Overview of Drought Conditions in the

Rich McCleary FLRNORD Thompson Okanagan Regional Drought Response Team “We have different names for the animals and fish.” Coldwater Band Elders August 2019 Common Name Syilx/Okanagan Nlaka'pamux / Drought Nation Scw’exmx Tribal Comments Council Chinook Salmon ntitiyx or ntytyix Completed (spring run) migration to above Kingsvale Chinook Salmon sk’lwist Successful (summer or fall migration into run) Nicola Coho Salmon kisúʔ Migration starting Steelhead qwəyqwəyʕaćaʔ Irrigation order to protect juvenile Rainbow trout xwuminaʔ Drought Overview General Pattern for Nicola River at

• Low Snowpack • Early freshet • Dry June • Wet July • Dry August • Wet September Coldwater Pattern

• Low snowpack • Early freshet • Dry June • Normal July • Dry August • Wet September • Voluntary irrigation shut down and maximum restrictions for City of Merritt for most of August Rich McCleary (FLNRORD), Hyrum Peterson (LNIB), and Kristal Poirier (LNIB) Mamit Lake Dam Operations and Guichon Creek Flows Key Points • Storage management is an essential climate change and drought adaptation. • Successful management requires: 1. A plan 2. Commitments from dam owner for gate changes (1/2 time tech) 3. Properly functioning infrastructure (dam, spillway, gates) 4. Instrumentation on reservoir level, outputs and downstream water levels 5. Tools to perform calculations (0.25 time tech) 6. Functioning relationships 7. Science to inform the best use of surplus water Problem Statement • In drought 2015, a review of all storage in Nicola identified Mamit Lake as potential to provide relief to low flows in Guichon Creek and in the Nicola River downstream of the confluence. • Since 2015, FLRNORD and LNIB have been working to “develop” and “put into practice” the procedures to optimize the benefits from the water stored in Mamit Lake reservoir. • Coldwater River 917 km2 • Nicola River 7,100 km2 • Guichon Creek 1,230 km2 (17% of total area of Nicola watershed) Operating Constraints A. June - Sept to meet downstream EFNs and water supply needs. B. 0.7 m of storage on Aug. 15 for late summer chinook migration. C. Dam safety: after floods of 2017 and 2018: • reservoir needs to be drawn down to minimal levels on Apr. 1 (953.7 m). • Limited refill allowed during snow-melt freshet (955.0 m). • Refill below maximum supply level allowed after snow-melt freshet (955.8 m) D. Rae Creek Ranch: lake to be drawn down by Aug 1 (955.25 m) Landowners Dennis and Gord Garthwaite from Rae Creek Ranch agreed to some flexibility on existing legal agreement on lake level.

Dam Operations for Fish and Agriculture are Labour Intensive

Gate Changes per Month

19 18

14 12 9 8 8

MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER

Late August Guichon Creek was green due to blue- green algae bloom in Mamit Lake Nicola River at Spences Bridge for August 2019

Conclusion: Mamit Lake Dam management helped to prevent poor conditions for in- migration

Threshold for poor in-migration flows for Chinook

2020 Work Plan: • Formalize operating procedures • Be ready to adapt to different dam safety constraints • Develop user friendly reservoir balance tool • Install Lower Guichon remote station during low flow season • Learn more about optimizing flows and temperatures • Improve water use efficiency (revisit ditches) • Continue to communicate the importance of storage and related infrastructure Thanks to: Lower Nicola Indian Band and Rae Creek Ranch