Gardom Lake Stewardship Society

10/19/2026

Report on the Bird Houses at the Gardom L Inlet Wetland
Earlier this month one of our GLSS members did an inventory of the success rate of the bird houses at the wetland, and also cleaned them out so they are ready for next year. Here is his report:

Out of 10 bird houses a total of 7 were successful.
- 3 of the 7 had double batches,
- 4 had single batches,
- Of the 3 fails, 1 had a wasp nest and 2 were untouched.

If there were, say, 4 babies that survived from each batch that would be a total of 36 offspring. Last year there were 2 nests that had dried out babies (dead) but there were none like that this year.

Now that's what we call a successful crop and year!

10/06/2026

BC Timber Sales has Proposed Logging on Mt Rose Swanson in Spallumcheen this Coming Winter
A Concerned Citizen Submitted a Save Rose Swanson Petition to support the Armstrong Spallumcheen Trails Society. Change.org
https://c.org/gPgp74HQkw

If you have ever hiked Mt RS and care about this local mountain please sign it and forward it to others. The text is as follows:
Please Stand With Us
We have a choice right now.
Rose Swanson Mountain is more than a collection of trees. It is a living watershed, a wildlife habitat, a trail network, and an important part of the community surrounding Armstrong and Spallumcheen. For generations, people have used this mountain for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, dog walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and simply finding a quiet place in nature. The mountain contains approximately 30 kilometres of trails, and trail counters have recorded nearly 100,000 users over the past five years. It is one of the few accessible areas of Crown land available to local Armstrong/Spallumcheen residents and visitors for recreation and outdoor activities.
We can stand by and watch this mountain gradually change, one cut block, one road and one logging plan at a time, or we can come together and say enough. We can say that Rose Swanson Mountain is worth more than the short-term value of the timber that can be taken from it.
Please don’t assume that someone else will speak up. Your signature matters. One signature becomes ten. Ten becomes one hundred. One hundred becomes thousands of people saying the same thing: this mountain matters to us.
If Rose Swanson has ever given you a place to walk when you needed to clear your head, a trail to explore with your family, a beautiful view, a place to ride, a moment of peace, or simply the feeling of being home, then please stand up for it now.
Sign this petition. Share it with your family and friends. Post it on your social media. Send it to someone who loves Rose Swanson as much as you do.
We cannot bring back a mature forest once it has been removed. We cannot recreate decades of wildlife habitat overnight. We cannot easily restore a watershed if we discover years later that we got it wrong.
But we can speak up before that happens.
Let’s make sure the people making decisions about Rose Swanson Mountain hear the voices of the people who live in this local area, love this place and depend on it.
Please sign. Please share. Please speak up.
Let’s give Rose Swanson Mountain a voice.
Let’s protect it while we still have the chance and say Enough is Enough to Logging!

Save Rose Swanson

10/05/2026

Upcoming Election for Area D Director
MALLORY RIDGE / GARDOM LAKE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT!

IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION FOR AREA D DIRECTOR
VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE YOU THINK WILL BE BEST ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR MALLORY RIDGE TO BECOME A CSRD PARK

RANCHERO/DEEP CREEK HAS A HISTORY OF LOW VOTER TURNOUT. VOTE SO THAT OUR NEW DIRECTOR WILL KNOW THAT WE EXIST AND EXPECT REPRESENTATION!

HERE IS THE EASIEST WAY TO VOTE:
SINCE RANCHERO/DEEP CREEK DOES NOT HAVE A POLLING SITE ON ELECTION NIGHT OCTOBER 17 (ONLY FALKLAND AND SILVER CREEK HAVE THIS), YOUR BEST/EASIEST OPTION IS TO VOTE IN ONE OF THE ADVANCE POLLS:
OCTOBER 7 AT THE CSRD BUILDING IN SALMON ARM
(555 HARBOURFRONT DR NE) ANYTIME BETWEEN 8 AM AND 8 PM
OR
OCTOBER 14 AT THE GARDOM LAKE BIBLE CAMP
(651 GLENMARY ROAD) BETWEEN 2:30 PM AND 5:30 PM

