2025 Drought Bulletin

July 25, 2025 | Issue 4

Let's Talk Drought

With all the talk of drought, you might be asking: what exactly is drought? We all have a gut feeling, but the science is a bit more complex.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2018), a drought is "A period of abnormally dry weather, long enough to cause a serious hydrological imbalance." What it takes for a drought to occur isn't universal; it varies by location – much like what a Canadian considers "cold" differs from someone in Spain! That's why experts develop specific drought thresholds tailored to each area.

Scientists also classify drought into four types:

Meteorological: When it rains less than normal for a long period of time.
Hydrological: Low lakes, streams, reservoirs, and aquifers for an extended period of time.
Agricultural/Soil Moisture: The soil is so dry that plants are wilting and can’t get enough water to grow for an extended period of time.
Societal: When the impacts of the other three types of drought impact the supply of critical human resources, such as agriculture.

These four types of droughts often occur simultaneously.

In the Okanagan, we typically get less precipitation than many other parts of Canada. We have been experiencing drought conditions for the last few years because we have had less snow and rain than usual for the Okanagan. Fortunately, with many lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers, water supplies in some places have remained stable even during the drought. However, without prolonged and consistent rain and snow, the valley will not recharge fully. Therefore, we must all do our part to conserve water whenever possible.

Municipalities are adjusting watering restrictions so check yours today!

Despite some short-term improvements in conditions due to recent rains, the Okanagan remains dry. The province did bump the Okanagan back down to a Drought Level 2 this week, but it is expected to go up again with warm weather in the forecast. Despite the rain, the Similkameen did not improve and is still at a Level 4.

The drought level set by the Province tells us the big picture for the Okanagan and right now many streams remain low and their water is too warm. As summer continues, fish start returning and farmers are getting ready to harvest crops - it is important to conserve water wherever possible.

Conditions across the valley will vary, so it is important to know where to get accurate and locally relevant information.

Your local water supplier knows what's needed to keep water flowing for homes, food, fish, and firefighting right where you are.

Don't get caught off guard! We've provided the current conditions of several local communities in the Okanagan below.

If your community isn't listed below, you can find a full list of water providers in the Okanagan at MakeWaterWork.ca.

Location	Current watering restrictions	Learn more
Greater Vernon Area	Normal — Up to 3 days a week as per your address, no watering on Sundays, no sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.	Visit the Greater Vernon Water Restrictions page here.
Kelowna	Normal — Up to 3 days a week as per your address, no watering on Mondays, no sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m	Visit the City of Kelowna Water Restrictions page here.
Lake Country	Stage 1 — Up to 3 days a week, no sprinklers between 6 a.m. and midnight.	Visit the District of Lake Country's Water Conservation Page here.
West Kelowna	Stage 2 — Even numbered addresses water Saturday and Tuesday, odd numbered addresses water Sunday and Wednesday, only water between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m	Visit the City of West Kelowna's Watering Regulations and Conservation Page here.
RDCO	Stage 3 — Even numbered addresses water Saturdays only, odd numbered addresses water Sundays only, only water between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m	Visit the RDCO's Water Systems Page here.
Peachland	Stage 1 — Even numbered addresses on even calendar days, odd numbered addresses on odd calendar days, no sprinklers between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m	Visit the District of Peachland's Conserving Water Page here.
Summerland	Stage 2— 2 days a week determined by your address, no watering on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays, no sprinklers between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.	Visit the District of Summerland's Water Restrictions page here.
Penticton	Stage 1 — Up to 3 days a week as per your address, no watering on Mondays, no sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m	Visit the City of Penticton's Water Restrictions page here.
Osoyoos	Stage 2— 2 days a week determined by your zone location, no watering on Saturdays, no sprinklers between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.	Visit the City of Osoyoos Water Restrictions page here.

Regional Drought Outlook - The Okanagan is at a LEVEL 2

To improve clarity and consistency in interpreting the meaning of drought levels, the B.C. government updated the definition of drought levels for 2025, while maintaining the same six-level rating scale. Read more about that here.

Don't forget to Take the Pledge

From Armstrong to Osoyoos, Okanagan citizens know that taking the Make Water Work Pledge is a great way to show commitment and take action towards a more water-efficient and fire-ready region. Adopting water-efficient practices and planting FireSmart™ not only helps make our region fire-resilient, but also saves you money, time and effort.

Take the Pledge Today

Worth a watch!

Our lakes are large, beautiful and appear full of water, but the truth is, the Okanagan is dry! Did you know that there is less water available per person in the Okanagan than anywhere else in Canada?

Which is why we have to be smart about our water use. Our firefighters need water to protect us from wildfires, our farmers rely on it to grow our food, and our diverse ecosystem - the plants, the animals - including the fish, and the people who live here - can't live without it.