Okanagan Climate Indicators

About the Dashboard


The Okanagan Indicators Dashboard allows users to explore how weather patterns and water quality in the valley have shifted over time, based on historical records. All the indicators are based on direct, physically measured observations. The information is presented as clearly as possible, without intensive statistical analysis. 

Key Findings

Many indicators show clear long-term changes, and some indicators do not. Both are valuable, since it is important to know what has changed, and what has not. Indicators that do not show clear trends may change in the future. We will update this page as new information comes available.

Go to Dashboard
Figure 1 – Mean annual temperature anomaly (°C) for Kelowna from 1925 to 2023
Figure 2 – Global (1880-2023) vs Okanagan Cities (1915-2023) temperatures anomaly (°C).

What is an Indicator?

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency definition, indicators are observations or calculations used to track conditions and trends. They are tools to answer the question: has something changed? Indicators are not static and should be updated regularly to see if the answer to that question has changed.

Each indicator looks at a specific component of the natural world. Therefore, conclusions about how the Okanagan has changed should be drawn by looking at multiple indicators and understanding the story they tell together. No one indicator tells the whole story.

An Effective Indicator is: 

Relevant – it is clear and can be understood by a broad audience, avoiding a need for technical knowledge.

Representative – as a package, the indicators provide a representative picture of a broad range of characteristics about climate change.

Traceable – the indicator is calculated using known methods, and the data is accessible and can be verified.

Timely – the indicator is updated at least annually so it can be used to detect changes.

Based on good data – the data used is of good quality and relevant to the parameter of interest.

– World Meteorological Organization

Climate Change Indicators

Figure 2 – Climate projections for the Okanagan 2020

The Climate Change Indicators were inspired by the 2020 Climate Projections for the Okanagan report, which provides a projection of what the Okanagan’s climate will be in 2050. That projection raises the following questions:  What is the current trend for the climate? Has it changed from the baseline used in the past? Are we on track for the changes outlined in the projections report?

To answer these questions, the Okanagan Basin Water Board has developed over 30 climate change indicators that can be viewed for annual or seasonal trends. These include temperature, precipitation, lake inflows, and streamflow categories. Indicators compare annual values to a reference point to determine whether a year is above or below normal. By using historical data from weather and streamflow stations, these indicators provide insight into long-term historical trends. 

Each Indicator Includes:

  • About Section – with a description of the indicator.
  • Change Statement – which summarizes what the indicator shows across the valley.
  • Description – of what the indicator shows across all locations and seasons.
  • Indicator Graph – a graph of the indicator over time.
  • Save Button – to allow the user to save plots.
  • Summary Table – which provides some summary statistics.
Figure 3 – Sections of the Dashboard

The indicator data was acquired from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Water Survey of Canada, and the Province of B.C. The length of the record depends on data availability and quality. For some data sets, data from the previous year is taken from real-time data and is still subject to review by the parent agency (i.e., it is ‘unofficial’ until it has a final review). The methods used for calculating the indicators can be found here. 

What is a Baseline?

To answer the question, “Has something changed?” we need a baseline to compare to. The baseline defines “normal” conditions, such as the average mean temperature in Kelowna. We can use that baseline as a reference point to, for example, see if a year is warmer or colder than normal (See Figure 4).

Kelowna Annual Mean Temperature 1915-2023
Figure 4 – Example of the baseline for mean annual temperature

The baseline needs to be at least 30 years to account for natural variability in the climate. For most indicators in this project, the baseline we use is the average from 1951 to 1980.

There is no one universal baseline period across climate scenes, and each one is a compromise between data quality and which years you include.  In Okanagan, weather observations taken earlier in the 20th Century were measured with instruments and methods different from those used today. So, although the climate began changing measurably in the 1970s, we used the 1951-1980 baseline as a conservative compromise, using the highest-quality data available before the climate changed too drastically. For stream flow indicators, we used the baseline from 1971 to 2000 because most data was only available in the 1970s.

What You Can Do

We can all do something to help combat climate change. Here are a few resources to get started.

