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As a migration corridor, over 2 million migratory waterfowl pass through the Okanagan Valley.
In This Section
- Intermountain Region (Summary)
- South Okanagan Similkameen
- San Jose River Watershed
South Okanagan/Similkameen 
The Okanagan Valley contains some of BC’s most fertile floodplain valley bottoms and grassland plateaus. However, these productive habitats are subject to drainage, agricultural development, and urban development. With average annual population increases of 2%, it has the highest rate of growth in the Intermountain Region, and is behind only the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Whistler.
The Okanagan Valley contains over 50,000 ha (125,000 ac) of lakes and wetlands, covering over 6% of the watershed’s area. Ninety percent of the wetland area in the watershed is contained within the larger lakes located along the valley floor. Urban expansion has had a tremendous impact on wetlands in the valley: only 10-15% of the original wetlands remain along the valley floor, and stabilization of water levels in the big lakes has eliminated the marshy edge historically maintained by fluctuating water conditions. These lakes are all important for recreation, drinking water, livestock watering, and irrigation.
DUC estimates that nearly 15,000 breeding ducks make their home in the remaining wetlands. The area is also home to 42 species of plants and animals listed by COSEWIC as nationally extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern, and there are over 200 animal species, plant species and plant associations listed as provincially at risk.
