Excess nutrients in beautiful Cultus Lake are changing its fundamental nature.
Dr. Dan Selbie, a freshwater expert from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, will be speaking about this trend on Thursday June 16, at Chilliwack UFV Campus, as he tracks the phenomenon of eutrophication of Cultus Lake over the past 70 years.
There are clear signs the lake is moving towards eutrophication, or nutrient enrichment, which dramatically alters fish habitat and water quality.
Nutrient loading, heavy recreational use, development, resource extraction and other human impacts are taking their toll.
Selbie, who heads up DFO’s Lakes Research Program, will highlight findings of recent research and modelling, showing how excess nutrients, atmospheric and bio-vector sources are changing the fundamental nature of Cultus Lake, and threaten long-term water quality, the ecosystem, and species at risk.
He'll have an update on nutrient mitigation efforts, potential ecosystem tipping points, and important ongoing and future drivers of lake change (i.e. climate change, population expansion).
This is part of the Fraser Valley Watersheds lecture series, Thursday June 16, 7 p.m. Chilliwack UFV, Building A, Rm 2213, 45190 Caen Ave.