Concerns

An eutrophic lake is very fertile with a high concentration of mineral and organic nutrients. This will promote an abundance of life including various algae and particularly blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Charlie Lake can be considered hypereutrophic or extremely eutrophic, with three major blooms of algae including the very large blue-green blooms of July through October. High algae concentration affects the water quality and light penetration through the water column. This reduced light affects aquatic vegetation growth. When the algae decomposes, it uses up some of the oxygen that the fish need and this can lead to fish kills and poorer sport fishing. Other aquatic life are affected by the water quality as are we, as a community in our use of the lake.

Because of the amount of development that has gone on around the lake, significant natural wetland has disappeared. It is in these wetlands that much of the fish spawning and bird nesting occurs. Also, clearing near tributary streams has reduced beaver habitat and increased flow rates during flood events. These high flow rates, along with variable lake levels, are a major cause of erosion and nutrient loading into the lake.