YOU WILL NEED TWO VALID PIECES OF ID LIKE A DRIVER’S LICENCE AND A CREDIT CARD
MAIL BALLOTS ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL – YOU WILL NEED TO GO TO THE CSRD WEBSITE AND COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FORM AND UPLOAD TWO PIECES OF VALID ID. THEY WILL SEND YOU A BALLOT BY MAIL OR YOU CAN PICK IT UP
CSRD INFORMATION: https://www.csrd.bc.ca/501/Elections-2026 OR GOOGLE; “CSRD ELECTIONS 2026”

PLEASE VOTE!

This page provides general information about the October 17, 2026 Local Government Elections and provides links to pages that provide information for voters and candidates.

08/25/2026

Cheering the GLSS On!!
We received an email and photo yesterday from a Calgary resident who visited Gardom L. It says:

Pic taken this past June of the Westen Painted turtle at Gardom Lake.
You're welcome to use it on your site. Keep up the good work protecting this gem of a lake and the wildlife that lives there.
Regards,
Wayne ###

We really appreciate the kudos Wayne as we care about this special lake! Thanks for this great photo of our resident Western Painted turtles!!

08/06/2026

Latest Update on Water Quality in Gardom Lake
Volunteers have been hard at work as they are going out on a regular basis to both basins in the lake. They are collecting data (water temperature, dissolved oxygen and water clarity) throughout the whole water column to monitor the changes as the year progresses.

Some notable observations are as follows:
- Apr 19th - oxygen starting to disappear from the lake bottom. Now nutrients are no longer locked into the mud at the bottom and can now be recirculated throughout the whole water column. This is called 'Internal Loading'.
- May 6th -19th - the thermocline (area of rapid water temp change of more than 1C/m) is starting to form. Specific layers in the lake are forming - top (called the epilimion), middle (thermocline or area of rapid change) and bottom (called the hypolimnion).
- May 19th -July 30th - a very pronounced thermocline and it's getting thicker and stronger as time goes on. It's now 6-7 m thick. Water can no longer circulate throughout the whole water column.
- May 30th - oxygen is really absent from the bottom
- July 30th - the bottom 2/3 of the lake is anoxic (no oxygen). The top 5 m of the lake is unsuitable for rainbow trout due to high water temps. Warm water holds less oxygen than cold water and temperatures >20C aren't suitable for Rt. Rainbows are being squeezed between 6-8 m in depth due to more favourable water temperatures and oxygen but are probably coming up higher in the water column at night.

Other than the mention of algae in May there is no indication of any since then. The secchi disk readings continued to improve after May with them looking quite good in July. The July 15th reading was 7.22 m (really good for Gardom) but it has decreased to 5.8 m on July 30th. A drop in water clarity of almost 1.5 m isn't the greatest within 2 weeks so the next data collection session will help confirm what's going on. Maybe the start of another bloom?

In general observations, besides noting that people are out recreating and fishing, and the various birds, it's great to see that the loon chick is surviving!

Well done volunteers!! Keep up the good work but maybe wait until the smoke clears up a bit and it's a bit safer before going out again.

07/08/2026

SILT Completes Gardom Lake Property Acquisition!

The Southern Interior Land Trust is pleased to announce a generous landowner gift creating the Murray-Carson Conservation Property at the outlet of Gardom Lake. This 1.03-hectare waterfront property serves as an important refuge and movement corridor for local wildlife, including deer, moose, elk, amphibians, turtles, birds, and pollinators.

The property contains a diverse mix of habitats, including old field grassland, intact shoreline riparian vegetation, deciduous and coniferous forest stands, and a managed nesting area for the Western Painted Turtle, a species listed as Special Concern under Canada”s Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Protecting this ecologically significant property helps conserve valuable wildlife habitat and supports biodiversity in the Gardom Lake area for generations to come.

Thank you to the Murray-Carson family, the Gardom Lake Stewardship Society, BC Hydro’s Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program, Canada’s Ecological Gifts Program, and all of SILT’s always generous and thoughtful donors and supporters.

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!!