Okanagan WaterWise
1450 KLO Road V1W 3Z4 Kelowna, BC, Canada

BRING ON THE RAIN! We held our annual Water Supply Webinar yesterday, looking at current and forecasted water supply for the Okanagan this summer-fall. HIGHLIGHTS: ... With an extremely dry March and April, and above normal temperatures expected in June-July, many are hoping for June rains traditionally, our rainiest month. Otherwise, we could be headed for drought and a difficult fire season. I am worried that it has been so dry. Hopefully we get just enough rain we need to wet things up. Doug Lundquist, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Fuel conditions are dry for this point in the wildfire season June rains are usually the best indicator of wildfire season. Bob Warner, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Resource Manager Updates for the webinar were provided by: Environment and Climate Change Canada - Weather, BC River Forecast Centre and B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Ops & Rural Development, IJC - International Joint Commission’s Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, and Okanagan Nation Alliance. WATCH the full webinar at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ohdgkGVfk4&t=285s

SAVE THE DATE: Join us for the AquaHacking Western Canada Semi-Final on Tuesday, May 18, 1 PM for the announcement of our TOP 4 teams, helping tackle some of our most challenging water issues. Meet our judges who will be helping select the top 4 teams! Thanks to our Water Experts, Tech Experts and Business Experts. Find the broadcasting link for our semi-final event at: https://bit.ly/AquaHackingWesternCanada .

Sending a shout-out to our garden centre partners this very busy #MothersDay weekend! Thank you for helping residents beautify our valley while being WaterWise! Looking to work with Mother Nature, using plants that work best in our climate? Ask them about the Make Water Work Plant Collection. Download the plant list at www.MakeWaterWork.ca/plants. Thanks to our partners: Shepherd's Hardware Ltd, Blue Mountain Nursery, Swan Lake Market & Garden, Nicholas Alexander Home & G...arden / Landscaping, Lake Country Home Hardware Building Centre, Better Earth Gardens Kelowna, GardenWorks Penticton, Sagebrush Nursery, Sandhu Greenhouses & Nursery PLUS... looking for help with irrigation products that will help Make Water Work smarter? Visit our friends at Pro Source Supply. #MakeWaterWork #okanagangarden #okanaganlife #OkWaterWise

Sunday is #MothersDay! Whether it’s for your mom or for Mother Nature, we’ve got the right plants for you! Check out our Make Water Work Plant Collection, featuring 105 beautiful perennials, grasses, trees and shrubs, suitable for the Okanagan’s dry climate. Find the collection and the garden centres that can help you at www.MakeWaterWork.ca/plants. ... Thanks to our partners: Shepherd's Hardware Ltd, Blue Mountain Nursery, Swan Lake Market & Garden, Nicholas Alexander Home & Garden / Landscaping, Lake Country Home Hardware Building Centre, Better Earth Gardens Kelowna, GardenWorks Penticton, Sagebrush Nursery, Sandhu Greenhouses & Nursery PLUS... looking for help with irrigation products that will help Make Water Work smarter? Visit our friends at Pro Source Supply. #MakeWaterWork #okanagangarden #okanaganlife #OkWaterWise

Fabulous good news story! ICYMI - Okanagan Nation Alliance returns Chinook to their historical habitat in Okanagan Falls for first time in 70 years. Story here: https://www.castanet.net//Okanagan-Nation-Alliance-returns

We recently did a phone survey of Okanagan residents, wondering what water issues were of concern, and what people were doing to address them. THANKS to all who participated! Highlights include: Top 3 water issues: forest fires, invasive mussels and climate change 85% of respondents stated they practice water conservation... Top ways they conserve: water yard less, wash clothes with fuller loads, use the dishwasher less with fuller loads 52% said they protect water quality Top ways they protect water quality: do not put anything down the storm drain, don’t flush unused medications and return them to the pharmacy, do not wash fats, oil or grease down the drain and instead dispose in the garbage 85% have heard of invasive zebra and quagga mussels; 55% have heard the OBWB-OkWaterWise’s Don’t Move A Mussel (DMM) message Do you take action to conserve &/or protect our water? SHARE BELOW! Find more survey results here: https://bit.ly/3qrR4Vp

