The Friends of Lac des Roches and Birch Lake were concerned enough about Lac des Roches, Birch Lake and Phinetta Lake that in 2005, a partnership was formed with the BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS) in which we joined the BC Lake Stewardship and Monitoring Program. The Lake Stewardship and Monitoring Program collects data on lakes and monitor how they are doing. By monitoring the lakes, their baseline condition can be determined and any significant changes could identify potential environmental problems.
The Flush rate on Lac des Roches and Birch Lake are so slow it takes 7 years for the lake to completely change all its water. Any thing spilled or dumped into the lake, which can be detrimental to its well being, will take many years to be totally flushed out. Lac des Roches drains into Birch Lake which drains into Phinetta Lake then Eakin Creek and ends up in the North Thompson River. What happens in Lac des Roches affects the other two lakes, streams and river that connect them.
The Data collected since 2005 was compiled by the BC Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS) into detailed reports which are on their website and can viewed through the following link.
Water Quality
Ministry of Environment Testing:
Twice a year, a biologist conducts extensive water testing on Lac des Roches to determine the “overall health” of the lake. Since 2006, we have heard that the lake is “healthy” but needs to be treated with respect to maintain its current state.
Volunteer Testing:
Under the guidelines provided by the British Columbia Lake Stewardship Society (BCLSS), members of the Lac des Roches Watershed Society conduct environmental monitoring of; Lac des Roches; Little Lac des Roches; Birch Lake and Phinetta Lake. During the ice-free months, volunteers record water temperatures and pH readings and conduct a water clarity test. These water quality results are submitted to the BCLSS and are analyzed by various groups to assess the health of the lake. The data is also used to develop policy protecting the waters of BC.