The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has developed a new tool to help track climate change in the valley.

The new Okanagan Climate Indicators Dashboard was launched this week, showing what the valley has been experiencing over the last 100 years in terms of temperatures, precipitation types and patterns, streamflows and lake inflows. The dashboard was created with the goal of informing local policymakers and residents about changes in climate, while encouraging people to take steps to make the region more climate-resilient. 

鈥淲e see a really consistent shift in the last 30 years to a warmer and drier climate," project lead Sandra Schira said in demonstrating the dashboard to local politicians Thursday, Aug. 1. 

Variability between hot and cold, and wet and dry seasons, still exists, the OBWB water science specialist added, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 a lot less and the patterns are quite clear.鈥�

Understanding the implications of the Okanagan鈥檚 changing climate is important, OBWB executive director Anna Warwick Sears stressed. For instance, knowing that the Okanagan is beginning to see less snowpack in winter and an earlier melt in the spring can help water utilities manage their water supply. 

鈥淚f you are managing reservoirs and releasing water, the more you know, the better you can prepare. When it鈥檚 hot and dry, everything needs more water 鈥� right when we have less of it," Sears said.

OBWB Chair Blair Ireland noted that having this information can help farmers prepare for crops that will work with warmer and longer growing seasons. Local governments can plan for warmer communities by planting trees to provide shade, and creating cooling centres for the vulnerable.

鈥淭his is pure weather data, but it鈥檚 very clear what we鈥檙e seeing,鈥� Ireland added.

鈥淚 know this subject can sometimes feel big and scary, but there is a lot of progress and inspiring projects that are happening,鈥� Schira concluded. 鈥淭he important thing is to tackle the parts that you really care about.鈥�

The dashboard website lists resources for residents, educators and local governments to prepare for a changing climate. 

For more information on this project and a link to the dashboard, visit .