By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
The Okanagan Basin Water Board’s (OBWB) May Board meeting saw Directors express their appreciation for the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s recent letter to the B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.
The letter supports a recent OBWB statement opposing the use of chemical aquatic herbicides in Okanagan lakes, streams, and reservoirs.
The ONA’s letter was written in response to recent federal and provincial approvals of chemicals, including the aquatic herbicide “ProcellaCOR FX,” and an aquatic pesticide formulation of potash.
ProcellaCOR FX is a targeted aquatic herbicide that has been shown to be highly effective against Eurasian Watermilfoil, Variable Milfoil, Hybrid Milfoil, Hydrilla, Water hyacinth, and other specific invasive aquatic plants.
The herbicide was approved for aquatic use by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in May 2023.
Directors were encouraged by the ONA’s letter and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Okanagan water from chemical contamination.
The May board meeting included the introduction of Christina White, the new Water Quality Project Manager. A Registered Professional Biologist with 12 years of experience in aquatic biology, the OBWB said White’s appointment will expand the OBWB’s capacity and support ongoing programs such as invasive watermilfoil control, invasive mussel prevention, and water quality research.
Directors were informed that the 2025 “Make Water Work” and “Don’t Move a Mussel” public outreach campaigns are in their final stages of preparation.
This year, staff announced a collaboration between the Make Water Work campaign and FireSmart, promoting WaterWise landscaping practices that also create fire-resilient yards.
Water Stewardship Director Dr. Nelson Jatel updated Directors on collaborative efforts with the City of Kelowna and Westbank First Nation to monitor harmful algal blooms in Okanagan Lake.
Together, the partners have submitted a funding proposal to Environment and Climate Change Canada for a project titled “Collaborative Monitoring and Early-Warning System for Harmful Algal Blooms.”
With a proposed budget of approximately $180,000, the project aims to develop a region-wide monitoring network and early-warning system for cyanobacteria blooms, running from September 2025 to August 2027.
The application requests 50 per cent funding through EcoAction, with OBWB contributing $30,000 and significant in-kind support for coordination and data management. Designed to be both scalable and transferable, the system offers long-term value for Canadian water utilities facing climate-related water quality challenges.
The OBWB Board of Directors has approved a $344,080 contract with the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) for the 2025/26 operation and maintenance of hydrometric stations under the OBWB Hydrometric Information Network Program.
This decision reflects the ONA’s proven technical expertise and reinforces the strong, ongoing partnership between the two organizations in support of regional water monitoring.
The OBWB and the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council (OWSC) held their second annual joint meeting in Kelowna. The session focused on strengthening communication and coordination between the OBWB and its technical advisory body.
“By bringing together local elected officials and water experts, the meeting fostered strategic alignment ahead of the OBWB’s 2025–2029 planning cycle and encouraged deeper collaboration on critical water issues affecting the Okanagan,” the OBWB said.
