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VICTORIA — B.C. is preparing for another severe year of drought after an early start to hot weather has reduced the snow pack and water levels to rates far below normal.

The province has registered 13 per cent of the normal amount of snowpack in the mountains after high temperatures in March, April and early May, said Dave Campbell of the government’s River Forecast Centre.

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“At a provincewide level in general, (river water) flows are sitting at about one-quarter to three-quarters of what they would normally be this time of year,” he said.

The health of the rivers will depend largely on summer rainfall projections, and Environment Canada is forecasting higher than normal temperatures this summer, said Campbell. Recent rainfall, which led to severe flooding in parts of northeastern B.C., has helped the situation temporarily, he added.

Much of B.C. is in stage two of a four-stage drought scale. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are at stage three, with dryer conditions starting to impact the environment and communities.