Despite Kamloops being mired in a drought, it seems any move to restrict water usage in Kamloops could still be a ways off.

The latest snowpack readings shows the snowpack on the South Thompson — the source of water for Kamloops — is at 80 percent of normal.

This is above the province-wide average of 66 percent of normal.

“The numbers, when you say compared to the provincial average, look to be ok,” said the City’s Utility Services Manager Greg Wightman.  “But if you compare the numbers to what we were facing last year in our local watershed, we’re quite a bit lower than what we saw in 2023. We all saw what that summer ended up looking like.”

Kamloops would have to hit drought level 4 before advanced watering restrictions were put in place, taking lawn watering from the current three days a week down to 1 day per week.

“We are in drought level 2 for the South and North Thompson. No change to our current water restrictions. The current restrictions stay in place from drought level 0 to 3, so we’re still well within that,” noted Wightman.  “But we’re certainly into that season now where drought levels could change at any time.”

Wightman says while unpopular, the advanced watering restrictions brought in last year during the height of the drought in Kamloops did have the desired effect.

“We saw the results of what we put in place last year. Just an incredible response by the community and that 58 percent reduction in water. That does allow us to ensure we have water for potable use, and all the things that we rely upon it for,” said Wightman.

Last year Kamloops hit drought level 5, the driest level on the province’s drought scale.