Deforestation Biggest Problem For Eloika

This is a reply to the article “Saving the Lake” (North Side Voice, Feb. 23).

I have followed the Eloika Lake project for the past 10 years and have enjoyed fishing and watching the wildlife at the lake for the past 20 years.

The Eloika Lake Community Association continually uses the phrase “Eloika Lake is dying” and that it is filling in and will soon be a marsh.

Eloika Lake is a small, shallow lake that has many aquatic plants. It was that way 100 years ago and was probably that way 1,000 years ago.

Eloika Lake is not dying, although, the rate of “aging” of Eloika Lake has been accelerated due to human disturbances to the lake ecosystem.

The measures proposed by the Eloika Lake Community Association to “save” Eloika Lake are only temporary “Band-Aids” that will not address the degradation of the lake ecosystem.

Instead, the proposed measures (damming, dredging and grass carp introduction) will only increase the impacts upon the lake and worsen the problem.

The most pervasive problem affecting the Eloika Lake ecosystem is the altered hydrology due to extensive deforestation in the lake’s catchment. Flash runoff in the winter and spring and less water flow during summer has altered the export of organic matter from the lake. The altered hydrology will affect Eloika Lake until the deforestation rate decreases and hopefully the forest can respond to some historical tree density.

Eloika Lake is a unique body of water that is not overrun by power boats and jet skis like other lakes throughout the Spokane area. It is a perfect lake for canoeing, wildlife viewing and fishing.

If people are interested in helping Eloika Lake, they should address the source of the problem and manage at the “ecosystem level,” not manipulate the lake for short-term gratification.

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