Signs of Drought appear in Western Canada

[Flash Walken]

High in the Rocky Mountains along the British Columbia-Alberta divide, John Pomeroy is seeing signs of the changing climate that has brought a crippling drought to the U.S. West.

The director of the Centre for Hydrology at the University of Saskatchewan monitors 35 remote observatories in the mountains from Kananaskis, west of Calgary, to the Athabasca glacier, 100 kilometres south of Jasper.

And the data he is collecting – which show snowpacks vanishing at record speed – point to dramatically reduced river flows across B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan this spring. With recent record dry spells in some areas, the shortage of runoff water could lead to drought across a vast region of Western Canada.

“We’re not there yet,” he said, when asked if it could get as bad as the disastrous U.S. situation, which this year is expected to cause agricultural losses of $3-billion in California, $1.2-billion in Washington and an unknown amount in Oregon.

But there is reason to worry, he added, because the conditions are linked to climate change and appear to be here for the long term.

This year, the Rocky Mountain snowpacks, which usually melt slowly, releasing water well into the summer, have had “a dramatic decline.” This past winter, those snowpacks were as low as 25 per cent of normal measurements, and they vanished quickly in the spring.

“All our stations are free of snow now, which is the earliest we’ve seen it,” Dr. Pomeroy said. “Not only was the maximum of snow water available quite low, but the snow melted much earlier – about a month to a month and a half earlier than what we would expect.”

He said the conditions are “eerily like” what he has projected will occur if a global warming of two degrees occurs, which climate-change scenarios consider likely.

“The relatively warm winter and spring in B.C. and Alberta this year has shown … what a future winter will look like,” Dr. Pomeroy said.

Rocky Mountain streams usually peak with spring melt late in June, but some hit the high-water mark two weeks ago and are rapidly dwindling.

Dr. Pomeroy said some areas are already extremely dry and reduced river flows will hit them hardest.

“There was record dry in Saskatchewan in May, and so that’s quite bad,” he said. “It doesn’t take that long for [the soil to dry out] and then the prairies start to call it a drought and … I’m sure some farmers are already in trouble.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle24954511/

[Erick Estrada]

I think this goes in a different part of the forum. But in regards to the story it was arguably the driest winter I have seen so this is no surprise. Also correct me if I am wrong but did we not get some record flooding just a few years ago? Mother nature sure is wacky.

[Tacopuck]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think this goes in a different part of the forum.

Disagree, clearly this is a result of the Flames 'hot' season this past year

[Huntingwhale]

Hopefully the Flames will have enough water to keep hydrated on the bench and win the cup

[nik-]

I was just noticing today that the river is already receding from it's highpoint this year. Which already seemed lower than usual. If that's it, than the Bow is really going to be a stream this fall, more so than usual.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I think this goes in a different part of the forum. But in regards to the story it was arguably the driest winter I have seen so this is no surprise. Also correct me if I am wrong but did we not get some record flooding just a few years ago? Mother nature sure is wacky.

Yes, both caused by climate change. Everything is climate change.

[Ozy_Flame]

It has been somewhat scary seeing low river levels this early in the season, and basically yellow grass that should have been happening in August.

That said, we are having an El Nino year (apparently) and into the winter, so it might be skewing the weather somewhat.

God help us if we become like California though.

[polak]

I thought it was pretty much agreed that this years unseasonably warm winter in the west was a result of El Nino and not climate change specifically?

I think this article is off base.

[GP_Matt]

I read the article to say that this is what it would be like on a regular basis if the climate goes up 2 degrees. Not specifically that this event is caused by climate change.

One dry year is normal every once in a while. If this becomes regular that is an entirely different story.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Yes, both caused by climate change. Everything is climate change.

You mean there is a chance that the common element of both scenarios, early snow melt, might have a linked underlying cause?

Preposterous hippy talk!

[undercoverbrother]

I was thinking this the other day.


On the north and south side of Hwy 11 between Sylvan and Dead Rear there is swamp/wet lands, just east of Hwy 11.


I have been noticing that you can see a significant drop in the level of water on that land. In fact, some areas are dry with no water.


I have a buddy that farms north of Eckville and he was saying this is the dryest he can remember, and he was born in this area.

[Dynamic]

My front lawn has always been lush and green all year, this is my first year at my place norther of edmonton the grass is turning brown.

[crazy_eoj]

Don't worry guys the NDP will make sure Alberta doesn't have any oil industry and that should stop the problem!

[evman150]

Hasn't rained here in Victoria since April. Grass is already burnt out all over and water restrictions are already in place.

This would be normal in July/August, but very odd for May/June. Especially May.

Definitely a different sort of year.

[robbie111]

I live South of Calgary and have a 15 year old valiant grape vine that usually starts leafing out in early July, this year it started leafing out in mid May and the clusters of grapes have already started to form. There was one other year it started in May but I can't remember offhand what year it was.

[DownhillGoat]

What still confuses me to no end is they dropped Ghost to the lowest level I've ever seen it. Everybody but maybe 2 people had to take their boats out because it is now way too shallow. And they were talking about dropping it more. After one of the driest winters in a long time.

Talked to a guy that works with TransAlta, and they were claiming there's still enough snowpack to flood if it all runs off at once. After the worst back country ski season I've ever had, I can only assume they mean literally all at once in an armageddon like flash. Because there's barely any snow pack left to feed the Bow.

[troutman]

25-35 mm rain expected on Friday.

Glenmore Reservoir is the lowest I have ever seen it. I had sailing lessons there in May - since then, almost all of the west side around Weaselhead has resurfaced. I think they let a lot of water through the dam in case there is flooding. Boats had to be careful, because sand bars are close to the surface.

Duck ponds around the city are smaller or dried-up compared to what they used to be.

[burn_baby_burn]

The thread title is hilarious. Signs of drought appear? I guess when you have very little snow, a very early spring (leaves out at the end of April), and little to no rain, "signs" of drought will appear. In all seriousness, the pasture and hay land in the southern and eastern parts of the province have been a write off since early may. Too late for them at this point. Annual crops go from good to horrible, depending on your location and soil type. Driest seeding conditions in a very long time. Some farmers finished around the same time they started the year before.

[OMG!WTF!]

2012---record snow pack. 2013---103% of normal snow pack. 2014--- 110% of normal snow pack. 2015 climate change begins.....

http://globalnews.ca/news/1229679/al...-above-normal/

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

2012---record snow pack. 2013---103% of normal snow pack. 2014--- 110% of normal snow pack. 2015 climate change begins.....

http://globalnews.ca/news/1229679/al...-above-normal/

Sigh