PlaceDossier / BC places / Lakes

BC lake · 26 km² · Kettle River watershed

Christina Lake

Its median summer Secchi depth over 2012–2025 was 11.6 m, from 36 readings. Clearer than 95% of the 62 BC lakes with enough recent readings.

The readings

545 summer readings from open water on record from 1972 to 2026, at 24 sampling sites.

Median since 2012Compared with BC lakes
Secchi depth11.6 m
2012–2025, 36 readings		Clearer than 95% of the 62 BC lakes with enough recent readings.
Total phosphorus3.3 µg/L
2012–2026, 38 readings		Lower than 90% of the 100 BC lakes with enough recent readings (lower is clearer).
Chlorophyll a0.9 µg/L
2012–2026, 38 readings		Lower than 83% of the 83 BC lakes with enough recent readings (lower is clearer).
Secchi depth how deep a black-and-white disc stays visible: deeper means clearer water
051015 19801990200020102020 1972: median 9.1 m from 1 reading1973: median 11 m from 1 reading1975: median 9.5 m from 4 readings1976: median 7.6 m from 5 readings1977: median 10.2 m from 4 readings1978: median 8.8 m from 3 readings1980: median 12.6 m from 2 readings1981: median 3.2 m from 1 reading1983: median 10.8 m from 2 readings1984: median 10.6 m from 2 readings1988: median 14.8 m from 2 readings1991: median 12.2 m from 15 readings1992: median 13.5 m from 15 readings1995: median 14 m from 2 readings1999: median 10.7 m from 2 readings2001: median 13 m from 2 readings2002: median 14.5 m from 4 readings2003: median 13.1 m from 2 readings2004: median 10.8 m from 8 readings2005: median 12.3 m from 11 readings2006: median 9.5 m from 12 readings2007: median 11.4 m from 18 readings2009: median 12.6 m from 2 readings2010: median 11.1 m from 2 readings2011: median 9.7 m from 10 readings2012: median 10.8 m from 2 readings2013: median 12.2 m from 2 readings2014: median 10.5 m from 2 readings2015: median 12.6 m from 2 readings2016: median 10.6 m from 10 readings2017: median 11 m from 2 readings2018: median 12.2 m from 2 readings2019: median 12 m from 2 readings2020: median 10.4 m from 2 readings2021: median 12.5 m from 2 readings2022: median 11.6 m from 2 readings2023: median 12.2 m from 2 readings2024: median 11.8 m from 2 readings2025: median 13.1 m from 2 readingsm
Total phosphorus the nutrient that most often feeds algae in BC lakes
31030 19801990200020102020 1972: median 8.5 µg/L from 2 readings1973: median 4.5 µg/L from 2 readings1975: median 4.0 µg/L from 3 readings1976: median 3.0 µg/L from 6 readings1977: median 4.5 µg/L from 4 readings1978: median 3.5 µg/L from 4 readings1980: median 7.0 µg/L from 2 readings1981: median 7.0 µg/L from 1 reading1983: median 12 µg/L from 1 reading1984: median 64 µg/L from 2 readings1986: median 4.0 µg/L from 2 readings1988: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings1990: median 4.0 µg/L from 2 readings1991: median 3.0 µg/L from 18 readings1992: median 3.0 µg/L from 20 readings1993: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings1994: median 4.0 µg/L from 16 readings1995: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings1998: median 7.0 µg/L from 1 reading1999: median 13 µg/L from 2 readings2000: median 14 µg/L from 15 readings2001: median 3.0 µg/L from 16 readings2002: median 3.5 µg/L from 10 readings2003: median 6.5 µg/L from 2 readings2004: median 7.0 µg/L from 2 readings2005: median 2.0 µg/L from 2 readings2006: median 2.0 µg/L from 14 readings2007: median 4.0 µg/L from 16 readings2008: median 5.5 µg/L from 2 readings2009: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings2010: median 4.0 µg/L from 2 readings2011: median 5.0 µg/L from 10 readings2012: median 3.8 µg/L from 2 readings2013: median 3.1 µg/L from 2 readings2014: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings2015: median 2.1 µg/L from 2 readings2016: median 3.0 µg/L from 10 readings2017: median 3.2 µg/L from 2 readings2018: median 3.3 µg/L from 2 readings2019: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings2020: median 3.5 µg/L from 2 readings2021: median 2.9 µg/L from 2 readings2022: median 4.4 µg/L from 2 readings2023: median 3.4 µg/L from 2 readings2024: median 3.6 µg/L from 2 readings2025: median 2.5 µg/L from 2 readings2026: median 4.8 µg/L from 2 readingsµg/L
Chlorophyll a the green pigment in algae: a direct measure of how much is growing
0.313 19801990200020102020 1977: median 0.8 µg/L from 4 readings1978: median 0.6 µg/L from 7 readings1980: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings1983: median 0.6 µg/L from 1 reading1984: median 0.8 µg/L from 2 readings1988: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings1990: median 1.4 µg/L from 2 readings1991: median 1.3 µg/L from 13 readings1992: median 2.4 µg/L from 15 readings1993: median 2.1 µg/L from 2 readings1994: median 0.8 µg/L from 15 readings1995: median 0.9 µg/L from 2 readings1996: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings1998: median 0.3 µg/L from 1 reading1999: median 0.8 µg/L from 2 readings2000: median 4.3 µg/L from 2 readings2001: median 0.8 µg/L from 2 readings2002: median 1.4 µg/L from 3 readings2003: median 0.5 µg/L from 2 readings2004: median 0.5 µg/L from 2 readings2005: median 0.5 µg/L from 2 readings2006: median 1.0 µg/L from 11 readings2007: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings2008: median 0.6 µg/L from 2 readings2009: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings2010: median 0.5 µg/L from 2 readings2011: median 0.9 µg/L from 10 readings2012: median 1.7 µg/L from 2 readings2013: median 1.4 µg/L from 2 readings2014: median 1.4 µg/L from 2 readings2015: median 0.4 µg/L from 2 readings2016: median 0.9 µg/L from 10 readings2017: median 1.1 µg/L from 2 readings2018: median 1.3 µg/L from 2 readings2019: median 0.9 µg/L from 2 readings2020: median 1.3 µg/L from 2 readings2021: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings2022: median 0.6 µg/L from 2 readings2023: median 0.5 µg/L from 2 readings2024: median 0.3 µg/L from 2 readings2025: median 0.7 µg/L from 2 readings2026: median 0.9 µg/L from 2 readingsµg/L

