A town hall meeting is scheduled for tomorrow (May 3) in Vanderhoof to discuss the drought in the Nechako River.
Representatives from Rio Tinto, BC River Forecast Centre, and BC Wildfire Service will be in attendance at the meeting, which will take place at the Community Event Centre on Victoria Drive. Organised by the Vanderhoof Chamber of Commerce, the town hall is set to run from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Vanderhoof Mayor Kevin Moutray stated that the last time he witnessed a drought of this magnitude was in the 1980s. He expressed particular concern about the current drought coinciding with the upcoming wildfire season.
Moutray said while there are definite concerns regarding recreation due to reduced river flow, the overall drought exacerbates the risk of forest fires.
“We also don’t want to see another crop failure like we saw last year,” the mayor said.
In response to the current drought, the district has implemented watering restrictions, Moutray noted.
Additionally, as part of wildfire risk mitigation efforts, the district has employed a fire smart coordinator to assist residents in protecting their homes.
Moutray confirmed his attendance at the town hall meeting and said he looked forward to hear from Rio Tinto, BC River Forecast Centre, and BC Wildfire Service about their plans for preparing for the upcoming summer.
Ahead of the meeting, a Rio Tinto spokesperson informed Black Press Media that the severe drought affecting the Nechako River has also impacted the Nechako reservoir.
As of April 25, the reservoir was only 19 per cent full, significantly lower than the average for this time of year. Last year, on April 27, the reservoir was at 35 per cent capacity.
Further explaining the reason for the low water levels, Rio Tinto said snowpack in the Nechako Reservoir has been measured at approximately 58 per cent of the long-term average, nearing a historic low. Unregulated streams that feed into the Nechako, such as the Stellako and the Nautley Rivers, are running at historically low levels, and little relief from snowpack is expected due to a very dry winter.
Rio Tinto, which manages the Nechako watershed through its reservoir operations, uses the power generated for its aluminium smelter in Kitimat. The company stated that the drought has affected energy generation and sales for Rio Tinto BC Works.
“To mitigate the risks posed by low reservoir levels on our operations and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements to supply water to the Nechako River, Rio Tinto BC Works is implementing several mitigation measures, including securing energy blocks from the market,” the mining company stated in an email.
The company said these protective measures aim to reduce the risk to Rio Tinto BC Works operations in the region, which employ over 1,000 people.