The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is a unique form of local government, established under Provincial legislation with taxation powers to support its actions. The structure and purpose of the OBWB are outlined in our Governance Manual.
The Board was formed as a collaboration of the three Okanagan regional districts to provide leadership on water issues that span the entire valley: sustainable water supplies, clean water for drinking, and healthy lakes and streams.
The regional districts also designated the Board to act as the coordinating agency to implement the 1974 Okanagan Basin Study recommendations. The Board does not have regulatory power, but seeks to improve water management by providing a basin-wide perspective and improving communications between regions to reduce fragmentation in policy and planning.
The Board also works to improve links between local and senior governments, participating as a partner in Okanagan water research and infrastructure funding.
2026–2030 Strategic Direction
The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) exists to support local governments through that work. We are not a regulatory or decision-making body. Our role is to convene, to support, to provide credible information, to advise, and to advocate. Over nearly six decades, the OBWB has built a strong track record in this role — bringing communities together, advancing science, and supporting a coordinated, valley-wide approach to water.
This 2026–2030 Strategic Direction provides a framework for future projects, programs, and partnerships, reflecting the OBWB’s strengths and focusing on where it will have the greatest impact. Three core values guide the OBWB’s work and define our role in strengthening water sustainability across the Okanagan: ONE VALLEY, ONE WATER; CREDIBILITY; and ACCOUNTABILITY. Our operating principles describe how we put these values into action.
The Strategic Direction identifies three strategic priority areas for the program: 1) advancing science, environmental monitoring, and information management, 2) building partnerships and capacity in the watershed, and 3) educating, advocating, and advising on good policy.
Governance Manual
The OBWB’s Governance Manual was adopted by all three Okanagan regional districts in February 2010 and is the official terms of reference of the Okanagan Basin Water Board.