Long Island Lake is a gem, so it’s no secret that Westlock County wants to capitalize on what the lake has to offer by expanding the campground, adding services to the day-use area, and potentially even adding extra lots for more cabins.
And if that’s the plan, the lake’s long-term sustainability is paramount and that means commissioning an environmental study.
Even without that development, property owners in the area are concerned.
They say the lake is warming up, water levels are down, and material from the bottom is being churned up and is attributable to the large boats that cruise the lake.
Adding to that is the fact that we don’t have to look far to lakes like Thunder Lake and Baptiste Lake, which have been lost to the blue-green algae bacteria.
It should seem like a no-brainer to commission a study while the lake appears to still be in relatively good condition so that a strategy can be developed and carried out to keep the lake healthy.
We can appreciate that such a study won’t be cheap. The county figures it could run over $250,000 and are looking to the Summer Village of Larkspur and the provincial government to chip in.
The county, however, is already looking to add showers, washrooms, and extra camping stalls, potentially as soon as this summer.
Granted, federal funding through the Canada 150 fund will help cover off some of these expenses, but at this point any money is better spent funding a study to ensure the long-term viability of county investment.
Without having any biologists on staff at the Westlock News, we understand that humans tend to have a negative impact on nature — gasoline and motor oil residue from boats at Long Island Lake isn’t a natural phenomenon.
It’s now a matter of understanding the human impact to determine how much the lake can take before it is claimed by bacteria, like blue-green algae, or invasive species like zebra mussels, or polluted beyond rehabilitation.
If the county wants to have any sort of return on their investment at Long Island Lake, an environmental study should be top priority. Furthermore, it should be the county’s responsibility to be stewards of our land.
Let’s get our priorities straight before it’s too late.