Median each year (bigger dot, more readings)Middle half of BC lakesBC median

Source: BC Environmental Monitoring Data System (EnMoDS) results, Environmental Monitoring and Analysis Branch, Province of BC, records to September 19, 2026 (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); lake outlines and names: Freshwater Atlas lakes, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia). Summaries by PlaceDossier.

Nutrient level Inferred

Reads as oligotrophic (few nutrients, little algae, usually clear).

IndexClass
From secchi depth (11.6 m, 2012–2025)25oligotrophic
From total phosphorus (3.3 µg/L, 2012–2026)21oligotrophic
From chlorophyll a (0.9 µg/L, 2012–2026)30oligotrophic

Inferred by us, not a provincial classification. The index was built for summer readings from the middle of a lake; ours mix sites and months, so treat the class as a rough guide.

How we worked this out

Carlson's trophic state index (Carlson 1977, Limnology and Oceanography 22:361) turns each median into a score: 60 − 14.41 ln(Secchi m), 14.42 ln(phosphorus µg/L) + 4.15, 9.81 ln(chlorophyll µg/L) + 30.6. Classes after Carlson and Simpson (1996): under 40 oligotrophic, 40 to 50 mesotrophic, 50 to 70 eutrophic, 70 and over hypereutrophic.

Year by year

YearSecchi depthTotal phosphorusChlorophyll a
2026–4.8 µg/L (2)0.9 µg/L (2)
202513.1 m (2)2.5 µg/L (2)0.7 µg/L (2)
202411.8 m (2)3.6 µg/L (2)0.3 µg/L (2)
202312.2 m (2)3.4 µg/L (2)0.5 µg/L (2)
202211.6 m (2)4.4 µg/L (2)0.6 µg/L (2)
202112.5 m (2)2.9 µg/L (2)0.7 µg/L (2)
202010.4 m (2)3.5 µg/L (2)1.3 µg/L (2)
201912 m (2)3.0 µg/L (2)0.9 µg/L (2)
201812.2 m (2)3.3 µg/L (2)1.3 µg/L (2)
201711 m (2)3.2 µg/L (2)1.1 µg/L (2)
201610.6 m (10)3.0 µg/L (10)0.9 µg/L (10)
201512.6 m (2)2.1 µg/L (2)0.4 µg/L (2)
201410.5 m (2)3.0 µg/L (2)1.4 µg/L (2)
201312.2 m (2)3.1 µg/L (2)1.4 µg/L (2)
201210.8 m (2)3.8 µg/L (2)1.7 µg/L (2)
20119.7 m (10)5.0 µg/L (10)0.9 µg/L (10)
201011.1 m (2)4.0 µg/L (2)0.5 µg/L (2)
200912.6 m (2)3.0 µg/L (2)0.7 µg/L (2)
2008–5.5 µg/L (2)0.6 µg/L (2)
200711.4 m (18)4.0 µg/L (16)0.7 µg/L (2)
20069.5 m (12)2.0 µg/L (14)1.0 µg/L (11)
200512.3 m (11)2.0 µg/L (2)0.5 µg/L (2)
200410.8 m (8)7.0 µg/L (2)0.5 µg/L (2)
200313.1 m (2)6.5 µg/L (2)0.5 µg/L (2)
200214.5 m (4)3.5 µg/L (10)1.4 µg/L (3)
200113 m (2)3.0 µg/L (16)0.8 µg/L (2)
2000–14 µg/L (15)4.3 µg/L (2)
199910.7 m (2)13 µg/L (2)0.8 µg/L (2)
1998–7.0 µg/L (1)0.3 µg/L (1)
1996––0.7 µg/L (2)
199514 m (2)3.0 µg/L (2)0.9 µg/L (2)
1994–4.0 µg/L (16)0.8 µg/L (15)
1993–3.0 µg/L (2)2.1 µg/L (2)
199213.5 m (15)3.0 µg/L (20)2.4 µg/L (15)
199112.2 m (15)3.0 µg/L (18)1.3 µg/L (13)
1990–4.0 µg/L (2)1.4 µg/L (2)
198814.8 m (2)3.0 µg/L (2)0.7 µg/L (2)
1986–4.0 µg/L (2)–
198410.6 m (2)64 µg/L (2)0.8 µg/L (2)
198310.8 m (2)12 µg/L (1)0.6 µg/L (1)
19813.2 m (1)7.0 µg/L (1)–
198012.6 m (2)7.0 µg/L (2)0.7 µg/L (2)
19788.8 m (3)3.5 µg/L (4)0.6 µg/L (7)
197710.2 m (4)4.5 µg/L (4)0.8 µg/L (4)
19767.6 m (5)3.0 µg/L (6)–
19759.5 m (4)4.0 µg/L (3)–
197311 m (1)4.5 µg/L (2)–
19729.1 m (1)8.5 µg/L (2)–

