Scientists have made a new discovery they hope will provide more insight into declining salmon populations in our province.

Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.

The Cowichan River is lower than it was in August last year, after the long extreme heat and drought. There might not be enough water in the river for newly-hatched salmon to swim to the ocean.

A Vancouver Island watershed is experiencing such a severe drought the town of Lake Cowichan says it will start using pumps to keep the local river flowing.

There are no tumbleweeds blowing through the streets of Southeast Alaska towns, but, the region has received quite a bit less precipitation than usual over the past nine months.

Plans are underway for raising the weir: a reflection of widespread concern, says Ken Traynor