Boundary Integrated Watershed Service

05/28/2026

Early-Season Drought Levels Are High in the Kettle and Okanagan Watersheds

The Province’s River Forecast Centre has issued the first drought ratings for summer 2026. Following a low snowpack and early freshet, the Kettle and Okanagan watersheds are experiencing very high drought levels. Water levels in both regions are well below normal for this time of year. 💧 https://droughtportal.gov.bc.ca/

Recent rain has helped slow the usual seasonal decline in water levels, so grateful for the rain is tomorrow's forecast 🤞

Current drought levels:
Kettle River Watershed: Level 4 of 5
Okanagan River Watershed: Level 5 of 5

As we head into summer, now is the time to be WaterWise and FireSmart around your home, property, and business. Actions now can help us prepare for, what could be, hot, dry conditions to come.

The Drought Information Portal is a single source, geographic drought level information system for British Columbia. It provides information on provincial drought levels, watershed conditions, historical drought, and more.

05/20/2026

BC Wildlife Federation is the successful recipient of the 2026 RDKB RFP for “Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR) Design, Implementation and Communications – Boundary Region”.

They are starting to look for suitable sites throughout the Boundary Region for this LTPBR project, which may include Beaver Dam Analogues (BDAs) and Post Assisted Structures (PALs).

Stay tuned for more information to come shortly!

05/13/2026

🌧️ Rain is anticipated in the Boundary Region later today, with intermittent rain and cooler temps expected through the coming week. As a result, river levels are expected to rise. This added moisture will be welcome throughout the watershed!

The latest monthly snow assessments from the RFC BC Government (Boundary Region) and the NRCS (US assessment for the Upper Columbia region) show that remaining snowpack in our region at 53% to 59% of normal, respectively. ❄️ See attached images.

We remain hopeful this is the start of a wetter and cooler spring, which could help support conditions ahead of what is forecast to be a dry and hot summer tied to a strong El Nino forecast.

The time is now to strengthen your WaterWise habits and take FireSmart steps for the summer ahead. ☀️

BC Drought Portal: https://droughtportal.gov.bc.ca/
ENSO Forecast: https://iri.columbia.edu/our-expertise/climate/forecasts/enso/current/
SPOTWX: https://spotwx.com/
Snow Survey Water Supply Bulletin (May1, 2026):https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/river-forecast/2026_may1.pdf
NRCS Upper Columbia Assessment (May12, 2026): https://nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/

05/13/2026

💧🌿 Congratulations to the successful recipients of the 2026 Boundary Integrated Watershed Service (BIWS) Implementation Grant!

This year, a combined total of $27,000 was awarded to local projects helping protect, understand, and support Boundary region watersheds.

With applications requesting more than double the available funding, the selection process was incredibly competitive — a true reflection of the passion, creativity, and stewardship happening across our communities.

👏 Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

🐟 Christina Gateway
MycoWaters: Fungi, Citizen Science & Watershed Stewardship in the Boundary

🐟 SD51 – Perley Elementary
Christina Lake Watershed Expedition: Following the Salmon Home

🐸 ONA
Mitigating Road Mortality of Herpetofauna in the Boundary Region

🐟 CLSS
Christina Lake Shoreline Kokanee Enumeration

🌲 Boundary Woodlot Association
Thirty Years Later: A Comprehensive Evaluation of the 1993 Italy–Sutherland Watershed Plan

From kokanee and amphibians to watershed science, education, and long-term environmental planning, these projects will help deepen our understanding and care of the watersheds that connect our communities. 🌎💙

A huge thank you as well to everyone who took the time to submit an application. The BIWS program is encouraged and inspired by the number of thoughtful, community-driven projects being proposed across the Boundary region.

Interested in applying next year? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Watershed Planner at [email protected] with questions or project ideas!

Boundary Integrated Watershed Service Christina Lake Stewardship Society Christina Gateway Okanagan Nation Alliance Woodlots BC

05/06/2026

❄️ Low snowpack update for the Boundary Region 🌧️

In the last 30 days, the Boundary Region climate stations have received between 1.4–25 mm of rain, lower than 25-50mm that is normal for this time of year (based on ECCC Climate Normals).

What remains of the snowpack is melting quickly. The google image below shows the outlines of the Kettle River watershed (blue), Granby (orange), and West Kettle (red), with an estimate (modelled) of the remaining snow. Most of the snow is located in the upper Granby and main Kettle areas. The Grano Creek station is also marked, with the graph showing the rapid melt.

We’re continuing to watch rivers rise after the last few days of hot weather, while groundwater levels are beginning to stabilize and may start to decline soon. If so, this could be earlier than normal.💧

Are you still seeing snow out in the watershed? If so, where? And does this modelled map match what you are seeing on the ground?

While we are still hoping for a cool, wet spring, the possibility of a hot, dry summer is hard to ignore.

Even small action can make a difference this season:
🌿 mulching gardens and install drip irrigation to reduce evaporation
🌱 planting drought-tolerant species and native deciduous for shade trees
🔧 fix leaking taps and repairing running toilets

A little effort now can make a big difference as we shift into summer.

