By Times Chronicle Staff
Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) Directors were recently briefed during their monthly meeting on the successful launch of the 2025 Make Water Work, Plant FireSmart campaign that has Oliver and Osoyoos competing neck-to-neck in the Take the Make Water Work Pledge – a long-standing contest for the most pledges per capita.
Last year, the Town of Oliver took home the title of Community Champion, but this year Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff also has her eyes on the prize, promising to secure the win for her town. Osoyoos and Oliver are currently leading, while Armstrong is in third place. Take the pledge for a chance to win a $500 gift card for a WaterWise yard upgrade.
The OBWB directors are also planning further advocacy with federal agencies regarding Canada Water Agency’s Freshwater Action Plan. The Board notes that the plan excludes the Columbia watershed, including the Okanagan basin, from its designated eight fresh water bodies of significance. The directors say they are “concerned this omission could reduce access to funding for critical projects that would protect or restore our Okanagan waters.”
Zoe Eyjolfson, Fluvial Geomorphologist at the Okanagan Nation Alliance, presented on the Okanagan Lake Dam East Salmon Passage project, currently being constructed in Penticton at the Okanagan Lake Dam. This project will give salmon a safe path to cross the dam into Okanagan lake for spawning and will be another huge step towards bringing salmon back to local lakes.
OBWB Directors encouraged staff to continue to advocate for consistent, long-term funding for invasive zebra and quagga mussel prevention. This push will be part of their June 10 presentation to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the Province of BC’s 2026 budget, emphasizing the critical need to protect BC waters.
Directors also discussed the Province’s update to its drought level communication system as it is currently updating how it communicates and sets regional drought ratings in BC. Directors expressed concerns
about effectively communicating these ratings and how they differ from local watering restrictions, which can vary significantly (e.g., between Armstrong and Osoyoos). They also urged residents to always check with their local water provider for accurate watering restrictions.
Directors also heard that OBWB staff presented on key Okanagan water initiatives at the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) National Conference in Penticton in May. OBWB staff presented on the Climate Indicator Dashboard, and the new real-time Environmental Flows Monitoring App, a tool that provides real-time information about stream water levels across the Okanagan.
