Syilx Territory, Penticton, B.C. – As the Okanagan region faces increasing environmental pressures and the critical need to balance human water use with ecosystem health, the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), in collaboration with the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), Foresight Canada and regional partners, has launched the innovative Environmental Flow Shiny App. A tool that provides real-time information about stream water levels across the Okanagan.
ONA fishery professionals, and other water decision-makers can now access up-to-the-minute information, updated every 15 minutes, to assess stream health and ensure conditions are suitable for fish populations, including the historic return of sockeye salmon to Okanagan Lake after more than seven decades.
“Access to real-time environmental flow information is critical to fisheries management, enabling timely, informed decisions that support the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. Tools such as the Environmental Flow App are instrumental in balancing environmental needs with societal demands, including irrigation, municipal supply, and other essential water uses,” says Dr. Zhaozhi (George) Wang, Hydrologist with ONA.
OBWB Water Stewardship Director Dr. Nelson Jatel will showcase the app this week at the Canadian Water Resources Association’s national conference in Penticton (May 26–28), where water professionals from across the country will gather.
“With hotter, drier summers and rising water demand, Okanagan decision makers need real-time tools to act quickly and responsibly,” says Dr. Jatel. “We’re proud to share this innovative app with colleagues across Canada. It’s a powerful example of how real-time data and Indigenous-led water knowledge development can support smarter, more sustainable water decisions in watersheds nationwide.”
The project is part of the OBWB’s longstanding commitment to building climate resilience and advancing sustainable water management in the Okanagan. It also directly supports the objectives outlined in the 2024 Canada Water Agency’s Freshwater Action Plan. However, OBWB Chair Blair Ireland expressed concern that the Okanagan was not included in the Agency’s recent list of eight freshwater bodies of national significance, released in late 2024 — despite the region’s legacy as a national freshwater research leader.
“The Okanagan Valley is one of Canada’s most water-stressed regions, and necessity continues to drive innovation here,” said Ireland. “The Okanagan Nation Alliance’s work to restore sockeye salmon is inspiring, and the OBWB is proud to be a long-standing partner in science-based water management. But it’s deeply disappointing that the federal government failed to include the Okanagan in its list of nationally significant watersheds.”
Ireland pointed to the 1974 Okanagan Basin Study — one of Canada’s largest federally funded freshwater research initiatives — as a landmark example of the region’s leadership. That study responded to serious water quality concerns from nutrient loading and wastewater impacts, laying the groundwork for decades of watershed governance and collaborative science innovation.
“Historically, the Okanagan has been a centre of excellence for freshwater research and federal-provincial partnership,” said Ireland. “Excluding our watershed from national recognition threatens our ability to access critical funding to protect water quality, aquatic ecosystems, and climate resilience. We call on the federal government to correct this oversight and ensure continued investment in one of Canada’s most vulnerable and innovative freshwater regions.”
The Environmental Flow App represents a significant advancement in proactive water management. It empowers decision-makers with actionable, real-time insights to protect vital aquatic ecosystems in the Okanagan.
To learn more about environmental flows and the OBWB’s hydrometric program, visit: https://www.obwb.ca/hydrometrics
About the OBWB
The OBWB is a local government agency established in 1970 to address the region’s most pressing water issues. It represents a collaborative partnership between the three Okanagan regional districts, the Okanagan Nation Alliance, the Water Supply Association of BC, and the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council.
The OBWB’s mandate is to protect and enhance water resources in the Okanagan Basin — a transboundary (Canada and US) watershed nearly 200 km long and covering 8,000 km². This unique watershed includes the headwaters of the Columbia River and six major valley-bottom lakes: Wood, Kalamalka, Okanagan, Skaha, Vaseux, and Osoyoos. Surrounded by mountains and growing communities, the region faces complex and mounting water challenges, from climate change and population growth to ecosystem degradation and water scarcity.