Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 987 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Jensen, EV and Bryan, JE. 2001. Water quality trends in Kalamalka, Wood and Ellison Lakes 1969-1999. BC Ministry of Environment. |
| Organization | Ministry of Environment |
| URL | http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/trendstuff/kalwood/index.html |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | This report describes nearly three decades of sampling by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, on Kalamalka, Wood, and Ellison Lakes, the first three main-valley lakes of the Okanagan watershed. The report was written to facilitate planning in the upper Okanagan Basin and inform the public regarding water quality trends. Although receiving similar inflow of water, each lake has unique physical and chemical attributes resulting in markedly different levels of macronutrients, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. There are trends in some of these characteristics which may be related to changes in natural and human manipulated water residence times, and changes in non-point source (NPS) loading of nutrients. Kalamalka Lake is oligotrophic but tends towards mesotrophy with relatively low nutrient levels and moderately good water clarity. Increasing phytoplankton abundance in the north end of Kalamalka Lake probably indicates the effects of NPS nutrient loading from the Coldstream watershed. Limited seasonal data suggests nitrate limitation of phytoplankton may occur as early as June in some years. Wood Lake water quality has improved over the period of study due to the transfer of Okanagan Lake water into Ellison Lake immediately upstream of Wood Lake. This higher quality water has reduced nutrient levels in Wood Lake, and increased water clarity. Despite this improvement, Wood Lake continues to be meso-eutrophic. The transfer of water from Okanagan Lake has increased the flow of high nutrient water from Wood Lake into Kalamalka Lake, and nutrient levels in Kalamalka Lake have risen during this time period. Ellison Lake continues to be eutrophic with high primary production and poor water clarity. Other parameters such as nitrate nitrogen and chloride are steadily increasing in Wood and Kalamalka Lakes, indicating that human activities in the watershed are changing the water quality of these lakes. |
| Information Type | webpage |
| Regional Watershed | Okanagan |
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| Project status | complete |
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