Vaseaux Lake is nestled in the narrows of the valley between Okanagan Falls and Oliver, BC on Hwy ninety seven within the sunny South Okanagan. The Vaseux Lake Wildlife Area surrounds the northern quit of the lake in addition to the north quit marsh, constructed via a Ducks Unlimited Canada. It is a haven for each migrating and resident waterfowl, other bird and flora and fauna species. This area is a designated National Waterfowl Sanctuary and is a vital wintering place for swans and geese.

The nearby location additionally includes Vaseux Lake Provincial Park and Okanagan Falls Provincial park in addition to the provincially blanketed region (non-park), California Big Horn Sheep Wildlife Viewing and Information Site. This place is host to the biggest California Big Horn Sheep herd in Canada.

Building Vaseux Wetlands – Brief History Prior to the construction of the viaduct, the Okanagan River migrated via the valley, supplying fresh water developing a natural ecological stability among wetland and lake. With the call for for a extra green, agricultural water deliver and the ability to re-claim riverside land for agricultural functions, the viaduct become built. The river now by-surpassed the marsh and dumped without delay into Vaseaux Lake. This action removed the fresh flow of water to the wetland and left it best to receive nearby seepage thru evidently sandy soils or backflood from the lake throughout spring runoff. This created a stagnant wetland that recommended immoderate plants growth.

The wetland actually choked itself with vegetation leaving too much cowl and not sufficient open water for nesting waterfowl. In addition, there has been nevertheless a water degree fluctuation problem that tended to overturn or flood nests in the course of the vital nesting season resulting in less waterfowl egg survival.

Through the co-operation of local landowners and water licensee’s, Ducks Unlimited took control of the marsh with the aid of installing a dam, water manage shape and pumping gadget to stabilize the wetland at some stage in nesting intervals. An added gain could be that the higher water stage creates more open water regions with immediately cowl from predators.

After a few years a controlled burn turned into completed within the winter to once more do away with the prevailing choking plants to decorate nesting possibilities for birds.

Vaseux Lake itself is a very good fishing lake well-known for its large largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and extensive rainbow trout. See our Bass Fishing web page for Ducks Unlimited Wisconsin  greater on Vaseaux Lake. The Vaseaux Lake area also might also incorporate one of the highest concentrations of rattlesnakes, in particular on the north quit of the lake in which the Ducks Unlimited dam intersects with the Okanagan River dyke and viaduct.

When the Ducks Unlimited dam became constructed, some of massive boulders where place in which it joined the dyke to prevent automobile get admission to. Every 12 months as the warmth increases and the plants grows thick the rattlesnakes flow from the new rock hillside and take refuge in the lengthy cool grasses and handy shelter created through the boulders.

NOTE: It is fantastically recommended that if one is to challenge onto the dyke or dam (among May and Sept) they have to be extremely careful, put on protecting apparel along with hip waders and deliver some sort of taking walks stick with beat back any snakes that can be too close for comfort. Do now not kill the snakes, they are in a covered location.
Vaseux Wetlands is an environmentally touchy area for many flora and fauna, flora and fauna species. It is worth a visit any time of the year however particularly within the spring during fowl and waterfowl migration. You can get entry to the wetland strolling on the north cease of the wetland just off the Green Lake Road at the west side of the Okanagan River viaduct. A hike (going south) alongside the dyke will get you to the wetland.