The Institute for Underwater Research (IFUR) is a privately operated organization that was founded in 2005. Since conception, IFUR has actively been performing scientific research and exploration expeditions on Okanagan Lake. Though the majority of our services are done on a volunteer and non-profit basis, IFUR has been involved in geology and biology research expeditions, bathymetric mapping, incident response operations, and underwater structure inspections for various clients. Situated in British Columbia, Canada, IFUR has spent hundreds of hours performing expeditions on Okanagan Lake, while contributing to local environmentalists, scientists, researchers, and search and rescue groups. More than anything, we want to help further the scientific knowledge of Okanagan Lake through data contributions, and to serve the community through various outreach involvements.
Much of our work is performed with state-of-the-art equipment such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), high-resolution underwater cameras, and sonar equipment. Depending on the nature of our operations, IFUR is equipped with a variety of boats that are specially designed for lake research, exploration, and incident response.
Okanagan Lake is the largest lake of the Okanagan Basin, with a length of 110 kilometres and a maximum depth around 232 metres.