Gardom Lake Stewardship Society

06/15/2026

Important Drop-In Open House Tonight, Mon, June 15th - CSRD Open House for their New Parks Plan!
Do you want Mallory Ridge to become the latest CSRD Park? All are encouraged to come and express their support. This would help protect part of the Gardom Lake watershed and a well-established trail system.
Where: Ranchero/Deep Creek Fire Department
Date: Monday, June 15th
Time: 4:30 - 7 pm

Details:
Currently the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) is updating its CSRD-wide Community Parks and Recreation Plan and the GLSS Directors feel it is critical for the long-term health of Gardom Lake to seek protection for the Crown Land known as Mallory Ridge south of the Lake which contains an important part of the Gardom Lake watershed. A survey is available that can be filled out online. It is very broad and general, encompassing all aspects of parks and recreation. You can fill out as much or as little as you wish, the only required part is: “Where do you currently live?” It can be accessed at https://engage.zencity.io/csrd/en/engagements/f4e80a52-3ce8-4e93-b253-d10ee1da34fb?utm_medium=referral .
This survey can be completed anytime before July 17th.

There is one section near the end entitled “How important are the following potential parks and recreation priorities to you?” If you indicate in this section that “More parks” is “Very important” and then at the end where it asks “What specific improvements would you like to see…”, respond that you would like to see Mallory Ridge become a CSRD park, this will show that you support park status, for Mallory Ridge and its watershed and trail system.

Thank you!
GLSS Directors

06/02/2026

More News From Gardom Lake & the Inlet Wetland
With that wonderful rain we've had recently the wetland on the inlet to the lake is full of water, and it's full of life! We saw a mallard family with 5 ducklings, at least 5 turtles basking on the logs and songbirds that have set up homes in the nesting boxes.

Yesterday the GLSS held another w**d pulling event on the upland area of this wetland with 4 of us showing up to dig thistles. There doesn't seem to be as many as in years past. Maybe our efforts are paying off or maybe they just haven't grown much yet?! We worked from about 10 am until noon and covered a good area along Musgrave Rd all of the way to Park Rd. The trees we planted in this area in 2019 are growing well with lots of new growth and the deciduous trees and shrubs around the wetland are thriving.

THISTLE WORKBEE! Help us take care of our inlet wetland ecosystem on Musgrave Rd! Can you join us as we could sure use the extra help? Many hands make light work!! We have been meeting every Sunday morning from 10 am to noon but some folks aren't available at that time so we have also decided to meet every Wednesday from 7 pm - 8:30 pm as well (except if it's raining). The implements of choice are a garden fork, or a tree planting shovel, or a trowel or for those with limited leg strength, a pair of pruners to cut the stems to ground level. We hope to see some local residents come and help us.

A NEW ADDITION TO OUR DATA COLLECTION! We made a connection with Craig from Salmon Arm who has a drone. He has offered to fly the lake on a regular basis so we can keep an eye on any algae blooms. Yesterday was the day and it didn't take long for him to fly the circumference of the lake and take a couple of photos - the lake and the wetland. Don't be worried if you see a drone flying as he is being careful not to film private property if at all possible, it's strictly for research. Thanks Craig!!

05/18/2026

Information From the Gardom Lake Stewardship Society AGM Held on Apr 21st
Thanks to those GLSS members who attended our very informative AGM, for those people who stepped forward to join our Board, and to the Bible Camp for providing the room.

The minutes from that meeting are available by clicking on a link on the homepage of our website: https://www.gardomlakestewards.org/

While you are there, check out the website to see what has been done by members over the years to maintain a healthy lake ecosystem for humans and the plants and animals which live at the lake and in its watershed. There's definitely a lot going on!

We are still looking for young enthusiastic people to fill positions on our Board of Directors. There are many issues that need attention as you will see on our website, in our newsletter, and in the minutes. Let us know if you wish to be more deeply involved with our work. You can reach us at [email protected]

We are an organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the health of Gardom Lake, encouraging all lake users to join us and assist in this challenge.

05/07/2026

Water Quality Update on Gardom L
This afternoon all 4 volunteers and a retired Biologist went out to both deep basins to collect the latest water quality data. This is the 4th time that the volunteers have been out on the lake (approx. every 2 weeks) conducting a dissolved oxygen and water temperature profile every meter from top to bottom and taking a secchi disk reading.

It was flat calm and 27C when we first started at the aeration float. We had a 50' rope tied to one corner of the float and the other end to 1 boat with the 2nd boat tied to the first. That way we could be away from the bubbles and turbulence of the aeration system and get more accurate readings. Both groups did their data collection at the same time to compare the readings of the secchi disk and on both meters.

