Imagine what the shoreline of Christina Lake would now look like after 50 years had there been a development permit process requiring lot owners to preserve and protect the riparian zone. That was not the case, and long-term residents are experiencing the impact that the lack of regulations has had.

Old timers say they can remember when the water in the lake was so clean it was possible see down some 30 feet. However, after decades of building retaining walls and landscaping its shore, the lake has suffered. It is no longer the pristine body of water that it once was. The worry of these residents is that the deterioration will continue.

Water drawn from the lake is still potable and many residents still use it without treatment. Christina Waterworks serves south end residents. Water is pumped from the lake to a reservoir on the height of land where it receives a dose of the required chlorination before entering the distribution system.

Water quality tops the list of concerns of residents when they are asked to list of their priorities. They know that without an adequate supply of clean, safe water, people's health, the economy of the area and the environment is threatened.

The riparian area around the lake is a relatively narrow zone between the water's edge and the land above. It may vary from a metre to several metres in width. In its natural state it is a richly diverse habitat and an integral part of the functioning lake ecosystem. The vegetation in the riparian area provides habitat and acts as an erosion control to protect shoreline from wave action.

In an effort to preserve and enhance what remains of the riparian zone, riparian regulations are being proposed. If the regulations are eventually adopted, they will be incorporated into the development approval process. Property owners will be advised that they must make every effort to preserve the riparian when they build on their lots.

Enacting riparian regulations will run counter to the desire of some lake dwellers who want to keep their properties well-groomed and protected from erosion.

Lawns and non-native plants in tidy yards need special care and frequent applications of fertilizers that are high in nitrogen. When they eventually leach into the lake water, they cause algae to grow and thrive.

Residents who are fearful that the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) will dictate what they can and cannot do on their properties should put that fear to rest. Adherence to the riparian regulations will not be mandatory. They are guidelines based on the critical need to restore and enhance what is left of the delicate riparian zone.

The suggestion that the problem of deteriorating water quality can be solved with the installation of a big pipe sewer line in the lake may be feasible but it would be costly.

If property owners adopt the plan to gradually restore the lakeshore and preserve what remains of the riparian area, they will be buying some insurance that the lake water will remain potable for several decades more. That insurance will come at a lesser cost that a big pipe sewer line.

The responsibility for maintaining a healthy environment in and around the lake and the streams and wetlands within the watershed rests with every resident and they should assume that responsibility willingly

To begin the public consultation process on riparian regulations, the Christina Lake Stewardship Society in collaboration with the RDKB held a meeting at the Christina Lake Fire Hall meeting room on June 14. Other meetings will be held, the next being on July 3 at the Christina Lake Community Hall and there will be others.