Home / Environment / Syilx Nation Declares Watershed Emergency Amidst Severe Drought
Syilx Nation Declares Watershed Emergency Amidst Severe Drought
21 May
Summary
- Syilx Okanagan Nation declared a watershed emergency due to persistent drought.
- Low water levels are critically impacting fish populations and ecosystems.
- The nation urges the provincial government to implement mandatory water restrictions.
The Syilx Okanagan Nation has declared a state of watershed emergency, citing ongoing severe drought conditions that have depleted water levels in critical regional watersheds. Jordan Coble, a Westbank First Nation council member, described the heartbreaking situation where fish are struggling for air due to the lack of water in creeks.
The nation is formally calling upon the provincial government to take immediate action, highlighting accelerating drought, ecosystem decline, and increasing threats to water security. The Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance, comprising seven member communities in southern B.C. and the Colville Confederated Tribes in Washington state, has declared this emergency for multiple key watersheds including Okanagan, Nicola, and Similkameen.
Low snowpack levels, with some regions receiving less than half their average accumulation, have contributed to this extreme situation. The nation is advocating for mandatory water use reductions, specific fish protections, and a temporary suspension of new water licenses. They also seek a co-governance forum with the province for shared decision-making and accountability.
In response, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship stated that discussions are underway with Syilx communities regarding water scarcity assessments and that a collaborative stewardship forum was established in 2023. The ministry acknowledged the risk to fish and noted that water protection orders can be issued as a last resort, governed by the Water Sustainability Act.
