By Steve Hubrecht
Local environmental group Wildsight is pressing Invermere council to take steps to reduce recreation pressure on Lake Windermere.
Wildsight Invermere branch president Tracy Flynn sent a letter to council outlining the group’s concerns, many of which stem from the two-year recreational carrying capacity study commissioned by the Lake Windermere Ambassadors, and which was released in full last August.
Flynn also attended last week’s council meeting, urging action.
The letter referenced the study, and in it Flynn wrote “we were alarmed to read the overall conclusion – there are long-term threats from boating activity to lake health, source water protection and habitat values on Lake Windermere.”
She noted these are in addition to Wildsight’s “ongoing concerns around unmanaged dock and buoy proliferation — 936 docks and 431 buoys were counted on Lake Windermere for a total moorage of 1367 in 2022, and the result is cumulative impacts that warrant immediate action.”
In the letter Flynn and Wildsight asked Invermere council to review the study and a webinar on the study hosted by the Ambassadors, adding “we hope you’ll agree that we need to address the effects of escalating recreation pressure on our lakes.” They encouraged council to engage other local and regional governments and First Nations who may share in jurisdiction over the lake.
Flynn addressed council during public question period. “It’s nothing new. It’s a contentious issue,” she said.
Flynn pointed to past examples where Invermere council members have said they can’t do much about the lake as it is not within their jurisdiction. “But I believe it squarely is,” she said.
Flynn noted that after a recent review of federal Vessel Operation Restriction Regulations (VORR), the federal government seemed more inclined to give jurisdiction to local municipalities. She did note that it can still be “quite a process” and would require the District of Invermere to work together with the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK), the Shuswap Band and the Akisqnuk First Nation.
