Last month the City of Penticton provided leadership and funding for removing sediment from a former oxbow of the Okanagan River near Brandon Avenue.
This action undoubtedly improved the water quality of the oxbow as well as the habitat in and around the oxbow for amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals. During the five-day period, approximately 340 cubic metres of accumulated sediment was removed.
The Friends of the Oxbows, a local citizens group, encouraged the City of Penticton to undertake this work and the Penticton Indian Band granted the permit to access the oxbow and provided a technician to conduct archeological monitoring and to watch for potential wildlife.
We think this project was very worthwhile and extend our gratitude to all three of the groups for their respective roles. We particularly wish to thank the City of Penticton council and staff for their leadership and financial contribution.
James E. Bryan
Chair of the Conservation Committee of South Okanagan Naturalists’ Club