It was a picture-perfect day at Maude Roxby wetland today, but the winning shot goes to Richard Allison who let us share his Trumpeter swan photo in this month’s Okanagan Water Board Report! Highlights in the report include: Sustainable winegrowing certification highlighted Invasive clams prompt Water Board & Shuswap to work together more closely... OBWB to hold Natural Assets Workshop Winter rototilling for milfoil underway Board receives outreach campaign reports & water survey results Find the full report at https://bit.ly/36Buz8G. #OkWaterWise #bcwine #conservation #MakeWaterWork #NaturalAssets #OkanaganLake #milfoil #stopAIS #DontMoveAMussel #CleanDrainDry

UPDATE: Missed our conversation with water activist and New York Times Bestselling Author Seth M. Siegel - or just want to experience it again? You'll find it here: https://youtu.be/DpLwzq9dD4w - Enjoy! ***** Thanks to those who were able to join us for a conversation with Seth M. Siegel! If you missed it, stay tuned. Once we’ve posted the video to YouTube we will share the link! ... #watersustainability #Okanagan #climatechange #conservation #OkWaterWise

HAVE YOUR SAY! The Government of Canada is creating a new Canada Water Agency and wants to hear thoughts and ideas about current and future freshwater challenges in Canada and how a Canada Water Agency could help. What are the most pressing fresh water challenges, nationally and in our region? Learn more about the agency and share your thoughts at https://www.placespeak.com//6321-protecting-canadas-fresh/.

Happy UN #WorldToiletDay! Shout out to the Okanagan’s wastewater treatment plant operators - ensuring our waste water is clean before being returned to the environment ...and eventually re-collected and treated as safe drinking water! A few years ago, our friends at BC Water & Waste Association did a video following the water from source to tap, and back to source. Cameos by several Okanagan water folks were included! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/kPikSWDC-RY... Also, for kids, some excellent colouring sheets that help follow the journey of water: https://okwaterwise.ca/resources/dww/surfacewater.pdf and https://okwaterwise.ca/resources/dww/wellwater.pdf

As the temperature drops, cozy up with your favourite warm, water-imbued beverage and take in our latest Okanagan Water Board Report! Highlights include: Directors approve partnership with Province to address lake levels Water grant theme announced, intake opens... Board hears presentation on Laurel Square project Water Board’s 50th anniversary celebration continues with speaker series OBWB 2021-22 budget approved Find the full report here: https://bit.ly/355TCQM

REMINDER If you have a rain barrel and haven’t winterized it yet...

Temperatures are dropping! Time to finish the bulbs in our new WaterWise garden area. Got yours in yet? This weekend may be your last chance with snow expected next week.

#DontMoveAMussel - The OKANAGAN has the dubious distinction as the #1 DESTINATION for mussel-infested watercraft this summer. And while COVID-19 might’ve put the brakes on travel from the U.S. this summer, watercraft traveling from infested areas in eastern Canada continued. The province has released its mussel inspection stats for this year. ... Between May 15 - late October: just over 29,900 inspections conducted; interactions with about 55,900 people 160 watercraft identified as high risk 28 Decontamination Orders issued 17 watercraft issued quarantine periods to meet the required 30-day drying time 16 WATERCRAFT CONFIRMED CARRYING ADULT INVASIVE MUSSELS. These came from Ontario (12), Arkansas (2), Wisconsin (1) and Manitoba (1) These were headed to: the Okanagan (7), Vancouver Island (3), Lower Mainland (3), Thompson (2) and 1 unconfirmed destination. The three watercraft coming from the U.S. were being commercially transported into Canada. The province received advanced notice on 13 of the 16 mussel-fouled boats, either from another jurisdiction (e.g. AB, MT, Idaho, WA) or by Canada Border Services Agency agents. In addition, 954 plankton tow samples were collected at 89 waterbodies, including in the Okanagan. All samples tested negative for the mussel veligers (microscopic larvae). While there’s some good news here, these stats show a continued need for a stronger federal and interprovincial response to prevent the spread of invasive zebra and quagga mussels. Thanks to EVERYONE - government and NGO partners, and residents! - who were part of the effort this summer to keep our waters invasive mussel-free! Learn more about the mussels at www.DontMoveAMussel.ca #CleanDrainDry #HaveTheTalk #ProtectOurLakes #stopAIS

