FIMP lake surveys completed on four lakes

Field work for the Living Lakes Canada Foreshore Integrated Management Planning in the Columbia Basin Program (i.e. Foreshore Inventory and Mapping, or FIM, surveys) was completed by three different consultants on four lakes (Windermere, Moyie, Whiteswan, and Whitetail lakes) this summer. Lake Windermere was surveyed by Ecoscape; Moyie and Whitetail lakes were surveyed by Wood; and finally Whiteswan Lake was surveyed by Masse. All field work was completed in August and September 2020.

Key Program updates include:

• Living Lakes Canada (LLC) and Lake Windermere Ambassadors joined forces and completed a “one-day intro to FIMP fieldwork” event on Lake Windermere where Program Technical Director Bruce MacDonald shared detailed insights into the strategy, process, and potential pitfalls of completing a FIMP survey. For example, there was great discussion around how to set up your “Shoreline Segments”.  The objective is to — as much as possible — set up segments so that they contain relatively homogenous habitat. That’s because Shoreline Segments are the unit of replication and the spatial scale at which the data fields are assessed at (e.g. the percent gravel of the beach is estimated for the entire segment length).
• The time allotted for FLNRO staff to complete a voluntary Lake Development Pressure survey came to a close. Those results will be “work-up” this fall and will help direct future FIMP work.
• LLC is “testing the waters” for interest in a potential FIMP Training Event that would include classroom instruction as well as a field component. Depending on various factors, this training might happen in early October (or potentially be delayed until the spring of 2021).
• Acting Program Manager Ryan Cloutier and Technical Director Bruce Mac Donald anticipate a busy fall schedule as the three consultants complete their reporting requirements for the four lakes surveyed this summer.

If you have any questions about this program or the lake surveys being undertaken, contact: ryan@livinglakescanada.ca