Median of each year's May to October readings; the number of readings is in brackets.

Source: BC Environmental Monitoring Data System (EnMoDS) results, Environmental Monitoring and Analysis Branch, Province of BC, records to September 19, 2026 (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); lake outlines and names: Freshwater Atlas lakes, Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia). Summaries by PlaceDossier.

Where it was sampled

  • 0200078 Christina 246 readings
  • E215758 North basin deep centre 193 readings
  • 0200520 English Point 57 readings
  • E215961 At north end 10 readings
  • E246191 #16 at Trapper Creek 4 readings
  • E246102 #3 Norm Cabana Res 3 readings
  • E246104 #5 at south end of English Cove 3 readings
  • E246186 #11 at Tambellini Residence 3 readings
  • E246192 #17 at Treadmill Creek 3 readings
  • E246100 #1 west of Sandner Creek 2 readings
  • E246103 #4 north of Mccrae Creek 2 readings
  • E246105 #6 at Colville Cove 2 readings
  • E246183 #8 at Sutherland Crk 2 readings
  • E246184 #9 at Christina Creek 2 readings
  • E246187 #12 at Little Tadanac 2 readings
  • E246188 #13 at south of Stewart Creek 2 readings
  • E246190 #15 Ole Johnson north Campsite (Southside) 2 readings
  • E220625 At Troy Rec site 1 reading
  • E220626 South of Lavalley Point 1 reading
  • E246189 #14 at Seigi Ck 1 reading

And 4 more sites.

Left out: 16 readings at 3 sites whose names put them away from the open lake

  • E215960 North of D'Appolonia's dock 12 readings; on the shore
  • E246106 #7 at Public beach 2 readings; on the shore
  • E246185 #10 at south end Provincial Public beach 2 readings; on the shore

Site names are tidied from the provincial records; the IDs find each site's full record there.

What this record doesn't cover

Algae bloom reports and invasive mussel checks aren't in this record: the province's Algae Watch map and mussel monitoring aren't published as open data. For swimming, check the regional health authority's beach advisories; for blooms and mussels, ask the province's regional environment office or the local lake association.

Readings are from the province's monitoring database: samples taken by provincial staff, volunteer lake monitors, and companies and local governments that sample under their permits. We keep the ice-free season (May to October), and for phosphorus and chlorophyll only samples from the top 5 m. We leave out sites whose names put them at a water intake, a sewage or industrial outfall, a mine or a permit holder's works, or on the shore (a beach, dock or boat launch): water there can differ a lot from the open lake. Each year's figure is the median of that year's readings. We give a lake a summary, a comparison with other lakes and a nutrient level only when it has at least 10 summer readings from open water, spread over at least 3 different years, since 2012; the summary is the median of those readings. With fewer, or only older ones, we show the readings and say there are too few to judge the lake. A reading below the lab's detection limit counts at that limit. One site can be a bay rather than the open lake, so a lake's figures can differ from one end to the other.

Water quality changes with the season, the weather and the part of the lake. These are past readings, not a test of the water today: before you buy, ask the local government and the lake association what's known, and test a drinking-water intake yourself.