Okanagan Basin Water Board https://obwb.ca One valley. One water. Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:47:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Okanagan hosts international gathering to build a sustainable future with siwłkw (WATER) FOR ALL https://obwb.ca/okanagan-hosts-international-gather-to-build-a-sustainable-future-with-siwlkw-water-for-all/ Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:41:59 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18667 Read more]]>
Kelowna, B.C. – Syilx Territory

As B.C. faces another potential drought this summer and difficult decisions on who gets what water, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) and the Canadian Water Resources Association, BC Branch are hosting an international gathering to address the types of challenges that are being seen around the world. The siwłkw (Water) For All – Co-Creating Futures, Environmental Flows Conference is being held March 13-15 at the Coast Capri Hotel in Kelowna, B.C.

The gathering brings together more than 200 representatives from national and international organizations engaged in water management or research, including fisheries and water managers, First Nations and local government policy-makers, regulators, academia, funders and NGOs.

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>
Board Report – March 2024 https://obwb.ca/board-report-march-2024/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 23:14:18 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18664 Read more]]> The Okanagan Basin Water Board’s monthly Board Report provides highlights from this week’s Board of Directors meeting.

The monthly report provides up-to-date information about the activities, projects, and policies of the Water Board.

Please feel free to share widely!

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>
Weather Report – March 2024 https://obwb.ca/weather-report-march-2024/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 14:46:17 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18645 Read more]]> El Niño is continuing, but is likely (79%) to transition to neutral conditions in April –June. The U.S. National Weather Service continues to forecast warmer-and-drier-than-normal conditions through the summer of 2024.

Okanagan Lake has recovered to seasonal levels (50th percentile), but there are some concerns that it may not reach full pool this summer, depending on precipitation levels for the remainder of the spring.

Okanagan Lake

The B.C. River Forecast Centre’s March 1st Snow and Water Supply Bulletin is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 8, 2024. The bulletin offers a more detailed and comprehensive summary of the March 1st snowpack statistics and includes approximately 115 manual snow survey measurements (for the entirety of B.C.). The official snow basin indices are calculated within the bulletin. As of February 26, Okanagan automated snowpillows remain at below the 25th percentile for their historical records.

Mission Creek
Silver Star
Brenda Mines

]]>
Environmental Flows Conference March 13-15, 2024 https://obwb.ca/environmental-flows-conference-march-13-15-2024/ Wed, 28 Feb 2024 22:59:31 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18635 Read more]]> The Okanagan Basin Water Board and the Canadian Water Resources Association, BC Branch are excited to host siwłkʷ (WATER) FOR ALL – CO-CREATING FUTURES Environmental Flows Conference 2024March 13-15, 2024, in Kelowna, B.C.

]]>
Okanagan Water Board critical of federal mussel response https://obwb.ca/okanagan-water-board-critical-of-federal-mussel-response/ Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:30:00 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18594 Read more]]>

Click to Download (PDF)

Kelowna, B.C. – Syilx Territory – The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is providing clarification to this week’s federal mussel funding announcement, arguing it does not go far enough.

“Although this may sound like a win, and it is a welcome announcement, it does not address recent calls to action made to the federal government, from the Water Board, Thompson-Okanagan chambers, B.C. Wildlife Federation, Westbank First Nation, local governments, and others,” said OBWB Executive Director Anna Warwick Sears. “Most importantly, it does not directly support the prevention of invasive mussels in the west.”

In reviewing the Feb. 14 news release from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), they announced:

1. $8.75 million over 5 years as part of the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund

The OBWB notes this is a re-announcement of funding from last year. And, this is a nation-wide fund which requires B.C. to compete for these grants with other aquatic invasive projects across Canada.

2. “Up to $540,000” over three years ($180,000 per year), starting in 2023 – last year – to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF)

In other words, HCTF (which was provided funding previously to administer to B.C. invasive species groups to do mussel lake-monitoring) had to apply for and was successful in applying for one of these grants.

This will go to funding water sampling in lakes throughout the province to detect if mussels are already present. This is important and necessary work, but it is not a prevention tool.

3. DFO will purchase two new decontamination units to help the B.C. government’s Invasive Mussel Defence Program (IMDP) efforts

This will provide a few more resources to respond if a high-risk boat is stopped. Again, this is a welcome addition, but does not help detect or prevent invasive mussels.