Modelled snow image: https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth/
Groundwater and River levels: https://droughtportal.gov.bc.ca/

04/20/2026

Boundary watershed update ❄️💧
As many have seen, snowpack is lower than normal in the Boundary region. The southern monitoring stations at Gold Axe Camp and Sentinel Butte have melted, while Grano is at about 67% of normal for this time of year. Modelled snow estimates show remaining snow in the higher elevations, mostly northern half and east of the watershed (images below). Less snow than last year this time, but more than we had in 2015 (April snow level percentages shown between 2010-2026).
Main river levels in the Boundary region typically peak in the third to fourth week of May. With more than a month still to go, a typical freshet may be harder to achieve if spring stays warm and dry, while a cool and wet spring could still result in more normal conditions.
Over the past month (March 15 to April 13), precipitation ranged from 18 mm in Rock Creek to 94 mm in the northern part of the watershed. Even so, AAFC identified the Boundary as drier than normal over the past 90 and 180 days.
Following a wetter fall, many aquifers were able to recharge from the drier summer, and those located near water bodies are still showing normal water levels for this time of year.
The next several weeks will be important. Continued warm, dry weather could lead to lower water levels earlier in the season, while cooler, wetter weather would help support more typical conditions.

Now is as good a time as any to prepare by:
💧fix water leaks, stop dripping taps and running toilets
💧 add mulch to gardens- reduce evaporation from the soil
💧 plant drought-tolerant species
💧 setting up drip irrigation where possible, plan to reduce overhead sprinklers

Overall, look for ways to reduce unnecessary water use at home, in the garden, and at work. Planning ahead now can help us all be WaterWise and FireSmart this season.

Sources: Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada (AAFC): https://agriculture.canada.ca/en
BC Drought Portal: [email protected]
ENSO: https://iri.columbia.edu/our-expertise/climate/forecasts/enso/current
ECCC Probabilistic Forecasts: https://weather.gc.ca/saisons/prob_e.html
National Snow Analysis: https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/earth

04/20/2026

Watch out for our amphibians crossing roads and warming on sunny rocks. Let's do our part to protect them as they are emerging this spring.

Logs, old stumps, fallen branches, woody debris, and leaf litter are essential habitat for small mammals, birds, toads, salamanders, and an abundance of insects!

➡️ As a log rots, reptiles and amphibians lay their eggs in the moist wood.

➡️ A decaying log is home to many insects like beetles and ants that burrow under the bark. These insects provide valuable and nutritious food for many other wildlife species.

➡️ Woody debris provides valuable shelter and protection from predators.

Pictured: Spotted salamander

04/04/2026

As temperatures increase and snow continues to melt, rivers and creeks across the Boundary are rising. Use caution near streambanks, as some waterways are rising quickly and earlier than normal. Groundwater levels are also starting their usual spring increase.

❄️ Current reporting (NWCC) indicates the larger snow basin, which includes the Boundary Region, is at approximately 78% of normal. The Province’s Boundary-specific update is expected within the next two weeks. Spring conditions will continue to depend on the remaining snowpack, cooler weather, and rainfall.

💧 Looking ahead to summer, now is the time to prepare your home, garden, property, and work site to use water more wisely. Checking for leaks, collecting rainwater, and improving soil moisture retention in gardens are practical steps that can help reduce unnecessary water use through the warmer months.

Small steps now can help make your property more WaterWise and FireSmart this summer.

02/12/2026

❄️❄️ Provincial snowpack check-in: 95% of normal in the Boundary—here’s what that does (and doesn’t) tell us❄️❄️
BC Snow Survey update (February 2026)
The provincial snow monitoring report for February is now posted. It shows the Boundary Region at 95% of normal … but is that the whole story?https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/river-forecast/2026_feb1.pdf
🏔️ A quick note on what this number represents: it’s based mainly on higher-elevation snow stations—Grano Creek (1870 m) and Big White (manual station at 1680 m). It doesn’t capture what we’re seeing at mid to lower elevations, where snow has been very limited—no snow in Grand Forks (520 m) to low snow near Sentinel Butte (1500 m, south of Grand Forks). https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/snow/ Two additional snow stations (manual) may be included in the BC spring snow survey update: Carmi (1250 m) and Monashee Pass (1370 m). ** For comparison the highway summit at Paulson/Bonanza Pass is 1535m.

Because we’re still a few months away from the usual peak snowpack period, it’s too early to say what spring melt will look like. Spring conditions depend not just on how much snow we have, but also on temperatures and spring rainfall.

🗓️ Looking ahead: Environment and Climate Change Canada outlooks continue to indicate warmer-than-normal conditions over the next few months. Longer-range climate signals (ENSO—La Niña/El Niño) are also evolving, which can influence the likelihood of hotter/drier summer patterns—but there’s still a lot of uncertainty.
ENSO forecast: https://iri.columbia.edu/our-expertise/climate/forecasts/enso/current/
ECCC forecast: https://weather.gc.ca/saisons/prob_e.html

💬 One thing we often see in the Boundary is that a “low snow year” at one elevation doesn’t always line up with other elevations. You can see that in the low-snow years recorded at different monitoring stations:
• Sentinel Butte Stn (1500 m): 2005 and 2015 (and we’ll see how 2026 compares as the season continues)
• Grano Creek Stn (1870 m): 2014 and 2019
Which low-snow winters stand out in your memory in the Boundary?
Are you noticing increased river and/or groundwater well levels compared to normal?
How are these snow conditions affecting you?

02/03/2026

📢2026 BIWS Grant Application is now open 📝
Have you been considering a watershed project in the Boundary Region? The Boundary Integrated Watershed Service (BIWS) grant might be a good fit. Funding available: up to $10,000 per project.
Deadline: Monday, March 2, 2026
Apply: kettleriver.ca/biws-grant
Questions: [email protected]