Water quality assurance during ORRI Penticton Channel Spawning Bed No.4 construction

2017

$895,000

$10,000

The overall Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (ORRI) goal is to regain some of the Okanagan River habitat quality and quantity that has been lost, returning channelized river portions back to more natural conditions. ORRI works involve relocating dikes, river channel lengthening, re-establishing meanders, creating pool/riffle sequences, adding natural habitat features, reconnecting floodplains, and restoring riparian vegetation. The long-term purpose of ORRI is to: improve water quality; create self-sustainable, complex, and diverse habitat for fish and wildlife; and to enhance human relations with the river ecosystem.

The construction of ORRI - Penticton Channel Spawning Bed No.4 continues successful efforts to improve habitat quality and quantity in the highly degraded Penticton Channel. Project activities include:

• Creating another spawning bed: estimated at 12,500 m2, 500m long, in conceptual design; designed to optimize spawning conditions (water velocity, depth, substrate, and Froude Number) for Sockeye, Kokanee, Steelhead and, Rainbow Trout.
• Adding multiple large boulder clusters: estimated at 60 boulders placed in multiple clusters in conceptual design; designed to optimize hydraulics for juvenile salmonid rearing and foraging;
• Riparian vegetation enhancement: locally sourced, site appropriate native vegetation planted at 3:1 restored: impacted ratio.