“After reviewing the news release, it has been determined that our calls to action still stand since the announcement does not address federal funding gaps and solutions that would prevent invasive mussels,” added James Littley, OBWB’s invasive mussel policy lead. For example, it does not include funding to expand or support B.C.’s inspection stations – a critical program that has been proven to stop infested watercraft from entering B.C., but which needs to be expanded.

“We believe the Government of Canada must become a funding partner of B.C.’s IMDP with direct funding and resources to B.C.,” noted Sears. “Otherwise, federal officials (Canada Border Service Agents or DFO Enforcement Officers) need orders and resources to take over the prevention program on the federal border, leaving B.C’s Conservation Officers to re-deploy along the Alberta-B.C. border. As such, all our calls to action remain.”

Our latest federal calls to action can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/2024-01-18-fed-calls-to-action.)


To learn more about invasive zebra and quagga mussels, the risks to B.C. waterways, how to prevent their spread, and more, please visit www.DontMoveAMussel.ca.

]]>
Board Report – February 2024 https://obwb.ca/board-report-february-2024/ Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:35:13 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18571 Read more]]> The Okanagan Basin Water Board’s monthly Board Report provides highlights from this week’s Board of Directors meeting.

The monthly report provides up-to-date information about the activities, projects, and policies of the Water Board.

Please feel free to share widely!

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>
Weather Report – February 2024 https://obwb.ca/weather-report-february-2024/ Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:00:00 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18601 Read more]]> NOAA (U.S. weather agency) continues to forecast warmer-and-drier-than-normal conditions through the summer of 2024.

Although this website only forecasts for the U.S., it is updated more frequently than Environment Canada forecasts: https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/

Okanagan Lake is at the 29th percentile for this time of year (only 29 out of 100 years have lake levels been this low at this day of the year), reflecting both the management of the lake, and the recent unseasonal rains.

Okanagan lake

Okanagan snowpillows have recovered to just below the 25th percentile for their historical records. At high elevations, there is not much run off, and the snow can absorb some of the rain, but extended warm temperatures will decrease the size of the snow-reservoir going into our spring freshet. In general, water managers can still be cautiously optimistic at this time of year, because there is a lot of time left to catch up. However, given the El Niño conditions, there is a real possibility that the drought will continue into 2024. The current El Niño forecast projects the condition weakening in the spring of 2024, moving to a neutral El Niño/La Niña status.

Mission Creek
Silver Star
Brenda Mines

]]>
Okanagan Water Board urges feds to support invasive mussel prevention while there’s time https://obwb.ca/okanagan-water-board-urges-feds-to-support-invasive-mussel-prevention-while-theres-time/ Thu, 18 Jan 2024 23:28:41 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18532 Read more]]> Kelowna, B.C. – Syilx Territory – The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has learned that the federal government may be cutting funds which support invasive mussel inspections in B.C., despite recently learning that the threat of these mussels is now closer than ever to the still mussel-free province.  In response, the board has sent a letter to the Ministers of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Environment and Climate Change, and Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, and straight to the Prime Minister’s office.

“This is critical, we are going right to the top,” explained Water Board Chair Sue McKortoff. “After all the decades of work done by the Okanagan Nation Alliance and partners to bring the salmon back, it would be a crime to see the salmon population collapse because we failed to protect our freshwater ecosystem from invasive zebra and quagga mussels when we still had a chance. This would ruin an important food source to local First Nations, as well as everything else that depends on the salmon, including birds, bears, orca.”

The letter, sent today and cc’d to B.C.’s MPs, MLAs, Assembly of First Nations, chambers and more, calls for immediate, long-term federal funding assistance for the Province of B.C. to support invasive zebra and quagga mussel prevention efforts. “The Government of Canada should provide funds to at least match provincial government efforts across the West, or plan for significant higher management costs in the near future,” the letter states. 

In its letter to the federal government, the OBWB notes the Government of Canada’s announcement in May 2023 of a Canada Water Agency which included a budget of $750 mill. with $420 mill. to address water concerns in the Great Lakes, but none for aquatic invasive species protection in the west.

“Has the federal government given up on us?” questioned OBWB Executive Director Anna Warwick Sears. “Have they accepted defeat before we’ve even had an infestation here? That’s what it feels like.”

“We appreciate there’s a Canada Water Agency, but they’re pouring money into remediation for the Great Lakes without protecting the still pristine waters in the west,” she added. “The government has identified the Fraser River as a priority watershed. Regardless of what they do in the Okanagan, they should be true to their word and prioritize funds for the Fraser River. By protecting the Fraser, they will help protect the rest of the province.”

