Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (3 Grants)

2009

$3,708,000

$25,050

The health of the Okanagan River watershed has been severely impacted by channelization that occurred in the mid-1950's. A river that was once connected to its floodplain and wetlands played a critical role in filtering our water and helped provide clean, secure water sources; providing environmental and social value by moderating the effects of droughts, floods, climate change, and erosion (decrease silt loads in the main channel); offering tremendous recreation and learning opportunities for people of all ages; providing essential habitat for many fish and wildlife species; and removing and storing greenhouse gases from the Earth's atmosphere.

The Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (ORRI) was initiated in 2000 with the intention to re-naturalize a section of the channelized river, re-connecting 1 km of river to its historic floodplain. This is being accomplished through dike-setbacks, restoration of meanders, the creation of pool/riffle sequences and the restoration of riparian vegetation. ORRI is conducted within an ecosystem based management framework that integrates biological, social and economic factors into a comprehensive strategy. The ORRI project meets the ecosystem criteria as it not only serves a single species but also provides benefits at the ecosystem level to other species. It also involves risk assessment as one component of benefit-cost analysis. Finally, it follows an adaptive management process with a commitment to assessment and monitoring and improvement if required. The ORRI has received three grants from the OBWB. One grant, to the Okanagan Region Wildlife Heritage Fund Society, went towards water quality monitoring in downstream Okanagan River and Osoyoos Lake during phase 1 of the project. Subsequent grants to the Okanagan Nation Alliance went towards water quality monitoring during phase 2.