Statistics
Location : 11 km NW of Enderby and 16 km SE of Salmon Arm, in British Columbia
Surface area : 75.9 ha (187.5 acres)
Elevation : 545 m (1789.5 ft)
Depth : mostly shallow with maximum depth of 23.5 m (78 ft)
Average depth : 8.8 m (28.9 ft)
Perimeter: 4.1 km plus 1.2 km of island shoreline
Gardom Lake Facts
Unique features of Gardom Lake:
Primarily spring fed, with a very low "flushing" (water replacement) rate
• the main inflow to the lake is from underground springs
• the only inlet stream (Mallory Creek) flows from winter to early spring, and the outlet
stream (Gardom Creek) flows in the spring
Shallow and tends to have low oxygen levels
• in summer, when the water warms, it holds less oxygen
• low oxygen can contribute to algae blooms in the spring - our water testing shows
low oxygen levels below 5 to 10 meters
• since the early 1980’s BC Fisheries has aerated the lake in the fall to reduce winter
fish-kill due to lack of oxygen
The Lake is considered “mesotrophic” or middle aged
• lakes go through a natural aging process over geologic time, as shown in the
diagram below
• rich in biomass needed for vegetation and insect life, providing food for fish and
wildlife
• considered to be sensitive to contaminants
The lake has a relatively small watershed.
• Local government (The Columbia Shuswap Regional District) has mapped the
watershed of the lake
• What happens in the watershed will affect the health of the lake. For example
clearing as little as 5% of a watershed can result in changes in runoff and affect a
lake. (Source Tom Holz, Washington State Stormwater engineer).
The Riparian Area
Gardom Lake's waterfront residents can play an important role in maintaining the health of the lake. By maintaining the native shoreline vegetation, that acts as the filter for run-off water from uplands, lake water quality will be protected. While we are fortunate to have a large amount of undisturbed shoreline at Gardom, it is very important to retain it.
The Ranchero Deep Creek Official Community Plan designates a “Development Permit Area” around Gardom Lake to protect the shoreline for fish habitat and water quality. This covers 30 metres above the high water mark, and a permit is needed to carry out any development in this area. A Development Permit can be obtained from the CSRD. Link to OCP (see pages 48 to 50).
Things to do to protect Gardom Lake
• Minimize the disturbance of shoreline areas
– keep natural vegetation cover
• Limit the use of fertilizers and pesticides, particularly avoiding
them during rain
• Manage septic systems
Links:
Septic Smart brochure (CSRD)
On the Living Edge - Septic chapter