By Times Chronicle Staff
Following their recent attendance at the 2024 Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Convention Okanagan Basin Water Board Directors noted that communities across the province are facing increasing infrastructure costs for water filtration and treatment while having little authority to protect source waters.
Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) Director, Tim Lezard observed, “If people didn’t pollute, we wouldn’t have to pay to clean it up. We are basically subsidizing polluters.”
OBWB Directors stressed the importance of working together with all partners “because the least expensive treatment option is to have clean source water in the first place.”
The board heard that OBWB is working on a number of initiatives and partnerships for source protection which will be reported in the following months.
Real-time hydrometric data
The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), in collaboration with the ONA Fisheries Department, is enhancing its ability to provide real-time hydrometric data aligned with stream-specific fish and environmental flow requirements.
The OBWB pointed to recent data from the Environmental Flow Needs (EFN) Explorer indicating several Okanagan streams, including Mission Creek, experienced stress in September, a crucial period for spawning fish when water demand peaks.
“This situation emphasizes the need for reliable hydrometric data to inform water management decisions that benefit both local communities and ecosystems,” the water board said.
Milfoil management
A new permit was issued by the province to allow expanded milfoil control options while protecting the environment. The Board received the welcome news that an updated 5-year permit to manage milfoil in the Okanagan was received from the province and relies on updated maps of lakes in the Okanagan, accounting for all known aquatic habitat protections, and allowing treatment of new areas as needed.
OBWB will follow referral processes with Okanagan First Nations before adding new areas, it said. It will also be connecting with local governments and First Nations to ensure that milfoil control is provided in their high-priority areas like public beaches, swimming areas, boat launches and marinas.
Milfoil has a number of negative economic, tourism, and water quality effects, and can become a hazard for swimmers and boaters. The new permit allows for a “more agile, science-based response to invasive weed management in the Okanagan,” the OBWB noted.
