Free couch

This cozy couch is free to a good home. It is 15+ years old but would be perfect for a rec room. Call Bev at 250-574-2402.

Charitable Donations - BC Lake Stewardship Society

Via the BC Lake Stewardship Society

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Are you struggling with finding that perfect gift for the person that has everything? Or are you considering a donation to charity this year but aren't sure which one to choose? If so, please consider donating to the BC Lake Stewardship Society!

The BCLSS has charitable status and will provide tax-deductible receipts for any donations made to our organization. The BCLSS is currently facing an unstable financial future due to difficulties in securing core funding for basic office operations. The BCLSS Board of Directors and staff have been working tirelessly to seek funding in order to continue offering programs and valuable membership and sponsorship services, such as:

• Publishing quarterly and monthly newsletters 
• Hosting the annual conference 
• Answering numerous lake and water quality related enquiries that come into the BCLSS office each week. 

Please consider helping the BCLSS by making a charitable donation to ensure that our worthwhile organization can continue to provide crucial training and support to concerned lake residents and volunteers, like you!

You can donate online at https://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s51252 or by sending your donation via regular post to the BCLSS office:
#203 - 1889 Springfield Rd. KELOWNA, BC , V1Y 5V5

Verity & Roger need homes

From Sonia Walczak...

We have 2 dogs left here at Animal Health Technology that need loving homes. Here is a little more information about them:

Verity

A beautiful Husky, Shepherd mix that is 1.5 yrs old. She needs a confident owner that has good dog skills. Verity is loving, loyal and bonds strongly with her person. She would thrive in a home where she gets lots of daily exercise (she LOVES to play fetch), car rides and interaction with other dogs. She does play exuberantly with other dogs and can be very vocal when playing and greeting other dogs due to her Husky breed. Verity is still learning how to interact with cats and she can be selective with her canine friends.

Roger

This handsome fellow is an affectionate & playful 2yr old Lab mix that likes to be hugged and gives lots of kisses. Roger has gotten along with many of the dogs that he meets. He would do well in a home that can provide him with lots of daily exercise and a consistent routine. Roger has really progressed with his obedience training here at TRU and is a joy to walk and play with! He is not compatible with cats and needs a confident owner that has good dog skills. Both dogs are available for adoption and have been spayed, neutered, fully vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped and tattooed for identification. Adoption fee is $75. If you know anyone that may be interested in these 2 wonderful dogs PLEASE forward this message.

We also have 4 wonderful kitties looking for homes. More information is available on the TRU Animal Health Technology website.

Sonia Walczak
RAHT, RVT
Lecturer
Animal Health Technology
Thompson Rivers University

BREAKING NEWS: RCMP searching for a man suspected to be armed and dangerous

UPDATE: Kamloops This Week
"As of 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, police said the suspect had been located deceased in his vehicle in an area near Lac Le Jeune Road. RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush said he died of a self-inflicted injury and that a firearm was located inside the vehicle."

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The LLJ old highway is currently blocked off. Apparently RCMP are searching for a man with a gun. There are 7 RCMP vehicles in the area. Lock your doors.

This is the only news source I can find at the moment: http://www.cfjctv.com/story.php?id=22136

"The lockdown put in place at R.L. Clemitson Elementary School in Barnhartvale has been lifted, but RCMP are still searching for a suspect they consider armed and dangerous. School District Superintendent Karl de Bruijn says the situation was sparked by a threat made by the parent of a student at the school. Police locked the school down at about 2:20 p.m. out of an abundance of caution to ensure all students remained safe. They had information that the person who made the threat may have been in possession of a handgun. At around 4:00 p.m., police began to allow students to board their busses and go home with parents. At 4:30, Mounties say they located the suspect vehicle, a white 2007 GMC pickup truck, in the Lac le Jeune area. They were searching for the suspect and asking the public to stay away. Earlier, RCMP said the man associated to the vehicle is considered armed and dangerous."

Mailboxes Issues

In case you didn't see this soggy letter from Canada Post, posted on the outside of our community mailboxes...  I wonder why they don't put their notices IN the mailboxes? :)

click to enlarge image

Housekeeping Services

The Merritt Time Savers are offering housekeeping services in Lac Le Jeune. Call for a free in-home estimate (250) 280-1199.

Three cougars spotted by mailbox

Kim Hammond just reported that she saw three cougars about 200 metres from the mailboxes. Kim is grateful that she was in her vehicle!

Cougars are solitary animals, so to see three together it was likely a mother with young. Cubs stay with the mother for up to 2 years.

If you see a cougar, stay calm and upright, face the animal and make eye contact, and keep your movements slow. Cougars avoid confrontation, so are inclined to move away from you.

Invitation: Environmental Assessment Process Workshops

Download a PDF announcement to print and post on bulletin boards.

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The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency are inviting the public to participate in workshops on the environmental assessment process on November 25 and 26, 2014 in Kamloops. The workshops will be a great opportunity to learn more about the environmental assessment process in B.C.

The workshops will answer questions like:

• What happens in an environmental assessment?
  
• How can the public participate?
  
• What happens after an environmental assessment?
  
  At the workshops, participants will be able to speak directly with staff from both the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. There will also be opportunities to listen to presentations and ask questions.
  
  There will be three workshops held each day and participation will be on a first-come first-served basis.
  
