By. JENNIFER LANG and “March, Judy. Chrysler slips ee the: *eravel 8 shore... “waterfowl - :-months. Some | years, she’ s-seen as, 2 Once! “trumpeter. Swans ‘in’ ‘Canada. ‘tinction, .: “tat ‘due’ to ‘human: -ericroachment: _Sriowmobiles.:.. f little: oxidation, die -to ‘the lake's igh, iron: content, which. ‘has at imés - ‘exceeded drinking. water: res commendations, ‘butvisn't. cause: for concern: for human: health, -Thorsels; ‘of food. * | Scan} the horizon ‘and you’ IL-see “ “rust. ‘also. clings’ ‘to: boulders : -and “rocks at the: ‘Take. shore. " vig the: Kitimat ‘Stikine® Regional ~ Distriet: by “Associated. Engineer- “ponent, of sewage. effluent)’ may. ” have: something: :to.do with the - overgrowth. of: a’ rioxtous, 5 weed. at :Lakelse Lake.” 3° =: 7 Outdated ‘or failing’ septic. sys= tems share: some’ of the: ‘blame’ for’ -mountiiig: environmental: “problems: -.you:dan't do. anything, five years” . _the’ regional district boa ‘T-don' Warit to’ see’ ‘that happen.” Ls guide future. development : “Lake and: Jackpine’ ‘Flats. nan- feathered northwest B. C. Tesi- * dents.: oe ‘Solutions | may include. limiting ‘EACH: DAY between “November.” “into her grey and-black:- Cowichan « sweater” “and ‘heads’ down. to. the . re.:to. feed: the: resident trompe- ; ulation going,” “she. Says," reach. 7 ing into a bucket to grab a handful “ rf: yellow. ‘corn: ‘seeds. ta: oe : lly . “feeds : these majestic. ‘bit: feist “during. -the winter: listed’ as-an: chdangered ‘ ‘species; - ‘trumpeter © swans: “have ‘made.a- temarkable comeback, In? 1933, there -wére.just:77 breeding “tio efforts, today there are. nore. =». than-20,000 in North: America. and: the” species. no longer: Faces, OKs “Now the greatest threat io. their’. : survival is. loss of of wetland. habi- uo ~ There's ‘little danger: to Lakelse- : Lake’ s\ wintering, trumpetérs — so. : ‘long ’as. they stay out. of the way of “ : “But they: ‘do have. to. ) put up, vtith : Look: closer; and you: Il ‘spy ay noticeable orange tinge. coating.‘ ‘the. heads: and: long’ fiecks ofthe birds ‘testament to. the: number of = ‘times dip. under. ‘water looking, for ‘In the mieahtime, a number of key “questions. about the lake's: ecology "and sources of Pollution still have.” * According to a.report. prepared: ing, i iron-and phosphorous. (a.com-- .” of fecal colifortris, Enterococci, E “coli, and phosphorous ‘i in the lake; ~The Northern Health Authority . ‘recently’ ‘reminded’ ‘Lakelse -resi=: dents ‘to, disinfect: surface. Water” ‘before: inking, bathing. o OF. “cook~ down the road you could say, ‘Oh, * we should have’ dane. something, me - consultant’ Dave, ‘Forgie of Asso-:. -ciated Engineering: récently. told’: we 'Forgie's’ stage one report: ‘iss: * poised. to Kick. off'a‘liquid: waste” “management ‘plan’ that: will ‘affect existing” residents’ ‘and ‘ultimately ny t the 7 2 "The “goal isto improve. Awalet 3 “quality: al the lake, a’water source ‘* enjoyed. by. many. feathered - ‘and: came from. . WEIRD WEED: "Elodea Canadensis has grown to the point | ‘where it's become. a big nuisance at Lakelse Lake, says lan - Maxwell. Nobody. really” KnDWS ‘why it thrives there, or where it FILE PHOTO... ‘cluster” »tréatment for some... et Those: decisions. still lie ahead. to-be ‘answered, " Tests show high concientrations. systems, ‘which’ may. be. a sheaper option : ~.That’s why" ‘the: regional district : xpects to-spend at’ least $50,000. |; “on. a. feasibility. study to determine 7 -the facts: ~ setting:the direction for. . “stage: two of the: planning process. The big: question is, where “is” -. co. jtaminatic ‘the: contamination coming from?.. Wek Although » Telatively: ‘small, ‘the . _amount.of organisms: and nutrients: “are ‘enough, ‘to: break safe drinking > water: guidelines. “Js. there an urgency? There isn'tan ‘immediate: ‘problem, but if’. director: ‘Peter Weeber, who ‘poin- ‘ted to- another ‘pote! and Sockeye. creeks, the, Teport, 1 SAYS. o AS group: ‘of Lake. residents beg” to: differ.’ Meanwhile,- “regional. dis- “trict board tmethbers ‘say~ DNA: esting. will ‘determine ° whether fecal - ‘coliforms « detected | in the.» “Jake: otiginate from humans or. “animals.:. oF the lake. ig i “noted: ‘Hazelton . "The nor 2 beaver factory,” “using: -biffies. that. fire ‘within spits 4 ‘ting distance ‘of. the lake.” Concerns: over: potential conts = mination: from’ low- -lying ° "Septic. “fields: have ong been Wary. Se) In: 1992; tthe regio, al. district’ 5 Lakels¢. Lake Plan ‘said "many: on- - site-treatment systems: were: funic- ‘tioning improperly" ‘dué’-to high: “ground ‘water levels: and. ‘poor. soil: ne conditions... owe: kriow there are s people’ using | bitties that ¢ are: within spitting distance of the Jake Pog viThes report and: the NHA poin- ted the finger at residential: “septic: ‘systems on the Lake and at Jack-, septic: fields % may’ not -be fluent. to-séach: the: ‘ground. water and =L ke Is That indicated. ‘effluent was” ‘in. “some. Cases reac ing. the. lake. only.” Partially treated, : rt *, pine. Flats,. ‘part! of the: watershed © ; draining into Lakelse- Lakers -Thete’s’ evidence. to: “Suggest. -peimeable soil in‘Jackpine: means: ; (ing propérly, “allowing: ‘untreated :-ef- Subsequent studies appedir: tO support: that, thé: 2004. Associated: Engineering report: Says. : “The: presence of fecal coliforms 4 oh . “ious -weed, has only. shown: up ‘in the: last number ‘of years: . oe “where. swimmers, get” tangled in. long: ‘tendrils of: ‘the crisp green: plant when it, grabs arms’ and legs.” ; ‘plioras help'the weed thrive. . - adake “under pressure? - variety of voluntéer-activities, ins ; cluding -weed mapping; ‘sediment, . - gauging, and - collecting. evidence. ..[° ~~ septic. systems.’ “are failing: top -comply," he: siid,. “reacting to. the 7 Forgie report. “"The sooner’ we. “the: ‘Marijuana’‘Tax: ‘Act of 1937,- the: vast-majority:of . ‘Americans. chad’: never. “heard: ‘of. -‘mafijuana, : Now >. ty everybody” in: the U: Se ‘knows what. Mharijuana-is sand? eo the Us: §:° _government™ ‘estimates’ ‘that-at: least 76.” . “ million ‘Americans, have’ used: ‘it. “About. half: of all high we “school students will-us'it belore they graduate: Tn "People :want-what they are’ told they- cannot have - “ éspecially children: “The : dure, of: the “forbidden Acuie™. ' he: said..." m feeling: like “Is very powerful. ial Source of - of thé ‘liquid. waste: mandigemient . plan’ is aa. important. step.» ‘. Cause : for. “ “atudy. will. point tothe: right: ap-.: : proach,’ one’ “that’s custom-made. . “and: visitors : + gional district:won't force a ‘septic. ve waste ‘management ‘plan’: ‘fg to: |e payin g.closer’ attentio “eiplore't its sandy shores and invit- ~ ing warm waters, oe ce ‘But Elodea Canadensis, a hake . t's now. taken over to. the. point : Silt and. nutrients: like. phos-. . ~Is-the overgrowth a symptom Of. “Government: - “agencies: ‘have. That’ §. in: large Part. due to’ the a € ‘comies -under ~: : different . Jurisdictions , a ‘public health, the. “Ministry, ‘of - Water,: - Tan. Maxwell ig president. of. the. : Lakelse- Watershed Society, a group that’s been’ thonitaring. the: fake for the past: two years, i208) 0 ~The ‘society thas- spearheaded a. ‘of shoreline erosion ‘in addition: to” _ Clarily. vs He says “dense: ‘mats “of pond’ ‘ weed. may reduce the oxygen ‘con=: ‘tent in. the lake:in-the: wintertime: _ The ‘weed, may also- ‘pose ‘a’ “threat | _ to sockeye: salmon. spawning habi- oa “tat on the. beach,” “He's idamant. that’ residential. : - septic systems, are fot the gréaiest. “soucces of pollution ‘to. the Jake... a = P “Algohol: Résistance: Education). program’, should deter: - ~-our’ youth. from ‘using ‘iNegal drugs. ° “Bul i doesn’t, * 7 - ‘DARE graduates, a are ‘more likely to use. illegal drugs a a not Jess. feet e 7 “No one, . for: example, ‘termined the... impact provincial | -park facilities, private operators: OF: ‘other hurian’ aetivity: have" ‘on y the Take’ s-health: 7 “Still; he can’ Te ‘discount ‘the: Te a ‘sidential: factor, “We feel that. La: .. ‘Kelse- ‘Lake. is. never. going: to-.-]- ‘benefit until we know how. badly has’ de- ope “identify: that, ‘the ‘Better! c= - Lake. resident. Kelly" Kline “watershed”: ‘society ‘member... who Sis. On. the regional district’ 8 advi- - sory’ committee; : ‘fagreés’ phage ‘one™. “It looks" “Very: ‘promising. “to” owe! rein good. harids * He's-confidént: the: engineerin for: Lakelse ‘Lake,’ > He's-also. easstired ‘that the. re: a : Solution: on: residents., “They. don’t. * walntt. to: impose’, a “huge system.” “The: next:.step ‘in. the- liquid: ‘ope of the ‘environ-' -mental p teins: faci Lakelse Lakes : The ‘public its its first look: at op "stage one ata meeting. tentatively’ . scheduled. for March, 23.. coe -_As for the overall health of La- : kelse’ ‘Lake, Kling: offers a. wel- ‘come ‘assessmen ne ing ‘Strange or: ba “happening: at % e°' lake We' The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 3, 2004 - A5 complaint, ‘one: lawyer, from the “school board - trustees ‘and two. senior school district adininistrators. fact ‘even ‘the: board ‘acknowledges: it: isn't saving. “Black, -it-is clear. ‘the cost ‘savings are “there: Say. “time.”J did. hear the: _ judge. say: (my.” ‘paraphrasing)- i * am ‘quite aware” that : the person did ‘not: lodge:, the © _ » complaint ir May ‘when'the board :made ‘the original" decision, but‘waited until October: already’ stared the school * year.” - job 1s to; make things: better not-to make: things ‘worse’ :80.I’m nat going to: disrupt the whole school: district ma) ‘based on what T have. before me,” ° eae : ao did: hear ‘the judge say, (my paraphrasing) “Based”. a fon the: large ‘problen’:the. board: faced, ‘they. would “most likely’ had made ‘the decision * ‘to-go to ‘the four-- -’ ‘day: school wéek anyway,”:1 also heard.the judge. say,. - (my ‘paraphrasing): “This. was. new. legislation, so Te _ | will include: some: recommendations “80 you, won! a “J. have the. same: problem,” Ma ty : a “There are. some people: that’ are concerned that fours: oe L people from‘ the board,'went down to “listen: to. awhat-" ‘| the judge’ says”. in the: courtroom: The airfare: thotel’ oo | and meals. came to’ about $600" per.person.. That's... 7” ‘$2,400. If the judge-had ruled that. thé board had to-go% | “back to’ thie: five-day- school ‘week-the school: district: ae = would of had to’come-up: with $700) 000: by. the ‘end of } > the year, ‘The :board..would. of had‘ few. options: We » could “have: laid- off ‘all. the? CUPE we’ re lost. a