Public asked to avoid Kamloops pond that has dried out due to drought

The City of Kamloops says a key wetland area has dried out due to ongoing drought conditions.

Gambles Pond at Albert McGowan Park has dried out and the city is asking people and pets to avoid the area.

Dylan Scott, acting manager of utilities for the City of Kamloops, says the pond is a basin that collects runoff and stormwater, creating a habitat for wetland species.

"There is a small amount of frozen water at the lowest part of the pond but 75 per cent of it has no water in it anymore, unfortunately," Scott told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops.

Scott, who says he has been with the city since 2017 and grew up in Kamloops, doesn't recall the pond having gone dry in recent history.

Dylan Scott with the City of Kamloops says there likely won't be skating on Gambles Pond this year. (Jenifer Norwell/CBC)

He says the city is looking at next steps, which could include diverting water to the area from other collection points.

"We've got to roll with the punches on this one and see where we land with it," he said.

He says the pond has been used by people for skating in the winter, but that likely won't happen this year.

The city is asking people to stay away from the wetland area as people and dogs can damage it.

Parts of British Columbia are still facing drought conditions, with the provincial government's drought level map stating the situation in the northeast is at Level 6, the highest level of concern.

The Kamloops area is at Level 2, which indicates adverse effects are unlikely.

According to CBC's climate dashboard, Kamloops has received 137 millimetres of precipitation this year as of Nov. 14, which is 135 millimetres below the historic average.

From Oct. 1 to Nov. 14, the region received 14 millimetres of precipitation, less than half of the historic average.