Annually each Spring and FallIce Off and On
Each year it is interesting to monitoring when ice first covers the lake and then celebrating the first day of ice-free conditions. Bob Ohland, long time area resident had kept records of ice-off dates from file:/ 1983-2000. Society members have been looking at ice-off and ice-on conditions since 2001. (Note that the bars of blue indicate period of open water on the lake.)
In 2008, ice was completely off the lake on May 13th and back on Nov 19th.
Annually each JulyThe Great North American Secchi Dip-In
The Dip-In is an international effort of volunteers collecting and monitoring water quality in Canada and the United States. This is sponsored by the North American Lake Management Society and the US Environmental Protection Agency, and by Kent State University.
The BC Lake Stewardship Society compiles and submits data for lakes in BC.
More than 2,500 volunteers measure transparency in their favourite lakes. They use an instrument called a "Secchi" disk; a flat, horizontal, black and white disk that is lowered from a rope into the water until it disappears.
Transparency is affected by the colour of the water, by particles of silt or clay or by small plants called algae. It provides an indirect measure of some forms of pollution.
Transparencies reported have ranged from near zero to more than 20 metres of Secchi depth. As data accumulates, it may be possible to see if the transparency of our lakes is changing over time.
The Charlie Lake Conservation Society has participated in the Dip-In over 5 years. Transparencies have varied from 1 - 2 m, depending on the amount of algae in the water.
For more information contact BCLSS ( www.bclss.org ) or Kent University ( http://dipin/kent.edu )
More information on the Great American Secchi Dip-In, including participating programs and state-by-state results for past Dip-Ins, is available on the World Wide Web at: http://dipin.kent.edu/
Annually each May
Charlie Lake Annual Spring Clean-Up
Each spring, soon after the snow disappears, volunteers are seen around the lake on a specially announced weekend. Litter and other winter treasures are cleaned up as part of a group effort. The surroundings are returned to their natural beauty for all to enjoy.
For more information, watch for announcements posted around town, on FSJ Now!, Energeticcity.ca and on the radio.
Trail Building at Charlie Lake Provincial Park
During the fall, members of the Society worked with BC Parks to develop a 1 km trail to connect residents to existing trails in the extension to Charlie Lake Provincial Park. This new park land was a result of the sale of land and donations from PetroCanada to BC Parks.
2007 PRRD Lakeshore Development Guidelines Awareness Presentation
Lakeshore residents and developers have a valuable guideline from the Peace River Regional District for sensible planning and developing property around the lake and close to streams. A powerpoint presentation was developed by the Society to help highlight some of key considerations.
2003-2005 Volunteer Lake Water Sampling
Members participated in a province-wide Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) established by the BC Lake Stewardship Society and the Ministry of Environment. This sampling program was re-instituted from 2003-2005 to measure the change in the lake nutrients over the summer. Throughout the summer, Society members took water samples around Charlie Lake to monitor water quality. Results of the sampling will be compiled and compared to historic information to identify any changes.
2002-2004
Development of the Strategic Environmental Plan for the Charlie Lake Watershed
The Plan was finalized in 2004. Strategic planning efforts focussed on selected large scale factors that were believed to be affecting water quality. These include the upgrading of poorly functioning stream crossings (primarily culverts that pass under roads), preventing run-off from oil and gas drilling, agricultural and lakeshore development sites and reducing impacts from isolated septic systems.
2003
A one day seminar was held with area ranchers and interested community members with speakers from the well-known Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society - "Cows and Fish"www.cowsandfish.org. This organization has been fostering a better understanding on how improvements in grazing management on riparian areas can enhance landscape health and productivity, for the benefit of cattle producers and others who use and value riparian areas.
Having first hand agricultural experience, our speakers were available to help cattle producers and communities:
- Understand riparian area functions and values (for cattle, fish, plants, wildlife and people)
- Examine and monitor the health of their riparian areas
- Evaluate and suggest management strategies
This event was sponsored by:
- The North Peace Cattlemen's Association
- The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration
- Livestock Mangement Water Stewardship Project
- The Charlie Lake Conservation Society
- Ducks Unlimited
- BC Ministry of Agriculture
Field and Streambank Restoration Workshop
The Charlie Lake Conservation Society sponsored a seminar by ecologist David Polster
This seminar and field streambank restoration workshop focussed on soil bioengineering techniques and options involved in restoration and reclamation of damaged ecosystems and streambank sites using a combination of structural materials, vegetative cuttings and other specialized techniques. Soil Bioengineering is an applied science that uses live plant materials to perform an engineering function such as slope stabilization, soil erosion control, or seepage control.
This streambank restoration workshop discussed:
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Factors involved in successful restoration
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Successional reclamation
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Soil bioengineering techniques
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Regional differences in climate, soils, hydrology, plant types, and growing seasons
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Maintenance and monitoring
2002
Lake Shore Living
- Clive Callaway, of the Living by Water Project, provided lake residents with information on waterfront living. The community workshop provided practical information on saving time and money, protecting health and safeguarding waterfront property investments through natural methods.
2001
Community Education and Stewardship program
- Presentations for families at Charlie Lake Campground, Beatton
Park, and Rotary Park
- Community workshops
- Other community activities
The focus was on lake ecology and to examine how we can minimize our impacts on the lake. This applied not only on Charlie Lake but on the ecosystems of lakes in general.
Salmonid Renewal Project
Charlie Lake is a high use lake in terms of both land development and recreational activity. Fish populations are easily affected by both of these activities. Since very little fisheries work has been carried out at Charlie Lake in the past decade, this project collected valuable information that can help protect and enhance the fish populations and their habitat, through future planning and management strategies.
1999
Wetland Conservation Project
The Charlie Lake Conservation Society supported the Ministry of Environment and Ducks Unlimited in their effort to re-establish a wetland area at the south end of the lake. Walking paths and benches were constructed around the area, as well as signs so that the area could also be used for education. The CLCS and the Boy Scouts planted many tree seedlings in the area.
CLCS ordered and distributed tree seedlings to lakeshore residents to encourage riparian area planting for lakeshore stabilization and songbird habitat.
Volunteer Lake Water Sampling
The CLCS initiated a volunteer water sampling program to measure the change in the lake nutrients over the summer. This is an ongoing project and provides information for brochures. We also produced a Lake Care brochure for distribution to public.
Signs were installed around Charlie Lake to encourage improved lake use and practices.
1998 & 1999
The society arranged for the building and distribution of 100 bird nesting boxes to residents around the lake.
CLCS ordered and distributed tree seedlings to lakeshore residents to encourage riparian area planting for lakeshore stabilization and songbird habitat.
1998
CLCS ordered and distributed tree seedlings to lakeshore residents to encourage riparian area planting for lakeshore stabilization and songbird habitat.