With support from donors, the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality has purchased a new boat. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)

By Dale Boyd

Osoyoos Times

The Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society are better equipped to monitor water quality and invasive species in Osoyoos Lake after setting out on the maiden voyage in their new boat on July 31.

The 21-foot Forester aluminium pontoon boat provides a number of benefits to the non-profit society dedicated to monitoring water quality. It is much lighter and more easily towed by vehicles, has a brand new motor and can hold 10 people on the water.

“It enables us to do what we do more efficiently,” said Birgit Arnstein, president of the OLWQS. “The old boat was getting older and we had increased the types of testing we do which mean we need more people on board and the boat was rated for eight people, the new boat is rated for 10.”

The society sold their old boat, acquired in 2003, which had proved difficult to move. Arnstein thanked Collision Craft Towing for all the years of hauling the former fibreglass boat free of charge. The new boat can be easily towed by a car and is making its home in the dock at Walnut Beach Resort, thanks to the generosity of Don Brogan and the local business.

• Read more: Residents with private docks asked to help monitor for invasive mussels

The testing of pH, temperature and other indicators is much easier with the stable platform on the boat, Arnstein said, as they ran the full gamut of tests on July 31. The boat also provides extra electricity on board for testing equipment.

“So it collects the data right away. On the voyage just before, on the old boat, the battery on the computer died. So we won’t be running into that problem anymore,” Arnstein said.

Arnstein expressed gratitude to all the donors in town who came together to assist in the purchase including the Okanagan Basin Water Board, the Southern Interior Development Initiative, the United Church Thrift Store and the Osoyoos Credit Union.

Not only are volunteers testing water quality, their instruments keep an eye out for invasive mussel larvae.

“That’s part of why we need all those people on board. We’re quite excited to have the new boat,” Arnstein said.

Honorary Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society volunteer Buddy scopes out the view from the society’s new boat. (Vanessa Broadbent / Osoyoos Times)