Drought cuts water supply for oil and gas companies in northeast B.C.

British Columbia's energy regulatoris rationingthe water supply for some oil and gas companies because of drought in the northeastern part of the province.

On Thursday, the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC) suspended 20 water permits for 12 energy companiesthat drawwater from rivers, streams and lakes in the Peace River and Liard River watersheds, in the Fort St. John and Fort Nelson areas.

"Low stream conditions are escalating concerns for impacts to fish, aquatic resources, and community supply," said the regulator in awritten directive to the energy industry.

"Water levels are anticipated to continue dropping."

Much ofenergy extraction in B.C. involveshydraulic fracturing, a water-intensive process that requires large volumes of fresh waterto extract natural gas.

CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffesaidlevel 3 drought conditions were declaredin the province'sPeace region in the middle of August, a designation that means adverse impacts are possible.

"We've seen little rain since the start of July and the forecast calls for a dry rest of September as well," shesaid.

Wagstaffe says a drought in September is not unusual, but climate change is pushing hotter and dryer weather to last longer in British Columbia.

The indefinite suspension of water permits coversthe Sukunka River watershed, theKiskatinawand Beatton Rivers, Doig River, Osborne Riverand Blueberry River, and the tributaries of the Muskwa, Fort Nelsonand Sikanni Chief Rivers.

The BCOGC says other rivers are being closely monitored, and more water restrictions could be enacted.

Despite the new restrictions, theBCOGC says energy operators will still be allowed to draw water from the main channel of the Peace River and Dinosaur Lake, as well as from water stored in dugouts and dams.

The energy regulator says it will help industry "identify options for alternative short-term water supply."

In June 2019, the BCOGC suspended water diversion for about a month because of drought conditions.

According to theB.C. government's website, the provincehas the power to regulate water use "during times of water scarcity or drought."