An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for British Columbia
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An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for British Columbia Prepared for: Final Report Prepared by: Norm Zirnhelt, Rick Nordin, Dawn Roumieu, Heather Leschied, Kat Hartwig Table of Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... iii Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ viii List of Tables. ................................................................................................................................ viii 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 Existing Lake Monitoring Programs in BC ................................................................................. 1 2.1 Provincial Lakes Monitoring Program ................................................................................... 3 2.2 Department of Fisheries and Oceans .................................................................................... 4 2.3 Lake Pulse Canada ................................................................................................................. 4 2.4 Living Lakes Canada and Community Based Monitoring ...................................................... 7 2.5 BC Lake Stewardship and Monitoring Program (BCLSMP) ................................................... 8 2.6 University of British Columbia Okanagan ............................................................................. 9 2.7 The Fraser Basin Council ....................................................................................................... 9 3.0 Current Needs of Lake Stewardship in BC ................................................................................ 9 3.1. Current Needs of the Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy and the Volunteer Stewardship Sector .......................................................................................... 10 3.2 Needs for an Expanded Stewardship Program ................................................................... 12 4.0 Capacity for Lake Monitoring in BC ........................................................................................ 13 4.1 Assessment of Current ENV Capacity .................................................................................. 25 4.2 Volunteer Stewardship Groups in BC .................................................................................. 25 4.2.1 Active Lake Stewardship Groups in BC ......................................................................... 25 4.2.2 Potential Stewardship Capacity .................................................................................... 26 4.2.3 Training and Support Needs for Volunteers ................................................................. 32 4.3 Summary of Potential for BCLSS to Support ENV ............................................................... 34 5.0 Current BCLMN Program ........................................................................................................ 35 5.1 Description of the BCLMN ................................................................................................... 35 5.2 Recommended Enhancements to the BCLMN .................................................................... 37 5.2.1 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 37 5.2.2 Reporting of Data by Lake ............................................................................................ 39 An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for BC i 5.2.3 Database Integration .................................................................................................... 44 6.0 BC Lake Monitoring Framework ............................................................................................. 45 6.1 Option 1: Modified BCLSMP ................................................................................................ 45 6.2 Option 2: Modified Alberta Lake Management Society Program ....................................... 47 6.3 Option 3: Modified US State Volunteer Lake Sampling Model ........................................... 48 6.4 Advantages of Volunteer / Stewardship / Community Based Monitoring ......................... 51 7.0 Potential Funding Sources ...................................................................................................... 56 7.1 Grants from ENV ................................................................................................................. 56 7.2 Water Related Revenue ...................................................................................................... 56 7.3 Creative Sentencing............................................................................................................. 58 7.4 BCCF – MFLNRO Model ....................................................................................................... 58 8.0 Integrated Program Setup ...................................................................................................... 58 9.0 References .............................................................................................................................. 60 Appendix A: Terms of Reference for the Integrated Monitoring Framework .............................. 64 Appendix B: Discussion of Water Quality QA/QC ......................................................................... 66 Appendix C: List of Parameters Sampled by Agency/Organization .............................................. 74 Appendix D: Indigenous Peoples: Indian Bands and Nation-Based Organizations ...................... 76 Appendix E: GPS Coordinates for 2018 BCLMN Lakes, Potential BCLMN Lakes, and non-BCLMN Lakes ........................................................................................................................ 80 An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for BC ii Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the following ENV staff for their valuable input to this report: Deb Epps, Mike Sokal, Jody Fisher, Chris Swan, Lisa Torunski, Greg Warren, and Marge Sidney. We would also like to thank Michele Sam of the Ktunaxa First Nation for an overview perspective on First Nations involvement in water stewardship. Brad Peter, Executive Director of the Alberta Lake Management Society was very helpful with regard to how their lake program works in Alberta. An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for BC iii Executive Summary The BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy (ENV) contracted with the BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS) to develop an integrated framework that incorporated the existing BCLSS volunteer monitoring framework, known as the BC Lake Stewardship and Monitoring Program (BCLSMP), with the BC Lake Monitoring Network (BCLMN). A joint proposal was developed and submitted by the BCLSS and Living Lakes Canada (LLC), which formed the terms of reference for this report. Existing lake monitoring programs in BC were reviewed to ascertain whether they could contribute to an integrated monitoring framework. In addition, First Nations and lake stewardship organizations’ activities related to monitoring in the province were also looked at. Programs reviewed included the Provincial Lakes Monitoring Network, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Lake Pulse Canada, Living Lakes Canada, the University of BC Okanagan, and the Fraser Basin Council. This year (2018) is the 4th year of the BCLMN and the 3rd year of coordinated province-wide sampling. The lakes were prioritized by using a priority ranking tool based on values (e.g., drinking water supply, fisheries, recreation, tourism), risks (e.g., development), and known or potential impacts. At times, ENV has had difficulty in delivering the entire program due to limited resources. A table was developed illustrating what different groups are doing in the way of monitoring in BC. The table included lakes in the BCLMN and potentially being added in 2019, as well as lakes that are not currently part of the BCLMN, but have the potential to be monitored by stewardship groups and included in the BCLMN. In addition, the table indicates whether there is a local lake stewardship group and whether they are actively monitoring. The needs of the BC stewardship sector were reviewed based on experience at ENV, BCLSS over the course of the BCLSMP, and other CBM groups surveyed by LLC. Major needs identified were found to be: • Support with forming a stewardship group • Training on how to do monitoring correctly • Personal contact for training and other aspects of lake management • Information on lake ecology including enhanced training • Auditing to correct problems • Timely reporting (annually in some cases) on the data they have collected to help keep them engaged • Connections with other groups who may have experience with similar lake management issues • Assistance with identifying funding sources for projects and equipment An Integrated Lake Monitoring Framework for BC iv • Equipment available to borrow e.g., DO/T meters and/or assistance with purchasing equipment (i.e. type of DO meter, funding sources, and where to purchase) It was determined that expansion