Vernon Morning Star – July 25, 2018
The battle to keep invasive mussels from getting into Okanagan lakes is getting an injection of support.
The Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society received a grant from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation for $17,500 to support the monitoring of five Okanagan lakes for zebra and quagga mussels.
“Our society is thrilled to receive this financial boost at a time when mussels seem to be inching closer to British Columbia every year” said Lisa Scott, executive director of OASISS. “This will be our sixth year of monitoring the lakes but the additional funding allows us to greatly expand our program.”
The organization has partnered with the Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society who have been monitoring the health of Osoyoos Lake since 1994 but will now be taking additional steps to watch for this unwanted invader. The lakes being monitored include Osoyoos, Skaha, Okanagan, Wood and Kalamalka Lakes.