The Chief of the Coldwater Indian Band has a number of concerns about the immediate future of the Coldwater River. It has been measured at the most extreme drought level for quite some time and Chief Lee Spahan says he’s worried about the water supply for his community members and the impact it could have on the salmon population.

Spahan doesn’t see it getting better anytime soon. “We do have an elder on the reserve that depends on the water from the river for the well, but that well has since dried up and now water has to be delivered to that elder. It’s a huge concern.” He says they have other homes along the river that also rely on the river to feed their well system and it’s pretty easy to look at the river system and see how dry it’s getting. “Pretty much looks like a creek now. So, when people don’t take that into consideration, that is a huge concern for my community and trying to move forward on what our plans are for the near future.”

Spahan also has a lot of concern about the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and where it will be getting water from to do its work. “We have to try to utilize what water is there the best way we can but also to make sure that there is enough water for the salmon to hopefully try to get back to their spawning grounds.”

With the Coldwater River in a level four drought, the city of Merritt enforces more water restrictions.