Public hearings will be held this week between the US and Canada and their water agreement on levels and flows of Osoyoos Lake.

It has been 25 years since the last hearings took place and this could be the last time people can give input before a new agreement is reached.

Osoyoos Mayor and Okanagan Water Basin Water Board Chair Stu Wells encourages residents to come to the meeting in Osoyoos on Wednesday.

"Most of the treaties are an indefinite period so of course we never know where this is going to go because it is being done by the International Joint Commission. But it would probably be likely that this will also come up to have an indefinite period of time"

Wells says this will likely be the last time operating orders will be drafted.

"Into the future was is going to be the number one commodity and if people are concerned they should certainly come out to the meeting, they don't have to speak but at least come to the meeting and support the people who are speaking and get a further understanding of what we are talking about here."

The public hearings are a follow up to last September's Osoyoos Lake Water Science Forum.

Two hearings will take place, one on each side of the border:

July 24th, 2012

7pm

Oroville High School

Commons

1008 Ironwood Street

Oroville, WA

July 25th, 2012

7pm

Best Western Plus Sunrise Inn

5506 Main Street

Osoyoos, BC

Recommendations from the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control and draft wording on a renewed Operating order are available online at www.ijc.org.

Anita Sthankiya -Penticton