LOOKING FOR WATERWISE PARNERS! Have a project idea to protect or improve water in the Okanagan?! We have funds! We are now accepting applications to our Water Conservation & Quality Improvement (WCQI) Grant Program. With $350,000 available, eligible applicants can receive up to $30,000! This year, we are especially interested in projects that address water security. Learn more in our news release here: https://bit.ly/3p3wyKq... Since the grant program began in 2006, more than $4.75 million has been awarded to 284 projects in our valley. For more on the WCQI program and to apply for a grant, visit www.OBWB.ca/wcqi.

November 19 is UN #WorldToiletDay - aimed at raising awareness for the importance of proper sanitation. We’ve heard of testing sewage for COVID-19 as an early warning for the disease’s spread. ICYMI - Timely & interesting piece this week regarding research that shows potential impact of improperly treated wastewater carrying COVID-19 on marine life, including beluga whales, dolphins, seals and sea otters. ... https://www.rcinet.ca//marine-mammals-may-be-at-risk-of-c/

The plants are nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of next year dance in our head! Now is a GREAT time to start planning for next year's garden! Last spring, we converted a section of lawn into a more WaterWise, pollinator-friendly area. Looking forward to seeing what awaits us in spring!... #OkWaterWise #MakeWaterWork #quarantineprojects #Okanagangarden #waterwisegarden #pollinatorgarden #butterflygarden #Okanaganliving

CALL FOR WATER ISSUES As we envision our next #AquaHacking Challenge for 2021, co-hosted by the Okanagan Basin Water Board-Okanagan WaterWise & AquaForum, we are calling for big, cross-cutting #waterissues affecting communities in #WesternCanada, and that are ripe for #techsolutions! GET INVOLVED:... - submit your water issue ideas in the form https://bit.ly/3jEo34y - share it in your network See more

Have a pool or hot tub that needs draining? Be WaterWise! It’s NOT as simple as draining into storm sewers, which run directly into our creeks and lakes - home to fish & other aquatic life, as well as our drinking water! City of Kelowna fines $2000 for improper draining. Learn more here: https://www.kelowna.ca/wastewater/storm-water #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanaganlife #Okanaganliving

#DontMoveAMussel - While we are headed into a provincial election, it certainly can’t hurt to keep the invasive mussel issue on the radar. Thanks to our Okanagan Basin Water Board Dir.-Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran for helping ‘Spread the message, not the mussel’ as part of this year’s Union of BC Municipalities convention. https://www.castanet.net//Kelowna-s-number-one-priority-is

Welcome fall! As cooler temperatures arrive, Okanagan residents are invited to take in this FREE lunch & learn opportunity, tomorrow 12 noon 1 PM, Wed., Sept. 23, on Energy Efficient Homes. Did you know? Energy and water are intricately connected. All sources of energy require water in their production. Energy conservation = water conservation. The webinar, part of a series, features information from the "Building Climate Resilience in the Okanagan" homeowner's gu...ide, a collaborative effort between several partners, including Okanagan WaterWise. There will also be a Q&A session. Tomorrow’s speakers include: Chris Allen, Architect, Landform Architecture Ltd. on Building a New Home in the Okanagan Mark Petry, Building Official with Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen on How to Make an Existing Home More Energy-Efficient, and Janice Larson, Director, Tri-University Partnership Office, UBCO VPR Partnerships Office on A Case Study of a Net Zero Home - with Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, South Okanagan Real Estate Board and with funding support from Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia Can't make it? Find the "Building Climate Resilience" guide at https://bit.ly/2KKLKsF. #OkWaterWise #Okanaganlife #Okanaganliving Webinar REGISTRATION DETAILS

