Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Okanagan Valley

Scary precipitation stats from Environment Canada

Scary precipitation stats from Environment Canada

Well, the numbers are in, and they should terrify all of us. March was an extremely dry month throughout the Okanagan Valley, with Kelowna experiencing its sixth driest month on record. To the north, Vernon had its fourth driest month on record and Penticton had its second driest March on record, with only 1.8 mm of precipitation compared with an average of 23.6 mm. Those are some troubling numbers, especially when contrasted with a city skyline increasingly dotted with cranes, as Kelowna continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada.

Valley water use challenges loom

Valley water use challenges loom

Water, water, everywhere. That may be the case elsewhere but the Okanagan Valley has always had its water challenges. The drier, southern part of the region sees an average of 250 mm of precipitation per year, while the northern part and higher elevations see an average of 400 mm per year. Kelowna Airport, for example, receives 298 mm of which 102 mm (34 per cent) falls as snow.

Cross-border waterway forum returns to Osoyoos, B.C.

Cross-border waterway forum returns to Osoyoos, B.C.

Residents who live near Osoyoos Lake, on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, are in Osoyoos this week to discuss the health of the international waterway that connects them. The water science forum made its return to the Okanagan Valley for the first time since 2015 – the event was to be held a couple of years ago but was put on hold due to the COVID pandemic.

Projects enhance Okanagan Valley water protection

Projects enhance Okanagan Valley water protection

The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) marked the 15th year of its water conservation and quality improvement (WCQI) grants this week with the awarding of funds to projects throughout the valley that will enhance water security. Since the program began in 2006, and with this week’s award of 16 grants worth $350,000, the board has now provided 300 grants to Okanagan non-profits, First Nations, local governments and irrigation districts adding up to an overall value of $5.1 million.

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