OBWB provides $500,000 in grants

Castanet
The Okanagan Basin Water Board has awarded $500,000 in grants to 27 municipalities and community groups throughout the valley. This is the third year of the Water Conservation and Quality Improvement grant program and applications for the yearly initiative totaled over $833,000. This year’s grant recipients represent a variety of water quality and conservation projects. Projects to enhance or protect water quality included a number of source protection planning initiatives. Other water quality highlights include a study at deep lake intakes in Okanagan Lake, a sediment core sample program for Osoyoos Lake and cattle exclusion initiatives for upper reservoirs. Genevieve Dunbar, Water Stewardship Coordinator for the OBWB is excited to see these projects receive funding. “Source protection is very topical in the Okanagan and will help ensure good water quality from surface and groundwater sources," says Dunbar. In addition, the OBWB has continued to fund projects that contribute data to a basin wide network, such as completion of Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping (SHIM) for the Central Okanagan, and additional SHIM mapping for the Regional District North Okanagan. There are also two foreshore mapping projects being undertaken in the north portion of Okanagan Lake and along the shoreline in Skaha Lake. These projects will contribute data to the already completed foreshore inventory for the Central Okanagan Regional District. Water conservation initiatives for 2008 include a toilet rebate program in Vernon, irrigation scheduling in Naramata, and development of landscape and irrigation standards in Kelowna.
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Don Quixote Note: As posted Feb 4:
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OKANAGAN WATER STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL HELD ON NOVEMBER 8, 2007 AT THE ECCO CENTRE IN KELOWNA, BC.

5.1 OKANAGAN BASIN WATER BOARD – BOARD REPORT
Dr. Sears reported that the OBWB had another session regarding strategic planning. The strengths of the Water Board were discussed and it was agreed that the Water Stewardship Council gives great value to the OBWB. She also noted that the Budget for 2007 – 2008 was passed and that there is an additional $200,000.00 that will be added to the small grants program which will bring total monies available to the program to $500,000.00.

How Much do we pay for the OBWB ?
In 2008 the total to be paid by the NORD Taxpayers will be $666,573 up from $617,465 in 2007. Vernon's share in 2008 of $402,055 up from $359,215 in 2007. (Increase of $42,840 or 11.9%).