped businesses and homes right in the middle of Lumby.   And sandbags have been put in place this year in case the creeks overflow their banks.

“The high-altitude melt comes in mid-June and if there is rain, it could be a perfect storm,” said Acton.

“We’d like the regional district to make an educated guess on how to get the reservoirs to the top without them spilling over and causing.”

RDNO has previously stated it can’t let water out of the reservoirs early, because, depending on weather conditions in the early spring, that water may be needed for domestic supply in the summer. It also states that snowmelt spilling over reservoirs and into creeks is a natural process.  

Beyond RDNO, Acton is not impressed with the Okanagan Basin Water Board which is urging residents to conserve water now in case of drought this summer. “There isn’t a shortage of water now,” he said, adding that there isn’t a need to cut back on water use. “I am disappointed to hear their advertisements when there isn’t a drought right now.”

"The big problem is asking the regional district to make an 'educated guess'," says Kia, adding "we haven't seen that occurring historically."

And a high-altitude melt in mid-June?
It's probably half gone already.

Don't forget, folks:

  The more water you conserve, the more you pay

 for each cubic metre of it.

Also don't forget what the consultant said during one of the SAC meetings:

  "You are blessed with loads of water..." 

It's just a matter of bureaucrats and biased-to-the-nines elected officials letting us use it!

When is that next election????