Thursday, July 30, 2015

Kelowna water utility finally adopts watering restrictions

July 29, 2015 - 9:00 PM

KELOWNA - There is still no compelling reason to introduce watering restrictions but the City of Kelowna water utility is doing it anyway.

“It’s based on supporting the provincial drought response, it's political, there is no technical reason,” Adrian Weaden says.

The water quality supervisor says the decision was made this week to heed the provincial government’s request that all water providers voluntarily reduce consumption by 30 per cent.

That request came in the face of the severe drought affecting the southern part of B.C. Many regions are experiencing level four drought conditions, including the Kamloops area, the Lower Mainland and all of Vancouver Island. Many Okanagan communities have already implemented some type of water restriction this summer.

The Okanagan region is experiencing level three drought conditions and Weaden says the main source of water for the city owned water utility is still in good shape.

“Okanagan Lake fluctuates almost a metre every year. You can characterize the lake level as being slightly below normal for this time of year. We are at about 13 centimetres above the drought years fo 2003 and 2009.”

Kelowna’s other four water providers, Rutland Water Works, Glenmore Ellison Improvement District, Black Mountain Irrigation District and South East Kelowna Irrigation District, are all already on stage one water restrictions and have been for some time.

Kelowna’s water utility is the only provider around Okanagan Lake that had no watering restrictions.

Stage one water restrictions begin Tuesday, Aug. 4 and is based on your house address. Properties ending in odd numbers water on calendar days ending in odd numbers and properties ending in even numbers water on even numbered days.

Automatic underground irrigation systems must be timed to run between midnight and 6 a.m. Manual sprinklers and hand watering must be done between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. or 6 p.m. to midnight on the appointed day.

Weaden says initial enforcement of the restriction will be based on complaints to bylaw and that violators would be educated, not ticketed at first.

“It would take repeat violations to get a ticket at this point."

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Coldstream Council Meeting

https://coldstream.civicweb.net/Documents/DocumentList.aspx?ID=18813

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Selected Morning Star Newsclips - In case you missed them.


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Friday, July 24, 2015

Fire in Kal Lake Park.


Fire crews are attending a small fire in Kalamalka Lake Park. Currently it appears to be under control. Visitors to the park are reminded to be extremely careful when visiting the park.

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Tuesday, July 21, 2015

ANDERSON: On broken windows and brown lawns - Info News


One of the perks of being a city councillor is that I'm exposed to a flood of ideas from folks all across the political and philosophical spectrum. They come in the form of emails, texts, phone calls, and sometimes handwritten letters. Today I received an email from a citizen concerned about the "broken window syndrome" occurring in my city. It goes like this:

A city block can be maintained for years, fostering a sense of beauty and tranquility. You know the neighbourhoods I'm talking about, with beautifully landscaped front yards, lush bushes and manicured lawns, and often artfully placed rocks and logs, all contributing to a sort of Zen placidity. They aren't always rich neighbourhoods, and in fact some of the nicest and best-kept properties are in enclaves of elderly retirees, and sometimes lower middle class retirees at that. It's a sense of well-being that knows no class or income level or any of the isms through which we tend to view the world these days. (read more)

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Friday, July 17, 2015

Morning Star Newsclips - In case you missed them.

 
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The following video demonstrates what happens to our expensive water sprayed on farm field during a windy day. I am not opposing the way farmers operate, I am angry that I have to pay dearly for the water blowing in the wind. There was a wind gusting to about 15 km/h.



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News Fire sparked off Highway 97

A grass fire has been sparked off Highway 97 in the Round Lake Road area just 15 kilometres outside of Vernon.

The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department is currently on scene, along with B.C. Wildfire crews and an air bomber is being deployed to try and stop the fire in its tracks.

"It looks like it is just in the grass right now," said Kelsey Winter, fire information officer, Friday at 3 p.m.

"It is .5 hectares in size and it is burning rank two or three so it's a moderate rate of spread."

Along with a hot and dry forecast, there is concerns about another force of Mother Nature.

"It's very windy out there today," said Winter.

But she is hopeful the fire can be extinguished quickly.

"We're sending a lot of resources."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Winter points out that it burning just off the highway.

"There's wasn't lightning in that area today."

So far this year there have been 234 fires in the Kamloops region, with 28 of those in Vernon, representing six hectares burned. Almost half of those were human-caused.

"Last year at this time you were at 17," said Winter.

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Wednesday, July 15, 2015

INFORMATION BULLETIN - Fishing closures part of comprehensive drought response


For Immediate Release

July 10, 2015
PENTICTON Responding to dry conditions, the Government of B.C. has announced a Level 3 drought rating for the South Thompson, Nicola, Similkameen, Okanagan-Kettle and Skagit regions, and taken the additional action of suspending angling in streams and rivers throughout the South Okanagan due to ongoing low stream flows and warming water temperatures.

Effective July 15 through Sept. 15, 2015, all streams and rivers in the Similkameen drainage as well as the Kettle and West Kettle Rivers, and all tributary streams in these areas will be closed to angling. The angling closure covers all streams in Wildlife Management Units 8-2 through 8-7 and 8-12 through 8-14. The closure has been put in place to protect fish stocks at a time when they are vulnerable due to low flows and high water temperatures. The geographic area covers most of the south Okanagan. Lake fishing is not affected by the order. (more information).

To access the 2015 Provincial Drought Management Plan click here.

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Monday, July 13, 2015

Morning Star Newsclips - In case you missed them (for the record).

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Coldstream Ratepayers News! All Coldstream residents are ratepayers!

The opinions expressed by "Coldstreamer" are strictly his own and do not represent the opinions of Coldstream Council!

Because I value your thoughtful opinions, I encourage you to add a comment to this discussion. Don't be offended if I edit your comments for clarity or to keep out questionable matters, however, and I may even delete off-topic comments.

Gyula Kiss
coldstreamer@shaw.ca;

***Coldstreamernews***

***Coldstreamernews***
We must protect our rights and freedom! (Photo courtesy of D. Gibson) Click on eagle to watch EAGLECAMS

About Me

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I have been a resident of Coldstream since 1976. I have had 15 years of experience on Council, 3 years as Mayor. As a current Councillor I am working to achieve fair water and sewer rates and to ensure that taxpayers get fair treatment. The current direction regarding water supply is unsustainable and I am doing all I can to get the most cost effective water supply possible.