[BCFSN] Grow. Feed. Teach

[Marcel]

More news from the foresters about threats to our food.

Mary


From:  Margaret Steele <mjsteele at nethop.net>
Reply-To:  Margaret Steele <mjsteele at nethop.net>
Date:  Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 8:32 PM
To:  "bcforestwatch at npogroups.org" <bcforestwatch at npogroups.org>
Subject:  [bcforestwatch] Low snowpack in southwest BC 'scary' for salmon

 
Low snowpack in southwest B.C. 'scary' for salmon
·       by  Jeff Nagel - BC Local News
<http://www.surreyleader.com/staff_profiles/9880461.html>
·       posted Mar 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM
The snowpack in southwestern B.C.'s mountains has been pushed further into
record low territory by continued warm and dry weather.
The Lower Fraser watershed is now at 28 per cent of its normal snowpack for
this time of year, down from 45 per cent a month ago
<http://www.vicnews.com/news/293755371.html> .
And it's even lower just to the west at 21 per cent on Vancouver Island and
just 15 per cent in the South Coast region, which includes Squamish and
Whistler.
B.C.'s River Forecast Centre called the readings "extremely low" in its
latest snow level bulletin
<http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/2015_Mar1.pdf>  posted March 9. Most
test sites in the three regions are at lows never before seen.
It's impossible to guarantee there will be no spring flooding on the Lower
Fraser ­ there are still close to normal snowpacks in the mid and upper
sections of the watershed and a fast melt of what's left can't be ruled out.
But River Forecast Centre officials say there's a below normal risk of
seasonal flooding because the watershed as a whole is 84 per cent of normal,
one of the lowest years on record.
They predict low flow conditions on rivers will come earlier and be more
severe unless there's significant rainfall this spring and summer.
Watershed Watch Salmon Society executive director Aaron Hill said that could
mean trouble for returning sockeye salmon that may encounter dangerously
warm river temperatures and low water levels that impede their migration.
"It's definitely a scary situation for salmon this year," Hill said.
"Especially those stocks ­ like Fraser sockeye ­ that have long migrations
to make later on in the summer, when the water gets low and it really heats
up."
Warm water temperatures stress salmon and can also make them more
susceptible to disease.
Nor is the snowpack the only adverse environmental factor for salmon.
The same El Niño weather pattern responsible for the mild winter has also
warmed ocean temperatures. Hill said that's brought certain salmon
predators, such as mackerel, further north than usual.
"If we end up having a hot summer that warms up those rivers then it's a
triple whammy," Hill said. "We need to cross our fingers and hope for cool
weather this summer and some rain."
Environment Canada is forecasting a high likelihood of above-normal
temperatures from March through May.
 
 
 

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