Okanaganlake sits at 341.85 metres above sea level.

Ministry of Forests’s public safety and protection section head Shaun Reimer said the lake hasn’t been this low since 2003.

“The last that we saw the lake at this level was in 2003, which some people will remember as another drought and bad wildfire year,” he said.

“Ideally, we want full pool to be at 342.8 metres and peak there, then come down to about 342.24 during this time.”

In order for that to happen, there must be enough spring melt and rain to replenish what evaporates and what is used up. That said, Reimer thinks it’s not as bad as it could be.

Looking back to 2003, he said that winter yielded a normal snowpack, which helped Okanagan Lake capture enough water and rebound, going back up to full pool by fall 2004.

“It’s not something I would consider to be in a dire situation right now.

So even if it’s just a normal snowpack year this winter, we should be able to rebound,” he said.

“The more dire situation would be if we had a situation like this two years in a row.”

Picture and story by Penticton Western