ian maxwell, april 2006 lakelse watershed society sustaining lakelse lake sustaining lakelse lake
DESCRIPTION
Lakelse Mussels Western Pearlside Western Floater Lakelse Freshwater MusselsTRANSCRIPT
Ian Maxwell, April 2006
Lakelse Watershed Society
Sustaining Lakelse Sustaining Lakelse LakeLake
OutlineOutline• The importanceThe importance of the lake of the lake• Eight identified changesEight identified changes• Support for Kalum LRMPSupport for Kalum LRMP• QuestionsQuestions
Lakelse MusselsLakelse Mussels
Western Pearlside
Western Floater
Lakelse Freshwater Mussels
High Recreational ValuesHigh Recreational ValuesRecreation value- parks•25% of shoreline•200,000 visitors annually
Very high fisheries valuesVery high fisheries values
Fisheries • strong part of cultural & community values• major producer of sockeye, coho & pinks• premier sports fishery for steelhead & trout
Property ValuesProperty Values
• • 304 304 Recreational/residential Recreational/residential • • Hotsprings resortHotsprings resort• Marina & cabinsMarina & cabins• Float plane baseFloat plane base
The Overall The Overall ValueValue
$101 million $101 million annualannual benefit benefit W. Sinclair 1974W. Sinclair 1974 (in year 2000 (in year 2000
dollars)dollars)
Previous StudiesPrevious Studies• 1950 Brett: Physical Limnology of Lakelse 1950 Brett: Physical Limnology of Lakelse • 1965 Coburn: Scully & Williams sockeye1965 Coburn: Scully & Williams sockeye• 1968 Foerster: The Sockeye Salmon1968 Foerster: The Sockeye Salmon• 1974 Sinclair: Socio-Economics of Lakelse1974 Sinclair: Socio-Economics of Lakelse• 1976 Abelson: Lakelse Lake Water Quality 1976 Abelson: Lakelse Lake Water Quality • 1978 Cleugh: Chem/Bio/Physics of Lakelse1978 Cleugh: Chem/Bio/Physics of Lakelse• 1984 Greater Terrace Settlement Plan1984 Greater Terrace Settlement Plan• 1986 Warrington: Lakelse Aquatic Vegetation1986 Warrington: Lakelse Aquatic Vegetation• 1986 McKean: Lakelse Water Quality 1986 McKean: Lakelse Water Quality • 1994 Shortreed: Study of Skeena sockeye 1994 Shortreed: Study of Skeena sockeye
lakeslakes• 2003 Gottesfeld: Conserving Lakelse Fish.2003 Gottesfeld: Conserving Lakelse Fish.• 2003 Kokelj: Lakelse Management Plan2003 Kokelj: Lakelse Management Plan
Concern 1 Elodea
Windblown Elodea
• Fine sedimentsFine sediments• IronIron• PhosphorusPhosphorus
Key growth factorsKey growth factors
Elodea mapping with GPS & grapple
• Lake fry down by 78% since 1994Lake fry down by 78% since 1994• Adult returns down by 92% Adult returns down by 92%
Concern 2 - SockeyeConcern 2 - Sockeye
Recovery Plan Recovery Plan StakeholdersStakeholders
• Kitselas First nationsKitselas First nations• Terrace Salmon Enhancement SocietyTerrace Salmon Enhancement Society• Lakelse Watershed SocietyLakelse Watershed Society• Ministry of EnvironmentMinistry of Environment• DFODFO• Ministry of Forests/BC Timber SalesMinistry of Forests/BC Timber Sales
• Sockeye counts Sockeye counts • Disease sampling Disease sampling • Egg survival testsEgg survival tests• Hatchery Creek Hatchery Creek
restorationrestoration• Scully Creek flowScully Creek flow
Recovery Recovery ActivitiesActivities
Concern 3 - Sediment
•Disturbed east-side Creeks
•Shoreline changes•Wave action
Deep-site Sediment Core
Sediment GaugeSediment GaugeSediment Gauge
Concern 4 - Water QualityConcern 4 - Water Quality
•Metals•Nutrients•Bacteria
Max. Av.Eel Creek 34 25Prov. Park Creek 28 23Mountain Creek 18 12Williams Creek 17 11Whalen Creek 14 6
(Micrograms/L; BC Guideline is 10)
Phosphorus inputs to Lake
Concern 5Concern 5 ScullyScully CreekCreek
August 2005
Scully main flow - Lower Hotsprings section
Scully Main-flow - Upper Hotsprings section
Scully - impactsScully - impacts
•Sockeye loss in original creek due to:-Sockeye loss in original creek due to:-– Low water in AugustLow water in August– More beaver damsMore beaver dams– More bear predationMore bear predation
•Poor egg survival in main flowPoor egg survival in main flow•Less flushing action in original creekLess flushing action in original creek•Heavy lake silting from bank failuresHeavy lake silting from bank failures
Concern 6Concern 6 – Further – Further LoggingLogging
•Unstable fans on Williams & Unstable fans on Williams & ScullyScully
•Additional sediment, iron or Additional sediment, iron or phosphorus to lakephosphorus to lake
• Increasingly difficult terrainIncreasingly difficult terrain•Adverse hydrological impactsAdverse hydrological impacts•Cumulative impactsCumulative impacts
Tough Terrain in Williams
Tough Terrain in ScullyTough Terrain in Scully
Tough Terrain in Scully
Inter-agency Inter-agency cooperationcooperation
• MOF part of Sockeye recovery planMOF part of Sockeye recovery plan
• Detailed further sediment studies on Detailed further sediment studies on Williams completedWilliams completed
• MOE sediment transport study on MOE sediment transport study on major creeks plannedmajor creeks planned
Concern 7 - Shoreline changes from vegetation loss & erosion
Estimated loss of natural vegetation5 kilometers (20%)
Shoreline ErosionShoreline Erosion
Shoreline Shoreline erosionerosion
Concern 8Concern 8 - Climate - Climate changes?changes?
Winter Temps: +1.4 oC in Winter Temps: +1.4 oC in 100years100yearsSummer Temps: No trendSummer Temps: No trendPrecipitation: +2% in 100 yearsPrecipitation: +2% in 100 yearsSnow depth: -6% per decadeSnow depth: -6% per decade
What has been What has been achieved?achieved?
• Good understanding of ElodeaGood understanding of Elodea• Comprehensive Water Quality dataComprehensive Water Quality data• Lake Management Plan (2003)Lake Management Plan (2003)• Sockeye Recovery Plan (2005)Sockeye Recovery Plan (2005)• RDKS Sewage Studies (2004-2006)RDKS Sewage Studies (2004-2006)• Sediment studies on Williams (2005/06)Sediment studies on Williams (2005/06)• Input to KLRMP (May, 2006)Input to KLRMP (May, 2006)
If we always do what we always If we always do what we always did,did,we’ll always get what we always we’ll always get what we always got!got!