GREAT NEWS! The Province of B.C. has announced a $27 mill. investment in watershed initiatives & wetland projects as part of B.C.'s Economic Recovery Plan! We, at the Okanagan Basin Water Board, were pleased to lend our voice to this important effort by the BC Watershed Security Coalition & look forward to the roll out of projects that protect B.C. water and help our climate! One proposed project for the Okanagan... develop a toolkit to help communities protect their drinkin...g water sources. Right now, some recreation and other activities in our watersheds put our drinking water at risk, silting up water, requiring utilities to try and remove pollutants. If we can bring parties together to work to protect the water, this will help communities save money and avoid water quality advisories. Find the BC Watershed Security Coalition news release here: https://watershedsecurity.ca/news-releases/

Looking to #MakeWaterWork best in your yard? The cooler fall weather is a GREAT time to plant & our friends at Summerland Ornamental Gardens are holding their fall plant sale online! LOTS of WaterWise perennials, shrubs, grasses and trees! Orders due Sat. Sept. 19. More at http://summerlandgardens.org ... #Okanagangardens #Okanaganxeriscape #Okanaganlife

CONGRATS OKANAGAN! Thanks for doing your part to #MakeWaterWork this summer! And a special congratulations to City of #Armstrong - winners of the 2020 Make Water Work Community Champion title! It was a tight race with 2nd place finisher, #Spallumcheen. We had real buy-in from staff and council, says Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper. We went to our various clubs Lions, curling, etc. and sent members emails and went hard. Half the people we were harassing were from Spa...llumcheen, so it increased both of our numbers, he laughs. According to Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser, town staff and council also sent emails. They also had Make Water Work flyers at the front counter when people came in to pay their taxes. But in their back pocket was Coun. Gerry Popoff. Coun. Popoff is like the godfather of our community and anytime someone called him he told them to go to MakeWaterWork.ca, learn about water conservation and take the pledge and they did!, explains Fraser. As portions of south Okanagan streams dry up and strand Chinook, and as demand for water continues with fall food crops and potentially fire-fighting, we are encouraging residents to continue to be WaterWise. You can still pledge and find conservation tips, and even collect $2 off your purchase from the Make Water Work Plant Collection. It's a great time to plant! Learn more at www.MakeWaterWork.ca Read the full news release here: https://bit.ly/2Fs8Cyn #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanagangarden #Okanaganxeriscape #Okanaganlife

Ok Okanagan - this is it! As we continue to experience hot weather... the need for water continues for farm crops and for fish returning to our streams. Today is the FINAL DAY in the #MakeWaterWork Community Challenge! PLEDGE to conserve and help your community win the Make Water Work Community Champion title! Over the summer, we asked Okanagan residents to do their part to conserve water & pledge to do at least one of the following: Only water lawns between dusk ...and dawn. Water plants, not pavement. Never mow low. Let it grow. Choose plants suitable to our dry climate. Tune up irrigation systems. Aerate lawn areas and top dress with compost. Pledges will be collected until midnight tonight! GOOD LUCK to our partners: City of Armstrong (#ArmstrongBC), The Township of Spallumcheen, (Armstrong Spallumcheen Parks & Recreation), Regional District of North Okanagan, City of Vernon - Activate Life, District of Coldstream, District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, District of Summerland, City of Penticton - Municipality, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, Town of Oliver, Town Of Osoyoos (#Osoyoos) #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanaganliving #Okanaganlife #Okanagangarden

