A continued reduction of water levels expected in next seven to 10 days

Okanagan Lake is expected to peak in the next seven to 10 days, as it continues to rise, but at a slower rate.

The lake is rising two centimetres a day, down from three centimetres a day earlier this week, Shaun Reimer, section head for public safety and protection with the Ministry of Forests, said Thursday.

“We’ll probably continue to see that reduction in how fast the lake is rising,” said Reimer. “It would not surprise me that our inflows will start matching our outflows somewhere around the week to 10-day mark.”

The lake level is vulnerable to significant rain, which is not in this week’s forecast, said Reimer.

“That’s what we’re going to have to watch for going forward.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Okanagan Lake was at 342.63 metres above sea level, about 15 centimetres over the full pool target and just above Tuesday’s level of 342.6 metres.

The lake may rise another 10-20 cm, said Reimer.

About half the snow above Mission Creek has melted so far.

The amount of snow left is fairly consistent with levels seen last year, said David Campbell, head of the River Forecast Centre.

Mission Creek reached its peak level a couple of weeks ago and has been receding since, said Campbell.

Snow at higher elevation sites across the province has been melting 30-40 millimetres a day, the highest rates seen this year so far, said Campbell.

About 30 to 60 per cent of the snowpack at the upper elevations has melted.

“Now we’re seeing that shift in the flood risk begin in areas that drain in the higher elevation sites or the larger lake systems around the province that tend to peak later in the season,” said Campbell.