  Where are the workshops being held?
  • Kamloops Coast Hotel and Conference Centre • 1250 Rogers Way in Kamloops, B.C.
  
  When are the workshops happening?
  • Tuesday, November 25, 2014 and Wednesday, November 26, 2014 • 3:00 - 4:00 pm
  • 4:30 - 5:30 pm
  • 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  
  This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about environmental assessments. While the workshops will focus on the general environmental assessment process, anyone interested in getting information or asking questions about the proposed Ajax Project will be welcome to go down the hall to the Ballroom, where additional government staff and KGHM Ajax Inc. representatives will be happy to discuss the details of that particular project and its environmental assessment. For more information, please see www.eao.gov.bc.ca
  
  The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office and the Canadian Assessment Agency encourage anyone interested in the environmental assessment process to stop by, speak with staff, and get answers to their questions. See you there! 
  

Mid Term Summary of the Results of the Water Monitoring Program

Mid Term Summary of the Results of the Water Monitoring Program 

And Recommendations for Responsible On-going Management of Our Water Resources and Watershed

The water monitoring on October 26, 2014 will mark the date of the last sampling in the three year, level three study of water quality in Lac le Jeune (The Big Lake). There is one more year of sampling to be done on the Little Lake to complete the same level of study there. When this is completed, a full, comprehensive evaluation will be done on the accumulated information for both lakes. 

A more current evaluation for the Big Lake will be carried out as soon as the laboratory analysis of the most recently submitted water samples is available. 

A tentative evaluation of data received after approximately a year and a half of monitoring (a mid-term evaluation) yielded contradictory results^* when comparison was made with accepted, standard, tables. Nutrient levels of phosphates, and nitrates were high enough to indicate that both lakes were already into the Eutrophic stage, while Secchi depth readings and the levels of algae growth (phytoplankton) were indicative of a lake that is in the latter stage of oligotrophic evolution. 

For clarification, lakes fall into three well defined categories: Oligotrophic, Mesotrophic, and Eutrophic. Lakes evolve through these three stages at a rate that is dependent upon the environment in which they are located. For example, if a lake arose as a result of glaciation at a high altitude, within a water-shed composed of bare rock the process will be much slower than one which arose through glaciation but is situated at a low altitude surrounded by rich agricultural land. The definitions are: 

Oligotrophic:

a. deep, frequently cold, low in nutrients and therefore unable to support significant growth of the algae and phytoplankton that are necessary to maintain a good fishery. These lakes are often called “young” but may be very old and if they are glacial lakes may stay for prolonged periods in the Oligotrophic phase.

Mesotrophic:

b. Often said to be in mid-life. These have higher levels of nutrients, support a moderate growth level of algae and phytoplankton and therefore are able to maintain a greater fish and animal population. They are in the process of gradual infilling from both sedimentation and lateral growth of marsh. 

* Modifications were made to the sampling method as the anomalous results were thought to be the result of sampling at the wrong points in the water profile.

Eutrophic:

c. The last phase of a lakes life span. Eutrophic lakes are characterised by heavy growth of aquatic plants, algae and phytoplankton commensurate with high levels of nutrient. Infilling has made these lakes shallow, water warms and cools quickly. The heavy level of growth renders these lakes subject anoxia and therefore winter kill.

Ideally, the final results of our monitoring program will make it possible to define where in the evolutionary progression our Big and Little Lac Le Jeune stand and will provide a base line of information against which future monitoring results may be compared. Doing periodic monitoring in the future will allow us to more quickly recognize undesirable changes and to react to them more quickly and effectively. 

The responsibilities of our community to the maintenance of water quality:

Irrespective of what the final analysis of our study shows, we as a community have a vested interest in managing our water shed and lake in a manner that is most likely to keep them in the best condition possible.

There are a number of simple things we can do to achieve this:

1. Limit the use of fertilizers used on our properties. Green lawns and flower gardens look great but can be a source of added nutrient when rain and domestic watering flush excess phosphates, nitrates and potassium into the lake.

2 Limit the use of pesticides and herbicides as much as possible as many of these are long lived pollutants that have disastrous effects on the environment.  

3. Limit domestic and garden use of water as much as possible. This will lengthen the life span of septic systems and reduce the potential for run off into either the ground water or lake. 

4.Maintain septic systems and holding tanks in good condition. Have aging systems inspected and replace them before they become a problem.

5. Use de-icing salt sparingly. 

6. Where possible replace two cycle gas outboard motors with low polluting four cycle outboards or use electric motors where feasible. 

7. Use watercraft responsibly: maintain speeds that minimize wake, clean boats according to appropriate protocol when transporting water craft to and from different lakes. 

8. Where possible use washing machines and dishwashers that minimize water use and use only non- phosphate detergents. 

9. When constructing docks use only non-toxic materials.

10. Report any observed threat to our environment to appropriate authorities or our Conservation Society. 

Remember, the evolution of lakes from the oligotrophic to the eutrophic state is a natural and continuous process but we can do much to reduce the rate at which it occurs by being responsible stewards of our environment.  

Hugh Burton

Overlander Ski Club -- Registration is now open!

It's time to register for the 2014-2015 ski season! Earlybird rates end November 15. Season trail passes include skiing and snowshoeing. There is a full instructional program as well.

Check it out on the new and improved Overland Ski Club website!