Lake Chelan water quality to be discussed at May meeting

On May 14, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Lake Chelan Watershed Planning Unit in conjunction with the Lake Chelan Water Quality Committee will hold a kick-off meeting for the Lake Chelan Comprehensive Water Quality Monitoring Program.  

The monitoring program is being developed to collect long-term trends data for Lake Chelan similar to a program begun in Lake Tahoe years ago. Water clarity, nutrients, DDT and other data collection parameters will be included in the upcoming research.  

Consultants working for the Watershed Planning Unit will develop a draft approach to this research which will be available at the meeting to initiate a discussion. 

The public is cordially invited to attend this meeting which will be held at Campbell’s Resort in Ballroom I. 

A recent study at Lake Tahoe is predicting that water circulation is being dramatically altered by global warming, threatening the lake’s delicate ecosystem and famed clear waters. 

One likely consequence is warmer lake temperatures which will mean fewer cold-water native fish and more invasive species. “What we expect is that deep mixing of Lake Tahoe’s water layers will become less frequent, even nonexistent, depleting the bottom waters of oxygen,” said Geoffrey Schladow, director of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at U.C. – Davis. These findings were presented recently at a conference focusing on global warming and deepwater lakes. The conclusions were that these changes could turn Lake Tahoe’s famed cobalt-blue waters to a murky green in about a decade. 

Is global warming having a similar affect on Lake Chelan? If it is, will the monitoring program help to determine this?  

What other issues does the public have regarding Lake Chelan and its pristine nature?  

Back in 1999 when I still worked at the Lake Chelan Mirror, the Lake Chelan Water Quality Committee hosted Dr. Charles Goldman, professor of Limnology, Department of Environmental Science & Policy at U.C.- Davis.  

Dr. Goldman, who was one of Lake Tahoe’s first pioneers in water quality issues. He was able to raise over $7 million dollars for Lake Tahoe studies. When he visited Chelan, he gave a talk to a crowded and interested group of citizens at the Chelan High School Performing Arts Center. 

He said, “We have serious global (pollution) problem. What chance do we have on a global basis if we can’t take care of our local problems? We found the enemy, and it is us! You have a remarkable lake in Lake Chelan. Preserve it now!”  

Mark your calendars and join in on this important topic