#DontMoveAMussel The latest numbers are in from B.C.’s mussel inspection efforts. Between May 15 and Sept. 8, B.C.’s mussel inspection team intercepted 13 watercraft carrying invasive mussels 10 of these from within Canada, 3 from the U.S. And, 6 of these 13 were Okanagan-bound! With the Canada-U.S. border closed to non-essential travel, the 3 U.S. watercraft were purchased from mussel-infested regions by B.C. residents to be brought in by commercial transport.... REMINDER: If you are purchasing watercraft from outside the province, you must contact the province to determine if it is high risk and should be decontaminated for possible zebra or quagga mussels before accessing B.C.’s lakes and rivers. It’s free! More here: https://dontmoveamussel.ca/prevention/#bringing-a-boat And of course, with the continued warm weather, if you have anyone coming to visit the Okanagan with ANY type of watercraft, make sure they know to stop at ALL inspection stations along the way and to #CleanDrainDry between visiting water bodies. Find resources to help us ‘Spread the message, not the mussel’ at www.DontMoveAMussel.ca. The full story: As of Sept. 8, more than 26,000 inspections. Of these, 141 identified as high risk (coming from mussel-infested area within the last 30 days) Of these, 13 confirmed to be carrying adult invasive mussels 17 Decontamination Orders issued, and 12 issued quarantine periods to meet the required 30-day drying time to ensure any invasive mussels are dead before launching Where were these watercraft coming from, and where were they headed? Of the 13 mussel-infested watercraft These came from Ontario (9), Manitoba (1), Arkansas (2), Wisconsin (1), and were destined for the Okanagan (6), Vancouver Island (3), Lower Mainland (2), and the Thompson-Shuswap (2). SHOUT OUT to our partners at Conservation Officer Service for their efforts to protect our waters! #HaveTheTalk #protectourwaters #stopAIS #Okanaganboating #Okanaganlife #Okanagansummer

Soak it up! Find our Board Report, with highlights from the latest Okanagan Basin Water Board meeting, at https://bit.ly/3hhGvi5. Highlights include: Water Board’s 2020 Annual Report released Directors vote to initiate Water Monitoring Program... Water Board to engage province in talks on lake water levels B.C. budget committee hears call for watershed funding OBWB proposes to partner for B.C. AquaHacking Challenge 2021 See more

Hey water-lovers! Only 2 DAYS LEFT in the #MakeWaterWork Community Challenge! HAVE YOU PLEDGED? Over the summer, we asked Okanagan residents to do their part to conserve water & pledge to do at least one of the following: Only water lawns between dusk and dawn. Water plants, not pavement.... Never mow low. Let it grow. Choose plants suitable to our dry climate. Tune up irrigation systems. Aerate lawn areas and top dress with compost. Now is a great time to aerate your lawn, or overseed with drought-tolerant seed. It's also a fantastic time to plant! PLEDGE and collect your coupon for WaterWise plants from the Make Water Work Plant Collection, PLUS help your community WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE! Pledge at www.MakeWaterWork.ca. GOOD LUCK to our partners: City of Armstrong (#ArmstrongBC), The Township of Spallumcheen, (Armstrong Spallumcheen Parks & Recreation), Regional District of North Okanagan, City of Vernon - Activate Life, District of Coldstream, District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, District of Summerland, City of Penticton - Municipality, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, Town of Oliver, Town Of Osoyoos (#Osoyoos) #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanaganliving #Okanaganlife #Okanagangarden

Happy Labour Day! As summer draws to a close, we marvel at some of the AMAZING Okanagan waterways we visited while staying close to home! How lucky we are to live in such a special place!! Did you discover some new favourites, or revisit some old ones? Let us know below! #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanaganliving #Okanaganlife

HEY OKANAGAN! It’s a hot one this weekend! Be WaterWise! Pledge to conserve water outdoors & help your community WIN the Make Water Work Community Champion title! Plus collect $2 off a WaterWise plant from the #MakeWaterWork Plant Collection, available at participating garden centres. Learn more at www.MakeWaterWork.ca. ... #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #Okanaganliving

