Summerland’s snow pack has melted.
The latest figures from the Okanagan community’s two measurement sites show no snow at the Summerland Reservoir and Isintok Lake measurement sites. The measurements are dated May 1.
For most of the winter and spring, with the exception of January, snow levels have been below normal at both sites.
In January, Summerland had snow measurements above normal at both locations, with the water equivalent at 105 per cent of normal at Summerland Reservoir and 116 per cent of normal at Isintok Lake.
Since then, the snow pack has been declining.
By April 1, the snow level at Summerland Reservoir was 48 per cent of normal at the Summerland Reservoir and 29 per cent of normal at Isintok Lake.
This follows consecutive dry years in Summerland.
The Okanagan Basin Water Board has observed dry conditions every year since 2022.
In 2025, for the first time on record, the Isintok Lake reservoir did not spill.
There have been past years when the snow was gone by May 1. In 2025, the Isintok Lake site had no snow as of May 1, but there was still some snow measured at Summerland Reservoir.
One year earlier, the measurements at Summerland Reservoir showed no snow on May 1, but there was snow at Isintok Lake.
Summerland has taken measures to cope with dry conditions.
In late November, Summerland went to Drought Level 4. In spring, the municipality started the irrigation season at Drought Level 3, which means a reduction in water for agriculture, cemetery, park, playground and golf courses.
Summerland has 11 reservoirs with a total capacity of 14,303 million litres. Around 80 per cent of the community’s water use is for agriculture.
British Columbia’s snow levels have also been lower than normal this winter. As of April 1, the provincial average was 92 per cent of normal levels, and the Okanagan had a snowpack of 58 per cent of normal levels.