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Water Conservation Notice
On July 3, 2015, the Province of BC declared a Level 4 Drought which is the most extreme condition. Attached is a Water Conservation Notice from the CRD for all water users.
Protect
our lakes and our drinking water
We
must protect the "watershed", the land that drains or sheds
its water into the lake.
Over 200 households in the Cusheon and Beddis watershed areas
rely on Cusheon Lake for potable water. Those of us who live
within and migrate through this watershed are inextricably
linked with, affected by and responsible for, its health.
Healthy lakes and their shorelines are not only valuable for
their beauty and recreational aspects but they also play an essential
role in protecting water quality by filtering out pollutants.
They are food chains in action, they also prevent soil-erosion,
preserve fish and wildlife habitat, not to mention safeguarding
shoreline property values.
Healthy Shorelines are:
- Home to all kinds of wild and plant life
- Clean
and unpolluted
- Left in their natural state
- Helpful against flooding
 The quality of the water in any lake is directly affected by
what goes into it and its watersheds. Degradation of the shoreline increases phosphorus loading which
can create algal and cyanobacterial blooms, lead to flooding, clog water filters, increase water-weeds and even help create a dramatic increase
in unwanted insect populations, including mosquitoes. It is a
complex web of life that we affect with every move we make. Understanding
our individual impact on it will help protect our own health.
We can reduce the amount of phosphorus entering the lake to prevent
algal blooms and further degradation of water quality.
One of our biggest and most significant contamination challenges is the recurrence
of blue-green algae (scientific name - cyanobacteria); a result of too much phosphorus seeping into
the water. Please click on the download for the Cusheon Water Management Plan for details.
Everything from road runoff to garbage left by picnickers
and boaters, to swimmers using the lake as a bathroom (and we're
not just talking soaps and shampoos) causes other forms of water
pollution - from sediments to other toxic substances.
These are a few problems that we face and some suggestions and
tips that you may already be aware of
but if we all practice them we can ensure
a long healthy life for our lakes and ourselves.
| Glossary: |
Riparian Zone: is the
interface between land and a flowing surface water body.
It acts as a filtering system . Plant communities along
the river margins are called riparian vegetation.
Watershed: the drainage areas surrounding
a body of water, particularly those areas of drinking
water or wildlife habitat; includes the tiny streams
that drain into a lake, the shorelines, as well as where
homes exist
more glossary terms on
FAQ page |
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