As reported in yesterday’s Bulletin, the Kimberley Alpine Resort will begin snowmaking operations as the temperature is becoming cool enough.
However, Matt Mosteller, VP of Marketing for RCR said that the resort was sensitive to the low water situation.
It was reported at Council last week that with no appreciable fall rains, spill over the Mark Creek dam was still only three centimetres.
Mayor Don McCormick says it’s a balancing act between low water and the need to get the ski season off to a good start, given that KAR is vital to the winter economy in Kimberley.
The resort will be making snow but with some limitations, the Mayor says.
“We did a test on Tuesday with use of the snow guns, and the dam level dropped about one centimetre,” he said. “This proved to be acceptable under the current circumstances, so Mike Fox (the city’s Manager of Operations) has approved RCR to make snow. It is critical that we get the ski season off to a good start, so the City is doing all it can to support those efforts.”
However, an upper limit of 170 litres per second has been established. McCormick says the draw-down on the reservoir will be measured each day.
“If the 170 litres/second is exceeded, the snow making will have to stop,” he said. “Under the current water conditions, this is a reasonable compromise that benefits RCR without putting our water supply in jeopardy.”