The Okanagan Basin Water Board is attempting to reduce the false reports of invasive milfoil growth in Okanagan Valley lakes.
A staff report from James Littley, Chief Operating Officer for the OBWB, states that one of the challenges of the milfoil control program is that native aquatic plants are often mistaken for invasive milfoil.
"This year, we received more false reports than usual, each requiring staff time to investigate," Littley said in the report.
To help balance the value of public reporting on invasive milfoil growth while reducing the time spent on misidentifications, the OBWB has initiated a public information initiative focused on a new poster entitled 'Is it Invasive Milfoil?'
The poster features clear photos and descriptions of invasive milfoil, provides information about the milfoil and its harmful effects, and includes side-by-side comparisons with several common native aquatic plants found in the Okanagan.
The poster is accessible on the OBWB website at
Littley says while native plants may sometimes interfere with recreation pursuits, they play an important role in supporting water quality and aquatic habitat.
"Unlike invasive milfoil, they do not threaten public safety and may even be protected under provincial or federal legislation," Littley states.
"For this reason, OBWB's program is not permitted to disturb native plants."
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The OBWB's new aquatic weed harvester, the Aquarius HM620, is slated for delivery on Friday, Sept. 5.
The new harvester, at a cost of $397,500, replaces an Aquarius harvester that has been in operation since 1978.
With a 19.4 cubic metre capacity, the HM620 model is designed to significantly improve efficiency in removing invasive milfoil from Okanagan lakes.
A custom-built adjustable operator platform will also allow the new harvester to move freely between basins of Osoyoos Lake and under the low-clearance highway bridge.
A staff report also addressed the OBWB's decision to buy from a U.S. supplier based in Wisconsin.
In response to a Request for Proposals, no Canadian suppliers were able to meet the program's harvester needs. While the Aquarius Systems bid met those requirements, it addressed transport issues and provided the most competitive price.
The company has also supported the OBWB's milfoil harvesting control program for decades.
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A new technology tool created to monitor and detect fish species for ecological studies may serve another purpose as well, to detect invasive mussel species before they can take hold in B.C.'s freshwater ecosystems.
All organisms shed genetic material into their environment. This material accumulates into environmental DNA (eDNA), creating an avenue for a non-invasive and cost-effective way to uncover the presence of invasive species, stated an OBWB staff report.
"Conventional eDNA sampling and analysis involve collecting samples from the field and transporting them to a lab for analysis, which is not practical for field-based watercraft inspections. However, new technology is creating a promising pathway to bring the lab to the field," stated the report.
Further research and testing of this new technology is being carried out by Dr. Michael Russello, a professor at UBC Okanagan's Department of Biology, and his colleagues at Queen's University and UC Davis.
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The Make Water Work Community Champion will be unveiled at the Sept. 5 annual general meeting of the OBWB, taking place in 麻豆精选 at the Mary Irwin Theatre in the Rotary Centre of the Arts.
Carmen Weld, OBWB communications manager, reports this year's contest has seen record-setting pledges, sitting at 550 as of Aug. 26. While that doesn't surpass the contest's best year of 677 pledges in 2020, it has exceeded the 2024 contest pledge mark of 318.
As of Aug. 26, Armstrong was in the lead with 132 pledges, followed by Oliver and Osoyoos with 102 and 87 pledges, respectively.
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While seasonal forecasting is always challenging, preliminary indications are that there is a "medium likelihood", we may experience a fall season with above-normal warm temperatures in the Okanagan for the next three months, said Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Precipitation forecasts show no clear trend for the Okanagan over the same time period.
