Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan (AVMP)

Harvesting is focused on the southern part of Charlie Lake. This area has the most homes, two nearby provincial parks and three boat launches. Removing aquatic vegetation here will provide the greatest benefit for recreation, safety and health for the public.

South Boat Launch Area: A 3-hectare area around the launch.

Charlie Lake Provincial Park Boat Launch: A 2.5-hectare area around this launch.

Paddling Path: An 11-hectare path (about 30 meters wide) connecting the south boat launch to the Provincial Park boat launch.

• Note: This side of the lake is usually less windy, making this path more valuable for paddleboarders, canoeists, and kayakers than a path on the west side.

Access Channels: Three navigation channels (30 meters wide) leading from the paddling path out to open water, spaced about 1 kilometer apart (about 3.5 hectares total).

Beatton Park: A 6.5-hectare area around the beach and boat launch, including a channel to deeper water.

Harvesting is focused on the western part of Swan Lake. This section has the most homes, a provincial park next to it and a public boat launch inside the park. Focusing here will maximize the benefits for recreation, safety, health and the lake's appearance.

Boat Launch Area: A 2-hectare area around the Swan Lake boat launch.

Western Shoreline Channel (South): A channel (20–30 meters wide) running south from the boat launch along the western shore (4 to 6 hectares).

Western Shoreline Channel (North): A channel (20–30 meters wide) running north from the boat launch along the western shore (2 to 3 hectares).

Access Channels: Up to four navigation channels (20 meters wide) that run from the shoreline channels out to deeper water, as needed (this would add about 1 hectare).

• Pre-Application Consultation: The Regional District shares the Aquatic Vegetation Harvesting Environmental Management Plans for Charlie Lake and Swan Lake with Local Fist Nations and requests a letter of support for the PRRD’s application for a permit to harvest Aquatic Vegetation from Charlie Lake and Swan Lake.
• Engage with Department of Fisheries and Oceans: The Regional District engages with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to get information on federal permitting requirements to harvest aquatic vegetation in Charlie Lake and Swan Lake.
• Apply for a Section 11 Change Approval: Approvals were received January 20, 2025, for a 2-year harvesting program of a reduced harvesting area. The term of harvesting has since been extended to 2026 and 2027.

• May 18: Regional Board supports all the recommendations made by the Electoral Area Directors Committee on April 27, 2023.
• April 27: Information collected during the public engagement phase and draft EMPs are presented (LINK TO REPORT) to the Electoral Area Directors Committee (EDAC) for recommendation to the Board for endorsement.
  
  EDAC heard the presentation from Zonal Ecosystems on the Aquatic Vegetation Management Study, including the results of the research, field program and recommendations from the consultant.
  EDAC moved recommendations to the Regional Board including: 

• • Forwarding the Aquatic Harvesting Environmental Management Plans (LINK TO EMPs) to the Regional Board for information.
  • Not proceeding with harvesting at One Island Lake.
  • Engaging with the Department of Federal Fisheries and Oceans to determine permitting requirements for harvesting aquatic vegetation in Charlie Lake and Swan Lake. 
  • Applying to the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resource Stewardship for a Section 11 Change Approval under the Water Sustainability Act to harvest aquatic vegetation from Charlie Lake and Swan Lake.
  • Sharing the Aquatic Harvester Environmental Management Plans for Charlie Lake and Swan Lake with local First Nations and request a letter of support for the PRRD's application for a Section 11 Change Approval. 

• January to April: Data compilation and report writing is completed.

• June to January 2023: Zonal Ecosystems conducts fieldwork, and together with PRRD staff, conducts community engagement with interest holders and the public. EMPs are completed and Aquatic Vegetation and Management Study is finished.
• May 2022: PRRD contracts Zonal Ecosystems to research and develop Environmental Management Plans (EMPs) for Charlie Lake, Swan Lake and One Island Lake.

