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FOCI researcher reports on dry weather, climate change at tail end of level 5 drought

A small wooden building known as the FOCI office.
Friends of Cortes Island is a charitable ecological stewardship organization focused on monitoring and preserving the health of local ecosystems. Photo courtesy of FOCI.
Louis Belcourt - CKTZ - Cortes Island • BC | 03-11-2022
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The Friends of Cortes Island (FOCI) ecological stewardship organization has published a report on the drought this year and its links to the broader climate crisis.

The report, published on Oct. 21, was headed by Forrest Berman-Hatch who is working with FOCI on a research grant and in partnership with the Eco Social Health Transition Research Group out of SFU where he is studying climate adaptation and resiliency on Cortes.

"This is only the second time the BC coast has entered a level five drought. The first time was last year, 2021, so that's a pretty concerning trend I would say."

According to Berman-Hatch's report, Cortes Island has been experiencing a drought: it had not rained for 97 days before Oct. 23.

“Cortes Island has been in a level 5 drought which weather forecasters predict will end soon. According to BC’s Drought and Water Scarcity Response Plan, level 5 droughts bring ‘adverse impacts to socio-economic or ecosystem values’ which are ‘almost certain’ (Ministry of LWRS, 2022, p.16)," the report reads.

"Impacts can include the drying of shallow wells and wetlands, increased risk of wildfires and drying of streams during salmon spawning season," it adds. "The plan recommends local water restrictions be put in place at level 5 and warns regulatory action and even emergency response to be possible.”

Level 5 is the highest classification of drought in BC. The province uses a six-level classification system for droughts rating from 0-5, with 5 having the most socio-economic and ecosystem impacts, possible restrictions and emergency response.

Berman-Hatch also mentioned steps FOCI is taking to educate the community and take action in our local area.

"FOCI is undertaking a climate adaptation and resiliency planning process. We've done a environmental dangers assessment and we're in the process of doing preliminary research and we'll be interviewing locals trying to understand what the community's main areas of concern are, drawing upon local knowledge. And then we're gonna be developing an adaptation plan."

Listen to the full interview below on CKTZ:

Link to the report: FOCI Report: Climate Change and Drought.

To learn more, contact FOCI’s Climate Project at climate.foci@gmail.com

Download Audio