Source Protection

Mill Creek and Mission Creek watersheds feed Okanagan Lake, which is the City of Kelowna Water Utility’s raw water source. The Water Utility collects water from two deep-water intakes. The City of Kelowna works with other water suppliers and jurisdictions to protect source water through effective watershed management.

The City of Kelowna’s watershed protection program is designed around four main components – education, stewardship, restoration and enhancement. Launched in 1996, it now has a budget of $80,000 as well as two full-time staff members. Partnerships have been developed with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Regional District of Central Okanagan, School District #23, businesses, landowners and community groups.

Education programs are designed to help tackle problems such as:

• Streambank erosion
• Livestock access to creeks and streams
• Noxious/invasive weeds
• Manicured lawns extending to the water’s edge.

School programs foster respect for the environment and offer hands-on activities that range from day trips to extended projects such as the Kokanee in the Classroom program.

Special events such as Family Environment Day, the Environmental Mind Grind Contest and the Mayor’s Environmental Expo attract hundreds, while smaller workshops provide education on maintaining the health of waterfront properties and environmental guidelines and regulations.

The stewardship program is designed to help the community take ownership of its resources. Volunteers participate in creek clean-ups, storm drain marking and replanting native species under the guidance of environmental staff.

A number of restoration and enhancement projects have helped bring new life to Mill Creek. From bank stabilization to weir construction, the projects have been undertaken with the assistance of other agencies such as Fisheries Renewal BC and the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund.

Kelowna is also participating in a Watershed Monitoring Study, the first of its kind in Canada, to measure the impact of recreation on drinking water sources.