Water Board gets update on milfoil and chooses leaders

The Okanagan Basin Water Board has decided to continue with its current leaders.

Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) representative and Osoyoos mayor Sue McKortoff was re-elected this week as chair of the board which is based in Kelowna.

Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO)’s Cindy Fortin was re-elected as Vice-chair, also by acclamation.

Additional directors re-appointed to the board include Regional District of North Okanagan directors Victor Cumming, Rick Fairbairn and Bob Fleming; James Baker and Colin Basran are returning for RDCO; and returning RDOS directors Toni Boot and Rick Knodel.

Water Management appointments include new Okanagan Nation Alliance representative Chief Chris Derickon, and returning Water Supply Association of BC’s Bob Hrasko and Okanagan Water Stewardship Council Chair Denise Neilsen.

Meantime provincial staff have updated the board on Okanagan milfoil control regulations.

Lora Nield with B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development presented to the board on the province’s most recent milfoil control regulations and future plans.

The OBWB has been in talks with the province for several months regarding restrictions on rototilling, which is the most effective method for controlling the invasive weed.

At issue is the Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel, listed federally as a species of special concern.

Nield acknowledged the board’s call for more research regarding the impact of rototilling (up-rooting the weed) and the impact of dense milfoil beds on the mussel, and said talks are underway with UBC Okanagan researchers to begin this work.