We then motored over to the NW basin, anchored in 26 m of water, tied up together and did the same thing over again. By this time there was a ripple on the water and more clouds. In addition to the regular data collection we also did a plankton haul from 20 m deep using a plankton net and collected a water sample at 23 m deep using a Van Dorn.

So, what did we see and find out? Well first of all there were thick clouds of green algae at the east end of the lake but clearer at the NW basin. That really affected the water clarity when taking the secchi disk reading - just under 2.5 m. Not the greatest! A thermocline is starting to form in the water column (defined a 1C or more change within 1 m of water). As the spring and summer progress, it will form a layer in the lake that separates the warm water at the top from the colder water at the bottom. Right now the dissolved oxygen (DO) in the lake is looking very good with only the bottom 3 m of the lake at the aeration float and the bottom 9 m at the NW basin not able to support Rt (DO below 3 mg/L). The previous readings showed DO right to the bottom of the lake so we know that the lake turned over completely.

The reason for the plankton haul was to see the composition of zooplankton (animal plankton) and phytoplankton (plant plankton). We found daphnia, chironomids, chaoborus and volvox, probably other plankton as well. The use of the Van Dorn to collect a water sample at 23 m was to see if the water smelled (very slight hydrogen sulphide smell - not surprising in the anoxic (no oxygen) zone) and also to see if we would find purple sulphur bacteria - no.

There were quite a few fishermen out on the lake but we didn't see anyone catch anything. We also spotted an eagle and a young family of mallard ducklings. A good afternoon! This data will be shared with Fisheries in Penticton. Thanks to the volunteers for taking time out of their day to collect this important data!!

04/08/2026

Correction and Gardom Lake data
A mistake was made yesterday. The aeration system was only run for 1 day after the line was repaired on Mar 30th. Fisheries requested it be shut off until Easter time when the water and air temperature were a bit warmer. It is being turned back on today. It will be run for 8 weeks or when the surface water temperature approaches 15C, which ever comes first, and then it will be shut off until the fall. Thanks to Fisheries for authorizing the repair of the line and paying the bill! And thanks to the dive team from Inland Divers for braving the chilly water (it was only 4C) and doing the repair! Fisheries has also agreed to pay the additional power bill to have the compressor operating this spring. A huge Thank You to all!!

The ice wasn't even completely off the lake and the volunteers were able to tie up to the aeration float on Mar 15th to conduct their first data collection. Two teams of 2 people are each going to their respective deep basin (at the aeration float and the NW basin) to collect data approx. every 2 weeks. They have now both been out twice. The lake is turning over (water temp is fairly uniform top to bottom - called isothermal) and the dissolved oxygen readings are looking great, in fact there is even oxygen at the bottom, indicating that the lake is turning over completely. Rainbow trout need a minimum of 3 mg/L to survive so right now they are distributed throughout the whole water column. The data sheet and photos below are from the NW basin on Mar 31st. A special thanks to our volunteers for collecting the necessary data, and recording their observations, which is being shared with Fisheries!

04/07/2026

Aeration System Repaired & Running in Gardom L!
It was noticed when the aeration system was running last fall that there were air bubbles coming up not far from shore, no where near the deep basin where the float is anchored. Staff from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship office in Penticton said that they would get divers on scene once the ice came off this spring to assess the situation.

On Mar 30th the aeration hose was repaired by Inland Divers. Fortunately it was only a corroded coupling that joined 2 sections of airline together. This aeration system was installed in 1981 and has been servicing Gardom L ever since. It's done well but has had to have some maintenance along the way - replace the float and chain that held the diffuser with attached airline at about the 10 m mark in the 20 m deep basin, and install a new compressor in the aeration shed on shore. In the past this system was only run in the fall and shut off before the ice came on.

Over the past 2-3 years local residents and anglers that come to fish the lake have noticed that algal blooms have been increasing. It's probably a combination of both climate change (increasing water and air temps in summer, smokey skies and sometimes ash from forest fires, fluctuating but ultimately lower water levels, little to no spring runoff from decreasing snow levels, little to no flushing through the lake, earlier ice off/later ice on) and human factors (more development/impacts around the lake and loss of riparian habitat).

A limnologist has suggested running the aeration system in both the fall and the spring to see if that helps with deterring algal blooms. It's now running so fingers crossed! Volunteers are now going out on the lake approx. every 2 weeks (ice off to ice on) to measure water clarity and the dissolved oxygen and water temperature every meter from top to bottom in both deep basins. Thanks to these lakeshore residents for collecting this data! They will be keeping a close eye on the lake.

