Learn how to identify summer drought in B.C. and conservation tips to save water during drought.
Through a slideshow game and discussion, students discover what drought is and how important it is to conserve water, particularly in the summertime in B.C. They will watch a video to bring these ideas together.
Part of the Hydroelectricity and water use unit.
Questioning and Predicting
Processing and analyzing data and information
What is drought
Drought is a recurrent feature of climate involving a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, resulting in a water shortage. Drought may be caused by combinations of insufficient snow accumulation, hot and dry weather, or a delay in rainfall.
Effects of drought
Drought impacts communities and agricultural production. Severe drought conditions pose significant risks to people and communities, leading to reduced water availability for households and businesses, reducing crop growth and quality, and affecting wildlife.
Water saving tips from BC Hydro
B.C. experienced a record drought in 2023, and we continue to monitor unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change. It's more important than ever to manage water carefully, both for household consumption and for energy generation.
Here are a few water-saving tips you can incorporate at home:
The B.C. Drought Information Portal provides a real-time map showing current drought conditions in all regions of B.C. We recommend checking this before your discussion about drought so that you can explain whether or not your region is experiencing drought.
Consider following up the lesson by telling students when conditions have changed. For example, if you cover the lesson during a period without drought, let the students know if the region has entered a period of drought; remind them of the activity you did and ask them to recall the water-saving tips that were discussed.
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