The BC Energy Regulator says water access is being restored for parts of Northeast B.C. after a slower spring and strong snowpack helped improve conditions in key watersheds.
The regulator says it is lifting earlier suspensions on industry water diversion and use for select rivers in the Peace River and Liard River watersheds.
Those suspensions had limited how companies could draw water under Section 10 of the province’s Water Sustainability Act, a measure typically used to protect fish and streamflow levels during dry conditions.
The change means some industrial operators across the Peace Region can resume water withdrawals, as long as they follow existing permits and conditions.
The BC Energy Regulator says some rivers and streams remain under suspension, depending on local conditions. Basins across the province continue to be monitored, and the agency notes additional restrictions could be reintroduced if water levels drop later in the season.
Officials say conditions can vary widely from one stream to another, even within the same watershed. Because of that, companies may still need to apply for site-specific approval if they want to resume or increase water use in certain areas.
The regulator is also asking operators to provide detailed data — including flow measurements and lake depth information — when applying to use water, to help ensure withdrawals are sustainable.
Stored water in dugouts and dams is not affected by the suspensions and can continue to be used.
For communities across Northeast B.C., including Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, the update signals improving water conditions following a cautious start to the spring season.