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The City of Dawson Creek has renewed it’s local state of emergency into the new year as it continues to manage drought-related pressures on its water supply.
Officials say heavy snowfall this December hasn’t changed the city’s immediate water situation.
“A strong snowpack helps carry us through to March/April, when spring runoff begins replenishing rivers and reservoirs,” the city said in an update Tuesday.
“The Kiskatinaw River is already starting to freeze, and levels remain lower than normal.”
The state of emergency was first declared in October, and has been renewed several times. The city says the renewal allows it “to keep response tools active” while it works through the permitting process for a possible overland water transfer from the Peace River.
The plan would see temporary hose lines laid along local highways, with pumping starting as early as the new year if water levels in the city’s reservoirs start to drop.
The city says some permits are in place, but others are still needed before construction could begin if the connection is needed later this winter.
The city says it’s continuing to monitor river flows, reservoir levels, snowpack conditions, and weather forecasts.
The Kiskatinaw River has been Dawson Creek’s only source of drinking water since 1942, supplying about 15,000 people in the city and the surrounding area, including the village of Pouce Coupe.
However, the river is at record lows after four straight years of drought.
The last time the Kiskatinaw River froze completely was January 2024, forcing the city to rely entirely on stored water from its reservoirs for six weeks.
The city continues to advance plans for a permanent, in-ground pipeline and water supply system from the Peace River. It’s urging the province to speed up approvals to get construction underway as soon as possible.
If approved, the multi-year project is estimated to cost at least $100 million.
However, provincial agencies and local First Nations have recently pushed back on the plan as the city hopes to sell surplus water from the proposed new pipeline to industrial users to offset the costs.
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