The Okanagan Basin Water Board wants the new NDP cabinet to bone up quickly on the challenges weather changes are imposing on Okanagan communities.
The board has sent a letter to Premier John Horgan outlining the need for his government to increase financial commitments and resources for both climate change mitigation and adaptation measures across the valley
OBWB director Doug Findlater, mayor of West Kelowna, said the flooding that occurred this past spring across the Okanagan Lake watershed was caused by circumstances that could easily reoccur next year.
sa国际传媒淭here are lessons to be learned from what happened this year, and we cansa国际传媒檛 just say, sa国际传媒極h shucks, the water levels have gone down so letsa国际传媒檚 move on and forget about it now,sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� Findlater said.
In the letter, the water board is requesting Horgan retain a ministry, or ministry of state, for emergency preparedness in response to increasing risk of a major earthquake, flood and wildfire.
sa国际传媒淎s our climate changes, B.C. is experiencing a new weather reality, and the impact this is having on individuals across the province reinforces the need to improve resiliency, to better understand the risks we face, and to increase and reap the benefits of investments in adaptation measures to help communities respond,sa国际传媒� stated the letter.
Other measures recommended include increased support at the local level for better land use planning and floodplain mapping, improvements in flood resilience infrastructure, restoration of natural capital and increased investment in storm and waste water infrastructure.
Beyond emergency preparedness, the water board also wants other government ministries to prepare for climate change impacts such as new and expanded health risks, changing infrastructure and land use implications, and new opportunities and challenges for trade and the economy.
sa国际传媒淚ntegrating adaptation across ministries will ensure a consistent approach across government, increase efficiency and maximize communitiessa国际传媒� resilience to risk,sa国际传媒� said the letter.
Findlater said he also advocates for an independent assessment of why the flooding happened and what can be done differently to address a similar weather scenario in the future.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a lot more complicated than just about a guy pulling the trigger to release water from the Okanagan Lake dam downstream,sa国际传媒� Findlater said.
sa国际传媒淎ll indications were at the beginning of April that snowpack levels were 70 per cent of normal and we were headed for a serious drought this summer. Then later in the month we were hit by a lot of rain and more snow in late April and into early May.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚 just feel there is no reason why that same weather pattern couldnsa国际传媒檛 happen again next year.sa国际传媒�
He says climate change is changing the accepted weather standards and all levels of government have to respond to those realities.
sa国际传媒淲here we go from here cansa国际传媒檛 be lost in the shuffle amidst the transition to a new government and new cabinet ministers coming in.sa国际传媒�
Findlater noted that responding to the flooding issues has impacted the infrastructure and public works project agenda for his city this summer.
sa国际传媒淭here are things we planned to address that we just wonsa国际传媒檛 get to now because of the resources required for us to deal with flooding issues,sa国际传媒� he said.
