Osoyoos Times – May 15, 2018
The milfoil control spring program came to an early finish last week because of rising lake levels.
James Littley, who oversees the program for the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB), said the decision was made last Wednesday after evaluating the situation the previous day.
The rototiller, which pulls milfoil up by the roots, will not return to the water this season even after the flooding abates, he said.
This program normally runs in the spring when colder water temperatures make the invasive aquatic weed dormant.
A summer program, which usually gets underway in July, only cuts the tops off the milfoil to clear the water for swimmers and boaters. When the water is warmer, the milfoil is growing and uprooting it can cause it to spread.
Littley said the decision to stop was made because of concerns about the wake the boat makes and the potential for damaging property.
The rototiller was operating in the north basin at the time the program was halted.