Lake Planning

Our role as FOKLSS is to inform and engage community members with the lake planning process being lead by the Kootenay Lake Partnership (KLP).

The KLP developed and continually updates their Kootenay Lake Shoreline Guidance Document which provides management guidelines for the shoreline of Kootenay Lake.

The Key Objectives of the Lake Planning Process are:

  • To sustainable manage our watersheds and natural surrounding
  • Guiding new development while maintaining the natural capitol of the area.
  • Protection, conservation and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat.
  • Create informed land use decision for the lake in the short and long term.
  • Highlight shorelines that require the high levels of protection

Image Credit: Kootenay Lake Partnership

 Here is a breakdown of the Lake Planning Process and where community members can have their voices heard:

Phase 1 – Shoreline Guidance Document

This shoreline guidance document is intended to clarify and streamline land-use decision making processes between agencies, proponents, and stakeholders as they relate to riparian, fish and fish habitat.

  • This science-based document includes foreshore inventory mapping (FIM) followed by an aquatic habitat index (AHI) and archaeological overview assessment (AOA).  This info is used to color-code the entire shoreline of Kootenay Lake to identify culturally or ecologically significant areas that are vulnerable to development.  For example, a red shoreline is classified as very high value, orange is high value, yellow is moderate value, and grey is lower value.
  • The guidelines presented in this document are intended to advance sustainable management of our watersheds and their natural surroundings and to share this responsibility among proponents, professionals and all levels of government
  • From here the Shoreline Guidance Document can be adopted into Regulation and Policy to help guide decision making on the lake

Phase 2 – Determining Values of Communities

  • Through FOKLSS  we created a Lake Advisory Council – This includes members from key stakeholder groups around the lake.
  • Determine values of Community members (i.e. what they love about the lake, what their concerns are, what they would like to see in the future), through the Community Values Study 2016.

Phase 4 – Lake Management Planning

  • If there is enough community support, a Lake Management Plan may be created for Kootenay Lake.
  • This combines community values, cultural values, and science into a management document.

For more information on the Kootenay Lake Partnership click here

Kootenay Lake Partnership 2015 Report –> KLP Year Report 2015