INVITATION TO ALL BOUCHIE MILBURN LAKE RESIDENTS!

Bouchie Lake Community Association, Bouchie Lake Stewardship Committee, and Baker Creek Enhancement Society invite you to an important

Information Session
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 7pm in the Bouchie Lake Hall Emily Sonntag, Invasive Plant Management Coordinator Refreshments provided Funding courtesy of the Cariboo Regional Districts Electoral Area B Directors Initiative Funds

Background Information
As you probably know, in 2008 there was a fish kill in Bouchie Lake. This was a result of a combination of factors that came together at the wrong time, resulting in the suffocation of many of the fish in the lake. A large algal bloom along with a turnover of the lake caused oxygen levels to plummet suddenly, killing the fish. High levels of nutrients in the lake have caused algae and aquatic vegetation to flourish in the last several decades. The Bouchie Lake Stewardship Committee (BLSC) is working with Baker Creek Enhancement Society (BCES) and the BC Ministry of Environment (MoE) to develop a Watershed Management Plan and conduct public education and restoration work in the watershed. A series of public meetings were held in 2009 in order for residents and stakeholders to identify key issues and come up with solutions. A resulting Management Plan was developed and can be found at www.bakercreek.org.

If you have any questions, or are interested in becoming involved in the Bouchie Lake Stewardship Committee, please dont hesitate to contact:

Baker Creek Enhancement Society 250-992-5833

Invasive Plants on Bouchie and Milburn Lakes

Invasive Plants
Lake Keepers Course January 2014 Contact 250-992-5833

Lakes Update
The native plant Elodea canensis or Canadian waterweed was found at the Bouchie Lake boat launch in August 2013. This plant is native to the area but has not previously been identified in Bouchie Lake. Sampling of Bouchie Lake is continuing (water, clarity, temperature and oxygen). Milburn Lake was sampled in August 2013 for comparison to past sampling events. Bouchie and Purser creek flows are still being recorded by volunteers.

Photos left- Flowering Rush is one of the top five most invasive alien plant species in Canada. leaves, which are triangular in cross-section plant forms dense mats that restrict light, dissolved gasses, and the nutrients available to our native aquatic plants to date, no treatments have been completed on the infestation Photos right- Yellow Flag Iris - A perennial, aquatic plant with flowers that are pale to dark yellow amid dark green, sword-like leaves. spread by seed and stems toxic to humans and animals a typical infestation can include up to several hundred flowering plants; all of which are connected through stems

What can you do to help? Residents can help by learning to correctly identify invasive plants and by reporting sightings to the Cariboo Regional District. Also, you can choose not to plant non-native species.