Lake Windermere fishing derby

The 10th Annual Fishing Derby on Lake Windermere got underway while most of the rest of us were still enjoying a last few zzz’s on Saturday morning, January 30th, 2010. The thermometer read -5 degrees when 84 avid fishermen and women (are they fisherpersons?) wrapped themselves in blankets and sleeping bags and parked themselves on the ice to wait, some patiently and some not, for that big one to bite. [Read more]

Many opinions on use of Lake Windermere

Public input compiled as regional district begins to draft lake management plan.

Regional District of East Kootenay.

After carefully reviewing more than 600 surveys and compiling the information gathered during two public workshops this summer, the RDEK and its consultant are very pleased with the participation and feedback received to date for the Lake Windermere Management Plan. [Read more]

Boat-ban rumor unfounded

Lake Windermere Project puts unfounded rumour to rest. So-called “boat ban rumour” steals the spotlight from the LWP’s real mandate and work.

A rumour that a “special interest group” suggested a “boat ban” on Lake Windermere even made it as far as Calgary before the Lake Windermere Project and Wildsight had the chance to try and stop it.

“As far as we know, it started when someone misunderstood what a recent Lake Management Plan survey question meant” said Heather Leschied, Wildsight’s Lake Windermere Project Program Manager. The survey was conducted by the Regional District of East Kootenay as part of the Lake Windermere Management Plan, which will be coming out in 2010. It contains questions concerning regulation vs. non-regulation. [Read more]

Little red fish flock to our creeks

If you go down to some of our local creeks, streams and rivers, you may experience an exciting event, the Salmon Run. The unique Kokanee Salmon return to their birthplace every year from September to December to complete their life cycle. The Kokanee Salmon run attracts visitors from all over, including bears and eagles. [Read more]

Lakeside Event has a perfect day

The weather was perfect and the beach was full of spectators out for some summer fun at this past weekend’s 33rd annual Lakeside Event — one of Canada’s longest running light aviation meets. Hang gliders and paragliders took off from Mount Swansea, descending on targets on the beach and in the water beside Lakeside Pub on beautiful Lake Windermere.

This year’s event saw many familiary faces, but first place went to a newcomer and first-year pilot from Calgary.

Aquatic plants are not just weeds

To many people, the term aquatic plant is synonymous with “weed”, but nothing could be further from the truth. Aquatic plants are a natural and important part of the aquatic ecosystem, forming the basis of all food webs. [Read more]

Renovate your retaining wall

In the continuing quest to maintain a neat and tidy shoreline, many waterfront owners remove important shoreline vegetation, which inevitably leads to the problem of erosion eating away at their property.

Many people then install a retaining wall.

Retaining walls have long been a fixture on many shorelines in B.C., especially Lake Windermere. The misguided belief is that the wall will solve the erosion problems, while creating more space for lawn. What many property owners don’t realize is that the construction and maintenance of a retaining wall on their shoreline wrecks havoc on the lake’s biological processes and aquatic life. Retaining walls can actually contribute to shoreline erosion and can make problems worse over time. They interfere with natural lake processes by altering currents along the shoreline, causing waves to slam against the vertical wall. [Read more]

The scratch on swimmer's itch

Swimming is one of the most popular activities on Lake Windermere. Whether you use one of the many private beaches along the lake or a public beach, swimmer’s itch can affect you. [Read more]

Lake Windermere management plan – public consultation

July 20, Windermere –

In an effort to manage the lake to address the public’s concerns, the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) has initiated the Lake Windermere Management Plan. Public consultaton is critical to this process, since a management plan for the lake will be more successful if property owners and lake users support the recommendations.

• “We can’t use the lake the way we used to.”
• “Our family worries about the quality of the lake.”
• “The lake is our asset for the future.”

The comments above are typical of public input regarding Lake Windermere. [Read more]

Two Windermeres united in sister lake partnership

Mayor Taft, others, sign sister lake partnership.

Combining expertise to care for lakes with more similarities than just their names.

Lake Windermere, Canada and Windermere, U.K. have united through a Sister Lake Partnership agreement. Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft signed the agreement in Windermere, Cumbria, U.K., on May 18, 2009, during the International Living Lakes Conference. [Read more]