Okanagan Climate Indicators

About the Dashboard
The Okanagan Indicators Dashboard allows users to explore how climate 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. Many indicators show apparent long-term changes, and some indicators do not; both are valuable, as it is important to know what has not changed as well as what has. Those indicators that do not show clear trends may change in the future. We will update this page as new information comes available.

[ link to DASHBOARD ]

Figure 1 – Mean annual temperature anomaly (°C)
for Kelowna from 1925 to 2023

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 Has Five Key Attributes: 

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

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

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

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

Data Adequacy – 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 OBWB 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 – a description of the indicator
  • Change Statement – summarizes what the indicator shows across the valley
  • Description of Results – what the indicator shows across all locations and seasons
  • Indicator Graph – a graph of the indicator over time
  • Summary Table – a summary of 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 [LINK ]. 

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:

  • Climate Indicators PDF (link to be added)
  • Water Quality PDF (link to be added)
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 OBWB recognizes, honours, and respects the syilx / Okanagan 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. 

Climate Atlas of Canada (2023). Map. https://climateatlas.ca/ (Accessed: 30.06.2023).

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

Climate Data (2023b). Download AHCCD. https://climatedata.ca/download/#ahccd-download (Accessed: 22.05.2023).

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  

Gulev, S.K., P.W. Thorne, J. Ahn, F.J. Dentener, C.M. Domingues, S. Gerland, D. Gong, D.S. Kaufman, H.C. Nnamchi, J. Quaas, J.A. Rivera, S. Sathyendranath, S.L. Smith, B. Trewin, K. von Schuckmann, and R.S. Vose, 2021: Changing State of the Climate System. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 287–422, doi: 10.1017/9781009157896.004.

Ishaq, S., Nahiduzzaman, K. M., Sultana, S. R., Rana, A., Mohammadiun, S., Yousefi, P., … & Sadiq, R. (2022). Flood-resilient governance in Okanagan valley of British Columbia: current practices and future directives. Environmental Reviews, 31(2), 327-347.

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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

Ombadi, M., Risser, M. D., Rhoades, A. M., & Varadharajan, C. (2023). A warming-induced reduction in snow fraction amplifies rainfall extremes. Nature, 619(7969), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06092-7

Parisien, M.-A., Barber, Q. E., Bourbonnais, M. L., Daniels, L. D., Flannigan, M. D., Gray, R. W., Hoffman, K. M., Jain, P., Stephens, S. L., Taylor, S. W., & Whitman, E. (2023). Abrupt, climate-induced increase in wildfires in British Columbia since the mid-2000s. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00977-1

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 

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2023a). Climate Change Indicators in the United States. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators  (Accessed: 15.05.2023).

United States Environmental Protection Agency (2023b). Climate Change Indicators: Streamflow. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-streamflow (Accessed: 15.05.2023).

United States Geological Survey (2015). Hydrological Climate Change Indicators  https://www.usgs.gov/centers/new-york-water-science-center/science/hydrologic-climate-change-indicators (Accessed: 11.12.2023).

Water Survey of Canada (2018). National Water Data Archive: HYDAT. https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/water-overview/quantity/monitoring/survey/data-products-services/national-archive-hydat.html

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World Meteorological Organization. (2023 edition). Step-by-step Guidelines for the Elaboration of Regional State of the Climate Report. WMO-No. 1298. https://library.wmo.int/viewer/66285/download?file=1298_en.pdf&type=pdf&navigator=1

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