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ROUSING THE RABBLE: Ban high-powered wake board boats at Christina Lake

There is increasing impact that personal watercraft (PWC) and high-powered wake board boats are having on Christina Lake.

Taking care of the Christina Lake watershed is a daunting task, particularly because of its popularity as a destination vacation spot for thousands of people during the summer months.

Over a decade ago, the Christina Lake Stewardship Society (CLSS) took on the task of monitoring what was happening and eventually developed a watershed management plan that includes both the human and wildlife communities, to ensure that the lake and its watershed remains in good health for generations.

The CLSS has a broad mandate that includes the maintenance of water quality. The preservation and enhancement of fish habitat and the prevention of non-indigenous aquatic plants and animals from entering the lake are major ongoing requirements.

A matter that is beyond the jurisdiction of the CLSS is the increasing impact that personal watercraft (PWC) and high-powered wake board boats are having around the lake.

The wakes from these specially designed watercraft are now responsible for damage to wharfs, retaining walls and riparian areas – the visible damage.

What are not visible are water pollution, weed distribution and damage to the water ecology.

The problems caused by wake boats were discussed at the Annual General Meeting of the CLSS on Thursday, March 15 and it was generally agreed that an education program would help lessen them. It was suggested that a carefully worded pamphlet, with information about the problems that watercraft cause and the actions that operators could take to reduce them, be distributed during the summer.

Boaters will be asked to operate their craft only down the middle of the lake, the belief being that their wakes will lose energy by the time it hits the shoreline and that noise levels will be lowered considerably.

Over the past decade, noise levels on the lake have also gone up and safety issues have also increased. They present challenges of a different sort.

The education program is a positive step, but it requires the full cooperation of boat owners. What action will be taken if the request is ignored?

The alternative that is being avoided is a ban on the noisy, wake-producing vessels. The fear of doing so is the economic loss to tourism-oriented businesses.

While there might be some immediate economic loss to the community if powerboats were banned, that loss would be more than compensated for by an increase in the number of visitors who bring and use pleasure craft that are more appropriate to the size and vulnerabilities of the lake.

No one asks the other important questions. Do property owners not have a right to the quiet enjoyment of the lake? Do visitors not have a right to the quiet enjoyment of the south-end beach and the other isolated beaches? Do canoeists, kayakers and the owners of small sailboats not have a right to engage in their favourite recreational pursuits without fear of being swamped?

Residents must look into the future on this issue. Manufacturers are promising to add extra ballast and increase the power of their boats with the object of creating bigger wakes. They are even adding such equipment as weed whackers to keep weeds out of their propellers.

Boat sound systems are also being built to project their sound further than conventional speakers.

Putting off a decision to ban big powerboats, wake boats and jet skis will encourage a worsening of the problems.

Just imagine being able to enjoy the lake in a kayak, a canoe or a small sailboat on a sunny summer day. The quiet would be thoroughly enjoyable.

Such images can become the new reality if residents have the will to build a strong case that will gain the support of the board of directors of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and Transport Canada.

It will require dogged determination to achieve the goal of a peaceful recreational spot, but the payoff will be highly satisfying.

– Roy Ronaghan is a columnist for the Grand Forks Gazette