Okanagan Basin

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The Okanagan Basin spans the communities of Osoyoos in the south to Armstrong in the north – incorporating most of the three Okanagan regional districts. Almost 200 km long and 21,600 km² in area, the Okanagan watershed is approximately 2/3 the size of Vancouver Island! Okanagan Lake dominates the basin which is comprised of many small lakes and watercourses. The Okanagan Valley was carved out by glaciers, and when the ice retreated approximately 10,000 years ago, the basin was filled with one huge waterbody, Lake Penticton. The Valley was scoured to something like its current state when an ice dam at the southern end of Lake Penticton melted, emptying most of the valley.

The Okanagan Basin is also considered one of the most arid watersheds in Canada, with an urgent need for effective water management. The Okanagan Basin Water Board was established more than 35 years ago, to provide leadership on regional water issues – taking a basin-wide perspective and seeking collaborative solutions.