Resources for Residents:

Resources for Educators:

Resources for Local Governments:

More about the Dashboard:

Water Quality Indicators 

The indicators dashboard also shows a water quality index for several lakes in the Okanagan, prepared by Larratt Aquatics Consulting, LTD. This index, based on nationally standard methods, assesses changes in water quality over time using 15 different variables. Study sites, shown on a map of the Okanagan, are colour-coded from poor to excellent, depending on the results. The water quality ratings can be compared over time to understand how water quality has changed in the valley. The methods used to create the index are available in the information tab under the water quality index. 

Navigating the Dashboard

Figure 4 – OBWB Indicators Dashboard (click to enlarge)

The dashboard is broken into four major sections, accessible on the left panel. Each section has a dropdown menu that can be used to navigate that section. The sections are 1) about the climate indicators, 2) key climate indicators, 3) all climate indicators, and 4) the water quality indicators. 

Key Climate Indicators – provides a short list of indicators across temperature, precipitation, and hydrology, which together give a sense of the effects of climate change across the valley.  Navigate this section by selecting the indicator on the left-hand panel and then selecting the location. 

Figure 5 – Key Climate Indicators

All Climate Indicators – shows the full list of indicators and provides seasonal as well as annual data. To navigate this section, select the parameter of interest, such as precipitation and on the page select the location, indicator, and season from the dropdown menus. 

Figure 6 – All Climate Indicators

Water Quality Index – provides a general score for water quality at multiple locations in the Okanagan, for both surface and deep waters. Navigate this section by clicking on points on the map to view their results. The control panel on the right allows you to select the depth, year, and chart type of interest.  Please see the information section for a detailed description of the index and how to navigate and interpret the results.

Figure 7 – Water Quality Index

Methodologies

The methods used to calculate the indicators can be found here:

Other Resources


Climate Change 

Water Quality 

Land Acknowledgment 

We would like to acknowledge this work was done on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the syilx (Okanagan) people who have resided here since time immemorial. The Water Board recognizes, honours, and respects the syilx lands upon which we live, work, and play,  and the siwlɬk (water) which flows through the valley and connects us all.

References


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Associated Environmental (2020). Okanagan Environmental Flow Needs Project – Phase 1 and 2 Summary Report 1.118

B.C. Ministry of Environment (2016). Indicators of Climate Change for British Columbia: 2016 Update. 

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Climate Data (2023a). Download AHCCD. https://climatedata.ca/variable/ (Accessed: 14.05.2023).

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Climate Projections for the Okanagan Region. (2020). Accessed (08.05.2023). https://www.rdos.bc.ca/assets/PLANNING/AreaX/2020/ClimateProjections/FinalReport.pdf

Environment and Climate Change Canada (2023). Daily Climate Data.  https://climate-change.canada.ca/climate-data/#/daily-climate-data (Accessed: 22.05.2023).

Environmental Protection Agency. (2023, August 31). Climate Change Indicators. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/about-indicators  

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Okanagan Nation Alliance (2020). Environmental Flow Needs Assessment in the Okanagan Basin: Appendix-B5 Mission Creek. https://obwb.ca/efndocs/Appendix-B5.pdf

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Peters-Lidard, C. D., Rose, K. C., Kiang, J. E., Strobel, M. L., Anderson, M. L., Byrd, A. R., Kolian, M. J., Brekke, L. D., & Arndt, D. S. (2021). Indicators of climate change impacts on the water cycle and water management. Climatic Change, 165(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-021-03057-5.

Pinna (2020). Climate Projections for the Okanagan Region. https://www.rdos.bc.ca/assets/PLANNING/AreaX/2020/ClimateProjections/FinalReport.pdf 

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Special Thanks


Thank you to the experts who provided advice and guidance on the project:

  • Dr. Brian Guy
  • Bob Hrasko
  • Dr. Denise Neilsen
  • Drew Lejbak
  • Dr. Elinor McGrath
  • Jamey Self
  • Dr. Jeremy Fyke
  • Dr. Mel Reasoner
  • Dr. Paul Whitfield
  • Robert Sandford