• November 29: Regional Board authorizes (LINK TO REPORT) the compilation and issuance of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a qualified professional biologist to develop a Lake Harvester Environmental Management Plan for Charlie Lake, Swan Lake and One Island Lake, for the purpose of obtaining a license to harvest aquatic vegetation in Charlie Lake, Swan Lake and One Island Lake.
• October 28: Report (LINK TO REPORT) is presented to the Electoral Area Directors Committee (EDAC) outlining the next steps for a business case to remove weeds from lakes within the Regional District’s boundaries.
• October 11: Regional Board authorizes (LINK TO REPORT) a report outlining the steps required to build a business case for application to the Province, to obtain a license to remove weeds from lakes within the PRRD boundaries.
• October 5: PRRD staff meet with the City of Williams lake to discuss their process for lake weed harvesting and getting a Provincial license to harvest. The information is collected to build a business case for the Regional District.
• February 18: Report (LINK TO REPORT) is presented to the Electoral Area Directors Committee reviewing topics discussed with representatives from the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, PRRD staff and the Electoral Area C Director regarding Charlie Lake and to decide on options to address lake vegetation, shoreline erosion and domestic water licensing.
• January 2021: Electoral Area C Director held a meeting with the Ministry of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship to discuss aquatic plant concerns in Charlie Lake.

• May 7: PRRD receives a letter (LINK TO LETTER/BOARD REPORT) from the Swan Lake Enhancement Society outlining concerns on increasing vegetation growth and asks for assistance in undertaking a weed harvesting program at Swan Lake.

Aquatic vegetation, also known as hydrophytes or water plants, encompasses all plant life that thrives in aquatic environments like freshwater or saltwater. It is categorized mainly by growth habit: submerged (entirely underwater), floating (resting on the surface with free-hanging roots), emergent (rooted underwater with most foliage above the surface) and floating-leaved (rooted but with leaves on the surface).

These plant communities also include algae and are primary producers of food, oxygen and habitat for aquatic wildlife. However, excessive growth can create a nuisance by impeding water flow and recreation.

Mechanical harvesting is a method of aquatic plant control that uses specialized machinery to physically cut, collect and remove excessive aquatic plants from water bodies like lakes, rivers and ponds. It’s like an underwater lawnmower that is followed by a collection system. 

Water in British Columbia's lakes, rivers and streams and the animals living there, are mainly managed by the Provincial Government of BC and sometimes by the Federal Government of Canada. The Province of BC has laws to protect its water resources. These laws control or restrict certain activities that happen on, near, or inside the water.

The Regional District must follow these laws the same as everyone else. This means that the PRRD needs to apply for permits if we want to do any regulated work, such as removing aquatic vegetation.

The Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan (AVMP) is focused on areas in the water where removing vegetation would help the most, while causing the least harm to the environment and impact to the public. For these reasons, shoreline vegetation is not included in the AVMS and any work on private property would require Provincial approval. 

To get the harvested aquatic vegetation from large lakes to the shore, typical harvesters, which hold less than 15 cubic meters, often work with a transport barge to move the load efficiently. The barge carries the material to the bank, where a conveyor system lifts the weeds up and deposits them into a dump truck ready for composting or disposal.

It's unlikely that mechanically harvesting aquatic vegetation in a small section of a lake (usually less than 2 percent of the surface) will cause a major drop in blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms.

These blooms usually happen because of too many nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorus, that wash in from sources like farm runoff, stormwater or failing septic systems. Stopping those sources is outside the current plan. However, since plants also use up nitrogen and phosphorus, harvesting the vegetation and properly disposing of it does remove some of the excess nutrients that are fueling the algae in the lake.

Aquatic harvesting can make lakes and waterways safer and more enjoyable. Harvesting helps improve recreational use by clearing out dense areas so boaters can move more easily, and by creating open spots that give anglers better access to sport fish. It also opens up the shoreline for activities like swimming and paddle boarding.

Removing excess plants is a safety improvement because it reduces the chance of vegetation getting tangled in boat motors and lowers hazards for swimmers. Selectively removing this vegetation can temporarily reduce excess nutrients that feed algae blooms and, by removing decaying plants, it can help improve winter oxygen levels and prevent fish kills.