The likelihood of a drought this year is fairly high, but not yet certain.
myFM Spoke with Dave Eastcott, Water Resources Technologist with Quinte Conservation about the very dry winter we had and the likelihood of a drought this year.
This winter brought a very low level of precipitation which is making a drought much more likely.
This years snow fall also melted out very quickly. The rivers and streams off season melt has also already reached its peak and is now on the decline.
Last year we also experience a dryer winter which affected the ground water levels.
Eastcott says that the ground water in the area is not very resilient, as it’s all in fractured bed rock and there is no sand layer.
He went on to say that it is pretty vulnerable to be effected by dry conditions this spring and summer.
In preparation for the possibility of a drought, if you use ground water and a well it is suggested you start to consider measures to offset a potential drought.
Some ideas would be to start to conserve your water use, find daily ways to reduce your use, find ways to store water whether it be rain barrels and also lining up potentially to a water hauler who can bring water to you.
For more information you can read the Quinte Conservation Region Drought Management Plan which provides background information about local droughts, a drought warning plan, roles and responsibilities, and recommended actions for drought preparation during normal conditions and each drought level.
