ECOmmunity Place Locatee Lands (EPLL) Floodplain Re-engagement

Project Overview:

Okanagan River channelization resulted in 50 % loss of length, 93 % loss of riparian habitat, and isolation from floodplains. The EPLL site is the only remaining portion of floodplain in snpintktn (Penticton) area restorable without major infrastructure changes.

Project Goals:

Protect and enhance the EPLL Floodplain in perpetuity, under Syilx stewardship, and to:

    • Re-connect Penticton Channel to the floodplain, to allow for backwater flooding as per the natural hydrological cycle (no flow, just water rising and falling in the floodplain with river levels).
    • Provide seasonal rearing habitat for native fish, especially sk’lwist/ntitiyx (Chinook salmon).
    • Provide a range of fish-free wetlands for other species, such as frogs, salamanders, and turtles.
    • Retain and enhance grassland habitat for dryland species.

Project Documents:

 FAQ EPLL

Project Media:

Project Progress/Status:

Ongoing

Project Map:

Project Team:

Kari Alex, Fisheries Biologist

Email: kalex@syilx.org

Phone: 250-707-0095 ext. 301

Project Partnerships:

En’owkin Centre

Penticton Indian Band