‘Worst drought we’ve seen’

October skies are clear blue and the temperature has crossed the 20-degree mark at Nunes Creek in Port Moody, outside the capital, Vancouver.

Along the walking path around the lake, locals walk in shorts and T-shirts, many wearing dogs with leashes. The coastline is rocky and dry, and the water level in the lake is much lower than normal.

—This is the worst drought we’ve experienced, says Davey Penny, who works as a volunteer at an organic salmon farm in the area.

Record low rainfall

British Columbia, where Port Moody and neighboring Vancouver are located, is usually cold and rainy at this time of year, often jokingly called the “wet coast” (in English, it is very similar to the “West Coast”). But this year is different. Rainfall was record low in September, and dry and hot weather continued into October, a month known for its rainiest.

Across the county, nineteen different temperature records were broken on Friday in early October. British Columbia is now facing a severe drought that is disrupting fisheries and agriculture.

– We’ve never experienced anything like this before, this is completely new to us. It’s horrific. It’s not just us, but many places around B.C., says Davey Penny.

From eggs to fry

Salmon farm in Nunes Creek in Port Moody is run by volunteers. Davy Penny has been here for nearly 30 years. Here silverfish and dogs are grown from eggs to fry before being released into waterways. About 50,000 dog salmon and 10,000 silver salmon are bred each year in a large tank, and they usually come back in the fall, after which the eggs can be used for breeding.

But not this year.

– Last year hardly any fish came back. Davy Penny says there is no water in the river this year.

The drought warning level is now at five, the highest, in a number of places in British Columbia. It means exceptionally dry conditions and inviting all parts of society to do their best to conserve water.

I’ve lived in Port Moody for twenty years. We haven’t had any rain in three months, and I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Annette Haskins says.

– I usually always walk around the lake with my dog, and I’ve seen how it gets drier and drier. We usually have wildfires, and that’s what we fear.

negative consequences

Couples Jodi Taylor Atkinson and Jim Atkinson stand by the lake with their binoculars and look anxiously at the fish jumping into the water. Judy is active with the Burke Mountain Naturalists organization, which is located east of Vancouver and works to preserve local green spaces.

They like silver salmon when it’s rocky, see it as a challenge and come in early October. On the other hand, dog salmon, which are twice their size, love when there is more water and come in November, when the water level rises, she explains.

When the rain stops now, it has negative consequences for both the fish and plants in the area.

Trees are hit by drought and stop working. The effect is not immediately visible, but takes two to three years. What will the effect be in the long term? We’re in a situation we’ve never been in before.