HEY OKANAGAN!! Help your community make a SPLASH and take the 2020 #MakeWaterWork Community Champion title! As you can see from the photo of Armstrong’s mayor Chris Pieper, he thinks they already have this but it’s NOT too late! Pledges to determine our champion are being collected until Sept. 11, 11:59 p.m. and is based on most water conservation pledges collected per capita. SIMPLY PLEDGE AT www.MakeWaterWork.ca & SHARE THIS POST - challenge friends, family and n...eighbours to join you! Past champions include: The citizens of #Peachland (2019 and 2016), #Armstrong (2018, 2017, 2015) and #Oliver (2014). PLUS, pledge and receive $2 off your purchase from the Make Water Work Plant Collection. Redeemable at any of our participating garden centres! PLEDGE at www.MakeWaterWork.ca! GOOD LUCK to our partners: City of Armstrong, The Township of Spallumcheen, (Armstrong Spallumcheen Parks & Recreation), Regional District of North Okanagan, City of Vernon - Activate Life, District of Coldstream, District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, District of Summerland, City of Penticton - Municipality, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, Town of Oliver, Town of Osoyoos (hey Osoyoos Loop - can you help get the word out?!) #OkWaterWise #OkanaganXeriscape #Okanaganliving #Okanagangardens

Sticking around the Okanagan the last several months has allowed us a chance to find new, and rediscover other, amazing watery wonders in our valley this summer! Found, or rediscovered, a favourite Okanagan spot? Share below! Plus, we love photos! #OkWaterWise #Okanagansummer #OkanaganLake #Okanaganlife #COVID19

Interesting piece on CHBC - Global Okanagan re: the management of #OkanaganLake levels. As noted, a review is needed, but any updates won’t come easy since it needs to consider impacts on fish and the local ecosystem, and potential for drought. Global Okanagan story: https://globalnews.ca//peachland-bc-province-lake-level-m/ ... Learn more about how the lake is managed & the various considerations here: https://www.makewaterwork.ca/drought/ #OkWaterWise #BeWaterWise #Okanaganlife

boating on Kalamalka and Wood Lakes? PLEASE go slow and keep wakes low as you head to the ‘Playzone.’ Your playzone is where water is deeper than eight metres (25 feet). Remember that these lakes are not only fun places to play, they are also drinking water sources, there are homes and the Okanagan Rail Trail along the shoreline, which are also sensitive habitat. When powerboats play too close to shore, they: ... kick up contaminants (e.g. bacteria, heavy metals, pesticide residues and hydrocarbons) close to drinking water intakes which pollutes drinking water disturb fish habitat and shoreline bird nesting cause shoreline erosion that can affect the Okanagan Rail Trail and other waterfront areas We’re pleased to support this initiative with Regional District of North Okanagan, District of Lake Country, District of Coldstream & Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program (OCCP) #OkWaterWise #Okanaganboating #Okanagansummer #Okanaganlife #Okanaganlifestyle Learn more: https://www.kelownacapnews.com//local-governments-call-on/

Very timely... Another lunch & learn opportunity today, Aug. 26, 12 noon to 1 PM PST - Honoring the Role of Fire on the Land. Registration is free! The webinar, part of a series, features information from the "Building Climate Resilience in the Okanagan" homeowner's guide, a collaborative effort between several partners, including Okanagan WaterWise. There will also be a Q&A session. ... Today’s webinar will focus on the Syilx Okanagan Nation’s perspective. The Syilx have always conducted prescribed burns to rejuvenate and restore the land. Open forests and grassland ecosystems were maintained through frequent, low-intensity ground fires managed at the right time of year before new growth started. Speakers include: Honoring the Role of Fire on the Land by wusxnalqs, Rheana Marchand-Edward, Syilx Traditional Ecological Knowledge on Fire Fire and Ecosystem Health by Ellen Simmons, Instructor at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology; PhD candidate, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UBC Okanagan The Ecology of Fire by Aaron Deans, Wildlife Ecologist, Okanagan Nation Alliance - with Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, South Okanagan Real Estate Board, and with funding support from Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia. Can't make it? Find the "Building Climate Resilience" guide at https://bit.ly/2KKLKsF. #OkWaterWise #Okanaganlife #Okanaganliving #Okanagansummer Today’s webinar REGISTRATION DETAILS

