The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) said some agricultural users have reached their full seasonal water allocation.
The RDNO is implementing agricultural water service shutoffs in accordance with Greater Vernon Water’s (GVW) agricultural water allocation requirements.
“Farmers who exceed their allocation are not drawing from a separate reserve,” Greater Vernon Advisory Committee chair Bob Fleming said. “The water available in the reservoir has already been allocated among agricultural users.”
He added that when one user exceeds their allocation, it directly affects what remains available to others.
The RDNO encouraged the agricultural community to explore water transfers.
“Farm-classified properties may transfer all or part of their remaining allocation to another farm-classified property,” regional officials said. “Partial transfers are permitted, and allocations may be divided between one or more eligible properties.”
In addition to beginning agricultural water shutoffs, the chair of the RDNO Greater Vernon Advisory Committee contacted Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, to seek assistance in organizing an urgent meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resource Stewardship, which are responsible for water management.
The RDNO said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss immediate and long-term solutions to regional water supply challenges, including opportunities to access additional water sources for emergency purposes.
Confirmation from provincial partners is pending, the RDNO said.