03/08/2026

Important Notice!
We would appreciate more memberships for both the GLSS and Mallory Ridge Community Trails Society MRCTS), for those not already members. Both are equally important. Many of you “liking” the GLSS page are not members and we need you. We are close to presenting final membership numbers to the CSRD. Numbers are extremely important as we seek CSRD support to achieve permanent protection of Mallory Ridge which is a significant portion of the Gardom Lake watershed.

The trail system on MR has been built and maintained by community volunteers for 46 years. The watershed, hiking trails and surrounding areas are sensitive environments. Motorized vehicles have the potential to severely damage these trails. Memberships and CSRD support are crucial to preserving MR for future generations.

Advocating for Mallory Ridge protection began 27 years ago and a new team has been advocating tirelessly for 7 years. One Salmon Arm community member has donated $10,000 to MRCTS and there have been many other donations to both Societies. The local community has donated $20,000 for studies and another $10,000 to $20,000 of pro bono work has been done. We are extremely grateful.

We need your help now with memberships. A previous posting has Membership forms and information on our advocacy work. Please share with your friends, relatives and neighbours who love and enjoy Gardom Lake and Mallory Ridge. They do not need to be community members to join. We have members from across Canada who have connections as former residents or visitors and from users from surrounding communities.

Over 885 have people have joined either GLSS or MRCTS. Some have joined both Societies. We have done the work but we need you. PLEASE help us increase our numbers as we await direction from the CSRD Parks Planning team.
Thanks for your support!

The attached photos are from the inlet wetland and Gardom Lake and were taken this afternoon.

03/05/2026

Checking on the Upper Gardom Cr Wetland
Just had to stop and see our wetland today. It's looking great!! The ice is still on and the wetland is full. This bodes well for the first part of the year as there has been little to no snow on Mallory Ridge so far this winter. The Gardom L watershed is very small so unfortunately there won't be much of a runoff this spring.

The evergreen trees that we planted in the upland area between Musgrave Rd and Park Rd are gaining some height. Hopefully in the future they will start to shade out some of the Canada thistle that proliferates there - but we tackle every year.

If this warmer weather keeps up it won't be long before the wetland is ice free and there should be a proliferation of life. An exciting time of the year!

12/07/2025

A Beautiful Bird Checking out Things at our Wetland!
Thanks to Anne Coughlan for taking and sharing this photo of an amazing Great Grey Owl around 4 pm yesterday, Dec 6th at our wetland on the inlet to Gardom L. We are really glad to see that our wetland attracts such amazing creatures! Enjoy!

09/26/2025

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Mallory Ridge Community Trails Society
Gardom Lake Stewardship Society
URGENT! We need your help to convince the CSRD that users of Gardom Lake and the beautiful trail system on Mallory Ridge along with members of the wider community, are firmly behind the proposed park on Mallory Ridge. Many of you (over 800) have signed the Advocacy Petition we undertook in 2022 and early January 2023. The next step is membership in two local organizations. We need numbers!!!

A community effort is underway to gain permanent protection for a 256 hectare parcel of Crown Land above Gardom Lake referred to as Mallory Ridge. A significant portion of Gardom Lake’s watershed resides within this parcel and is important to the continued health of Gardom Lake.

In the very near future, the CSRD will be developing a Parks Master Plan for 6 of the 7 electoral areas in the Regional District. Area D (Ranchero-Deep Creek-Falkland Silver Creek area) which includes Mallory Ridge will be one of the first three areas to be consulted in this process. This planning will include community engagement by a consultant.

It is our intention that the CSRD will make the Mallory Ridge parcel a high priority for protection. For this to happen, community support is crucial! The Gardom Lake Stewardship Society (GLSS) and the Mallory Ridge Community Trails Society (MRCTS) are the two local organizations spearheading the park proposal and each group is conducting a membership drive to increase their numbers to help convince the CSRD that the community is behind this proposed park.

There are several actions we would encourage you to take. Ask friends and relatives to join GLSS and MRCTS and also consider giving memberships as gifts. The membership fees are modest and memberships do not require annual renewal. The Mallory Ridge Community Trails Society has been working hand-in-hand with GLSS and has had great success in raising awareness locally and commissioning professional reports. Some of you may already be members but you can spread the word to others.

Membership forms for GLSS and MRCTS have been attached. If you do not remember if you are a member please contact us here [email protected] . Additional info is available by googling GARDOM LAKE STEWARDSHIP SOCIETY and choosing the WATERSHED tab.

Also attached are a selection of beautiful photos from/of Mallory Ridge and Gardom Lake.