International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control
The International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control (Board) was established by Order of the International Joint Commission (IJC) dated 12 September 1946 to ensure the implementation of the provisions of that Order relative to the alteration and operation of Zosel Dam. Zosel Dam was built in 1927 on the Okanogan River 2.7 km (1.7 mi) below Osoyoos Lake by the Zosel Lumber Company to create a log storage pond.
On January 31, 2013, The International Joint Commission announced that it had issued a Supplementary Order of Approval renewing the State of Washington’s authority to operate Zosel Dam and making minor modifications in how water levels on Osoyoos Lake will be managed.
Supplementary Order of Approval 2013-01-29
Please refer to the reports section of the website for more information on studies related to the Order renewal process and other documents of relevance to the Board of Control, including annual Board reports to the IJC. The records section of the Reports page contains records of past Board meetings and relevant IJC Orders of Approval for Osoyoos Lake.
Osoyoos Lake Level Rising During Spring Snowmelt
Due to recent snowmelt in the high elevations of the Okanagan and Similkameen watersheds, Osoyoos Lake surpassed the 912.0 feet level (Plot 1) at 03:00 am PDT on May 14, 2020, with lake levels continuing to rise. The Applicant to the IJC Orders of Approval for Osoyoos Lake that operates Zosel Dam remains in compliance with the 2013 Order of Approval (Condition 7 - normal allowable lake levels); since all gates have been fully open since May 11 to allow maximum conveyance of water past Zosel Dam. Osoyoos Lake levels will continue to rise until lake outflows equal those of lake inflows, which is determined by the level of the Similkameen River near its confluence with the Okanogan River and inflow to Osoyoos Lake.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Reports
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News Releases
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Call for website photos!
The International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control is seeking digital photo submissions from members of the public for posting to this website. Specifically, we are accepting submissions of high quality scenic photos for use as home page sliders. Please see the attached submission criteria here and send us your best Osoyoos Lake pics!
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Zosel Dam Emergency Contacts
Contact Zosel Dam Operations in case of an emergency