Peace River region maintained ‘adequate’ moisture levels, according to April’s report

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Peace River region has maintained its “adequate” moisture level and limited drought development.

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Drought Monitor, in April, Northern areas, including the North Coast, Nechako and the Peace River region, received 85 to 200 per cent of normal precipitation and localized pockets above 200 per cent of normal as well. 

The report highlighted that Northern Nechako and the Peace River region “maintained adequate moisture thanks to 85 to 200 per cent of normal precipitation, limiting drought development.”

However, the report said that most of British Columbia saw below-normal precipitation, with much of the province receiving less than 60 percent of normal precipitation. 

Large areas in the south and central regions received less than 40 per cent of normal precipitation. 

According to Trevor Hadwen, an agroclimate specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, said: “In terms of the drought conditions right now, we’re not seeing significant drought in [the Peace River] region.” 

He noted that most of the region has received above-normal precipitation throughout the winter and early spring; however, last month was “really” dry. 

“We are seeing some return to drier conditions currently,” he explained. “The long-range forecast for the region is for above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures.” 

Hadwen believes that the above-normal snowpack in the region during the winter and 120 per cent to 200 per cent of precipitation over the last six months will provide good moisture for the start of spring. 

The snowpack, he said, provides moisture to both stream flow and the soil. 

“[The] moisture that’s soaking into those dry soils will help replenish the soil moisture that was lost in previous years and into the groundwater supply as well,” he noted. “Depending on how the snow melted in different regions of the [Peace], depends on how much snow actually stayed in the soil versus in the streams.” 

He said: “For the Peace River region as a whole, conditions have certainly been a little bit wetter on the eastern side…versus the western side, and Fort St. John has been stuck in the middle in the transition from drier to wet.” 

The long-range seasonal forecast from Environment Canada shows above-normal precipitation over the next three months, Hadwen noted. 

“That’s really good news for the region in terms of recovery from previous years of drought and continuing to have soil moisture benefit from those rainfall events,” he explained. 

Hadwen explained that quick-melting snow moves the snow water into the stream rather than into the soil, so slow melts are beneficial. 

He believes spring storms will be beneficial, and the Peace River region is waiting for them. 

He added: “We haven’t seen any real significant precipitation events in the last 30 days, so those are the ones that we’re really looking forward to help us replenish the supplies of soil moisture going forward here.”