Risk of Invasive Mussels to Okanagan Lakes & Waterways

The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has been stepping up calls for action after last September’s announcement of quagga mussels in the Idaho’s Snake River, a tributary to the Columbia River which connects to the Okanagan, and only an 11-hour drive to the BC and Alberta border.

Idaho’s desperate response was to spread toxic copper chelate into the river, killing almost seven tonnes of fish and poisoning a 26 km stretch of the river. The effectiveness won’t be known until this spring.

In October, the OBWB began calling for a temporary moratorium on watercraft coming into BC until results from Idaho’s efforts are known and the Province has closed any gaps in its Invasive Mussel Defence Program. Support for the moratorium has been gathering steam with letters coming in from BC municipalities, chambers of commerce, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, and others.

Tourism businesses and residents can review the Don't Move a Mussel campaign website to learn more about risks and prevention, and access resources to raise awareness.