Funded Projects

Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) is leading this project to restore fish passage, improve aquatic habitat, and strengthen watershed health and resilience in the Equesis Creek watershed, which flows into kłusxənitkʷ (Okanagan Lake). This multi-phased initiative aims to enhance ecological connectivity, improve flow management, and ensure infrastructure resilience across the watershed through five interrelated projects:

Project 1 will restore fish passage at the final major downstream barrier, Westside Road weirs, by replacing a a series of concrete drop structure-like weirs which prevent fish passage with a 100-metre stretch of riffles and boulders, and stabilizing adjacent riparian zones.

Project 2 addresses a barrier at the headwaters of Equesis Creek at Pinaus Lake. Though the 2014 dam is critical for maintaining Environmental Flow Needs (EFNs) and irrigation, it lacks fish passage. The project proposes constructing a Newbury riffle and plunge pool below the spillway to allow xwuminaʔ (Rainbow Trout) migration using naturalized structures instead of fish ladders.

Project 3 will upgrade dam safety infrastructure by replacing degraded wooden debris booms with durable HDPE booms, metal screens, and a trash rack to reduce sediment and debris influx—exacerbated by wildfire damage—protecting the dam and downstream habitats.

Project 4 will restore road access to the Pinaus Fire Service Road, which is critical for construction access (Projects 2 and 3), dam inspections, and flow regulation. Improved access will also reconnect OKIB members with a traditional cultural site used for ice-fishing and hunting.

Project 5 will refine the understanding of surface and groundwater interactions throughout the watershed. Using geochemical, isotopic, and hydrometric monitoring from Pinaus Dam to Okanagan Lake, this work will support sustainable water planning and OKIB’s restoration objectives, guided by Syilx knowledge.

Collectively, these projects aim to restore ecological function, support species at risk, and strengthen watershed security in alignment with Traditional Ecological Knowledge and OKIB’s long-term stewardship goals.