The Kootenay Lake Partnership invites residents to attend a public open house on July 25 to learn more about the Kootenay Lake Shoreline Guidance Document.
The document directs shoreline development activities such as docks, retaining walls, mooring buoys, or dredging activities in an effort to protect high value shoreline habitats. The intent is to allow common, low-risk shoreline activities to proceed with minimal regulatory oversight. Where risks are higher, specific requirements would be needed to protect and restore important fish and wildlife habitats, and archaeological and Ktunaxa Nation cultural values.
This document is the result of a comprehensive Sensitive Habitat Inventory Mapping Project that involved an inventory and assessment of ecological, archaeological and Ktunaxa cultural values along the shoreline of Kootenay Lake.
Creating the guidance document began in 2012 as an initiative of the Kootenay Lake Partnership, a multi-agency group brought together to support collaborative management approaches for a productive and healthy Kootenay Lake ecosystem.
“The Kootenay Lake Partnership brings together diverse voices from various government agencies including First Nations, and community interests to protect the shoreline,” said Heather Leschied, chair of the partnership.
Last summer the partnership hosted a series of six open houses and workshops around the lake in the communities of the North Shore, Kaslo, Boswell, Wynndel, Yaqan Nukiy, and Nelson.
“The Kootenay Lake Partnership believes that is it possible and desirable to manage our watersheds and their natural surroundings in a sustainable manner and that sustainable management is the shared responsibility of all stakeholders, including proponents, professionals, all levels of government and community members,” said Leschied.
The open house runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Balfour Community Hall.