The OBWB has been stepping up its calls for action after last September’s announcement of quagga mussels in the Idaho’s Snake River, a tributary to the Columbia River which connects to the Okanagan, and only an 11-hour drive to the B.C. and Alberta border. The closest infestation prior to this finding was in Manitoba. Idaho’s desperate response was to spread more than 116,000 litres of toxic copper chelate into the river, killing almost seven tonnes of fish, and poisoning a 26 km stretch of the river. “Wholesale killing of fish, invertebrates, amphibians, and plants in the river was considered better than letting these mussels take hold” the board writes, adding the effectiveness won’t be known until this spring. 

In October, the OBWB began calling for a temporary moratorium on watercraft coming into B.C. until results from Idaho’s efforts are known and the Province of B.C. has closed any gaps in its Invasive Mussel Defence Program. Support for the moratorium has been gathering steam with letters coming in from B.C. municipalities, chambers of commerce, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and others.

Between May and December 2023, B.C.’s Invasive Mussel Defence Program intercepted 155 watercraft on their way into B.C. that were identified as high-risk for the mussels; 79 were decontaminated; 36 were quarantined. Fourteen were confirmed to have invasive mussels. A recent B.C. government economic impact report states an invasive mussel infestation would cost the province $64 to $129 mill. annually. However, in reviewing the report, the OBWB has said the costs would be higher since the report leaves out harder-to-define costs, including impact to fisheries and quality of life.

For its part, the OBWB’s Okanagan WaterWise outreach and education program has been running the “Don’t Move A Mussel” campaign since 2013, raising awareness about the threat of the mussels and how to keep them out of the Okanagan. It also provides funding to the Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society to conduct outreach to boaters and the public. The Water Board is also developing a mussel vulnerability guide for local governments, water purveyors, and other industrial users that rely on in-water infrastructure.

Please find the OBWB’s letter to the federal government below.

For more information on zebra and quagga mussels, the risks to the Okanagan, and how to prevent their spread, please visit www.DontMoveAMussel.ca.

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>
Board Report – December 2023 https://obwb.ca/board-report-december-2023/ Fri, 08 Dec 2023 00:33:44 +0000 https://obwb.ca/?p=18438 Read more]]> The Okanagan Basin Water Board’s monthly Board Report provides highlights from this week’s Board of Directors meeting.

The monthly report provides up-to-date information about the activities, projects, and policies of the Water Board.

Please feel free to share widely!

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>
Okanagan Water Board seeks grant applications to address drought & other water challenges https://obwb.ca/okanagan-water-board-seeks-grant-applications-to-address-drought-other-water-challenges/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 01:00:00 +0000 http://obwb.ca/?p=18413 Read more]]> Kelowna, B.C. – The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is now accepting applications to its Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI) grant program for 2024.

With an annual funding pool of $350,000, applicants that meet the program criteria can receive between $3,000 and $30,000 for water projects within the Okanagan Basin. Eligible applicants include Okanagan local governments and First Nations, irrigation districts and non-profit organizations. This year, the board of directors has chosen the theme “Drought Resilience,” encouraging projects aimed at prevention, management, and/or mitigation of drought or water shortages in the basin.

“We are already seeing the impacts from climate change with extreme weather events,” says Carolina Restrepo-Tamayo, the OBWB’s Office and Grants Manager. “When it comes to water, that translates to more flooding and droughts. It means greater stress and impacts on infrastructure like dikes that may fail, water and wastewater treatment plants – either overwhelmed with flood water, or unable to keep up with demand in the case of drought. This summer’s drought has impacted some streams and their ability to support fish. It also fueled the terrible wildfires that broke out across the valley. But there are solutions – ways that communities can create resiliency and get prepared,” added Restrepo-Tamayo.

The WCQI grants focus on solutions – improving ways to manage water, to lessen current and future problems, and protect the environment and ultimately, Okanagan communities.

Projects that address drought can receive up to 10 extra points during their evaluation, which could increase their chances of being funded. There are also several other project categories eligible for funding, including source (drinking) water protection, groundwater, restoration, and education.

The complete WCQI Program Guide, including scoring criteria and other detailed information, and application forms can be found at www.OBWB.ca/wcqi. This year’s application deadline is Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, 4 p.m.

Since the WCQI program began in 2006, the OBWB has funded 331 projects worth more than $5.8 mill., recognizing the importance of enhancing water quality and conserving water in the Okanagan, known as one of Canada’s most water-stressed regions.

Click to Download (PDF)

]]>