VASEUX LAKE – LAND USE AND WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT

The overall aim of the Vaseux Lake Land Use and Water Quality Assessment is to determine likely sources of nutrients or sediment contributing to the increased milfoil and algae growth over the past years in Vaseux Lake. Once the sources are discovered and analysed, a final report will be completed with recommended action(s) to mitigate algae and milfoil growth, reduce sediment build up, and lessen or stop the flow of nutrient into the lake.

Vaseux Lake is a freshwater lake located within the Okanagan River system of the Okanagan Valley. The lake is located south of the community of Okanagan Falls and north of the Town of Oliver. Vaseux Lake is considered to be a productive lake as it supports large algae populations and has an average depth of approximately 5 meters with a small deep zone in the center that reaches about 27 meters. The lake has peak summer temperatures at the surface of over 23C and develops a stable thermal stratification each year with corresponding oxygen conditions.
Issues with milfoil and algae in Vaseux Lake have been reported in available material back into the mid-1970’s. An increase in sedimentation near the mouth of the lake has been observed over the years and the productive growth seems to be increasing again. The Regional District has been in discussions with the concerned property owners around Vaseux Lake to determine the source of the increasing milfoil and algae blooms as well as the increased sediment deposits.

The RDOS will hire a contractor in September to do the assessment – a request for proposals has gone out to companies that do such work.

Source: Regional District Okanagan Similkameen