“If we want to protect the lake, we may have to spend money,” said UBC Okanagan professor John Janmaat.
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Is it possible to put a price tag on the perfect summer day?
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Leaping off a dock into cold, clear water. Gathering around a grill on the beach. Sleeping in a tent, water-skiing, catching a fish.
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A group of researchers is working to put a monetary value on the experiences that draw up to three million people to Cultus Lake near Chilliwack each year as part of an effort to save the lake from pollution that raises the risk of toxic algae blooms.
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Rising air and water temperatures, combined with air and watershed contamination, have created a worsening problem “deep and hidden within Cultus Lake,” according to a scientific study by a federal researcher that called the lake a “bellwether” of how B.C.’s aquatic ecosystems are changing due to climate change and human activity.
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Sunrise
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While Cultus Lake has yet to see a significant algae bloom, the risk is increasing with a high likelihood the lake will transition to a new “trophic” stage with more plants, algae and organic sediment within the next 25 years, said the study. That has implications for at-risk fish species, but also for the many British Columbians who visit the lake each summer.
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Staving off changes to the lake could be a “very, very expensive venture,” said Ernie Vance, a director with the Cultus Lake Stewardship Society. Warm weather combined with airshed pollution that increases nitrogen and phosphorus is reducing oxygen levels in the deepest parts of the lake, increasing the potential for algae growth. One possible solution is an oxygenation system that pumps air into the deep water.
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In order to make the case for intervention to the various levels of government responsible for the lake, the society is supporting a survey to determine the cost if the lake continues to degrade.
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Researchers have been asking beachgoers, hikers, mountain bikers and people visiting attractions such as the waterslides and golf course to complete a survey about why they visit the lake, and how various factors, including the health of the lake, parking, crowding and the amenities in the surrounding area, influence their decisions. The survey is also available online until mid-September.
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Lead researcher John Janmaat, an economics professor at the University of B.C. Okanagan, said very preliminary results suggest “the lake is the draw” for most visitors, and “other features are important, but secondary.”
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“I think the lake represents something that is really important to people, but they typically don’t pay money for it,” he said. “But if we want to protect the lake, we may have to spend money. So how do we justify spending millions of dollars to do that?”
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The survey attempts to “tease apart” the unique value that respondents put on the lake by asking where they might go for a similar experience if Cultus was no longer an option, and whether they’d continue to come if the lake health was poor, but parking was better or there were more attractions in the area.