#DontMoveAMussel - Love our lakes? Protect them! Meet Stan! He moved from the Okanagan to Alberta several years ago, but comes back every summer to boat and plans to come back permanently at some point. But in the meantime... I love coming here - the waters are so clean! And I want to keep coming, so I make sure to do my part to protect the lake! Planning to launch your boat, seadoo, paddleboard, or other water recreation equipment, into Okanagan waters this weekend? Make ...sure to #CleanDrainDry EVERY time you leave the water & before you launch elsewhere. Find tips, including a handy ‘Boat Inspection Checklist,’ at www.DontMoveAMussel.ca/resources. #Okanaganboating #Okanagansummer #Okanaganlife #Okanaganlifestyle

#DontMoveAMussel - We’re THRILLED to have Vernon RCMP volunteers back, helping protect our waters from invasive mussels, just in time for another Okanagan summer weekend! To the volunteers: THANK YOU & STAY SAFE! More here: https://infotel.ca//vernon-rcmp-volunteers-are-bac/it76258

UPDATE: Aug. 26, 2020 4PM - RDOS Emerg. Social Services Reception Centre at 199 Ellis St. now closed. For info. call 250-490-4225 during regular office hours. On Aug. 25, Evacuation Order for 319 properties in Heritage Hills RESCINDED. Evacuation ALERT for Upper Carmi and Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park RESCINDED. UPDATE: Fri., Aug. 21, 8:43 AM - BC Wildfire Service estimates fire at 2,000 ha; Evacuation order remains in effect. BCWS will be increasing the number of Structu...ral Protection Strike Teams with fire protection apparatus near the Christie Mountain Wildfire, southeast of Penticton. This is a precautionary measure to mitigate risk to homes in the area ahead of an approaching weather system that may cause challenging fire behaviour. Winds are forecasted to be southerly, 20-40 km/hr, gusting to 70 km/hr. Structural protection teams will be stationed throughout the community starting tomorrow morning to perform assessments and proactively triage infrastructure. More details at: http://ow.ly/BI2U50B5cqV UPDATE: Wed., Aug. 19, 11AM - Boaters are asked to STAY OFF SKAHA LAKE. Water bombers and helicopters will be accessing water from the lake. Boats create safety issues for these aircrafts trying to save homes. More here: https://bit.ly/34dYV0n. Please be aware... City of Penticton - Municipality - Tues., Aug. 18, 2020, 9:30 PM: Evacuation Alert issued for South East Penticton for 3,669 properties located in the south east portion of the city. The alert area includes properties within the following street boundaries. Lakeside Rd. South Main Main Street Industrial/Okanagan Avenue Alison St. Penticton Creek Syer Rd. For a detailed listing of all impacted property addresses & more info, visit: https://www.penticton.ca//evacuation-alert-issued-south-ea ALSO... Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen at 9 PM - Evacuation Alert for Upper Carmi area east of Penticton due to Christie Mtn Wildfire. Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park also on Evacuation Alert. RDOS as of 4:30 PM - Evacuation ORDER for Heritage Hills STAY UP TO DATE - follow the Penticton & RDOS pages tagged here, and stay safe.

Are you an agricultural water user? Did you know that ag water customers, in many areas of the Okanagan, can sign up for text/email alerts from their water suppliers, helping make important irrigation decisions & ensure their best possible yield. Go to www.obwb.ca/alerts and click on your water supplier to register. Messages to expect: Early season updates on snow pack conditions, streamflows, and weather forecasts Updates on water supply conditions throughout the growi...ng season Alerts concerning changes in drought stages and requested responses Notification of irrigation turn-on and turn-off dates Tips to help you use water efficiently Participating water supply partners: Regional District of North Okanagan, District of Lake Country, City of Kelowna, Glenmore Ellison Improvement District, City of West Kelowna, District of Summerland, Kaleden Irrigation District, City of Penticton - Municipality, Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the Town of Oliver. Additional tools and info about water efficiency and responding to drought, developed specifically for you, are also available at www.OBWB.ca/ag. #OkWaterWise #Okanaganfarming #Okanaganlife