PlaceDossier / BC places / Lakes

BC lake · 9 km² · Okanagan River watershed

Wood Lake

Its median summer Secchi depth over 2012–2025 was 3.9 m, from 28 readings. Murkier than 66% of the 62 BC lakes with enough recent readings.

The readings

510 summer readings from open water on record from 1970 to 2026, at 10 sampling sites.

Median since 2012Compared with BC lakes
Secchi depth3.9 m
2012–2025, 28 readings		Murkier than 66% of the 62 BC lakes with enough recent readings.
Total phosphorus12 µg/L
2012–2026, 38 readings		Higher than 61% of the 95 BC lakes with enough recent readings.
Chlorophyll a2.0 µg/L
2012–2026, 44 readings		Lower than 50% 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
0510 197019801990200020102020 1973: median 5.5 m from 1 reading1974: median 1.2 m from 1 reading1975: median 1.1 m from 4 readings1976: median 1.5 m from 4 readings1977: median 2.0 m from 5 readings1978: median 4.6 m from 6 readings1979: median 7.0 m from 5 readings1980: median 5.1 m from 6 readings1981: median 4.6 m from 5 readings1982: median 7.5 m from 6 readings1983: median 7.4 m from 2 readings1984: median 5.8 m from 2 readings1985: median 4.4 m from 3 readings1987: median 4.1 m from 12 readings1988: median 6.9 m from 10 readings1990: median 7.0 m from 1 reading1991: median 8.6 m from 2 readings1992: median 6.4 m from 2 readings1994: median 6.3 m from 2 readings1995: median 5.3 m from 1 reading1998: median 10.4 m from 2 readings1999: median 5.4 m from 2 readings2000: median 6.0 m from 2 readings2001: median 3.7 m from 2 readings2002: median 5.6 m from 2 readings2003: median 6.1 m from 2 readings2004: median 6.9 m from 2 readings2009: median 7.4 m from 1 reading2010: median 3.7 m from 1 reading2011: median 5.8 m from 1 reading2012: median 8.6 m from 1 reading2013: median 5.2 m from 6 readings2014: median 5.9 m from 5 readings2015: median 5.8 m from 6 readings2016: median 5.8 m from 1 reading2017: median 2.6 m from 1 reading2018: median 2.9 m from 1 reading2019: median 3.0 m from 1 reading2020: median 3.2 m from 1 reading2021: median 3.7 m from 1 reading2022: median 2.0 m from 1 reading2023: median 2.7 m from 1 reading2024: median 2.6 m from 1 reading2025: median 2.3 m from 1 readingm
Total phosphorus the nutrient that most often feeds algae in BC lakes
1030 197019801990200020102020 1970: median 75 µg/L from 2 readings1971: median 70 µg/L from 5 readings1974: median 18 µg/L from 1 reading1975: median 36 µg/L from 4 readings1976: median 19 µg/L from 4 readings1977: median 23 µg/L from 4 readings1978: median 27 µg/L from 5 readings1979: median 15 µg/L from 6 readings1980: median 18 µg/L from 7 readings1981: median 18 µg/L from 4 readings1982: median 16 µg/L from 3 readings1983: median 22 µg/L from 2 readings1984: median 16 µg/L from 2 readings1985: median 22 µg/L from 3 readings1986: median 17 µg/L from 3 readings1987: median 16 µg/L from 27 readings1988: median 16 µg/L from 19 readings1989: median 12 µg/L from 2 readings1990: median 11 µg/L from 2 readings1991: median 12 µg/L from 2 readings1992: median 14 µg/L from 2 readings1993: median 12 µg/L from 2 readings1994: median 10 µg/L from 3 readings1995: median 5.0 µg/L from 5 readings1996: median 13 µg/L from 2 readings1997: median 14 µg/L from 2 readings1999: median 7.0 µg/L from 2 readings2000: median 12 µg/L from 5 readings2001: median 12 µg/L from 2 readings2002: median 7.0 µg/L from 2 readings2003: median 15 µg/L from 2 readings2004: median 11 µg/L from 2 readings2005: median 8.0 µg/L from 4 readings2006: median 8.0 µg/L from 7 readings2007: median 11 µg/L from 6 readings2008: median 12 µg/L from 4 readings2009: median 7.0 µg/L from 5 readings2010: median 7.0 µg/L from 1 reading2011: median 9.0 µg/L from 1 reading2012: median 9.0 µg/L from 1 reading2013: median 10 µg/L from 6 readings2014: median 9.7 µg/L from 5 readings2015: median 11 µg/L from 15 readings2016: median 13 µg/L from 1 reading2017: median 11 µg/L from 1 reading2018: median 16 µg/L from 1 reading2019: median 14 µg/L from 1 reading2020: median 14 µg/L from 1 reading2021: median 32 µg/L from 1 reading2022: median 24 µg/L from 1 reading2023: median 21 µg/L from 1 reading2024: median 12 µg/L from 1 reading2025: median 15 µg/L from 1 reading2026: median 20 µg/L from 1 readingµg/L
Chlorophyll a the green pigment in algae: a direct measure of how much is growing
1310 197019801990200020102020 1975: median 19 µg/L from 4 readings1976: median 12 µg/L from 2 readings1977: median 12 µg/L from 4 readings1978: median 3.6 µg/L from 5 readings1979: median 1.6 µg/L from 6 readings1980: median 2.4 µg/L from 8 readings1981: median 2.4 µg/L from 7 readings1982: median 1.9 µg/L from 21 readings1983: median 3.4 µg/L from 2 readings1984: median 2.0 µg/L from 2 readings1987: median 2.7 µg/L from 12 readings1988: median 2.0 µg/L from 9 readings1989: median 3.6 µg/L from 2 readings1990: median 4.3 µg/L from 2 readings1991: median 2.8 µg/L from 2 readings1992: median 5.2 µg/L from 2 readings1993: median 1.1 µg/L from 2 readings1994: median 3.0 µg/L from 2 readings1995: median 1.9 µg/L from 2 readings1996: median 2.3 µg/L from 4 readings1999: median 2.0 µg/L from 2 readings2000: median 4.3 µg/L from 2 readings2001: median 9.1 µg/L from 2 readings2002: median 4.1 µg/L from 2 readings2003: median 2.9 µg/L from 2 readings2004: median 2.5 µg/L from 2 readings2005: median 3.4 µg/L from 4 readings2006: median 2.1 µg/L from 8 readings2007: median 1.6 µg/L from 7 readings2008: median 4.8 µg/L from 4 readings2009: median 0.8 µg/L from 1 reading2011: median 2.2 µg/L from 1 reading2012: median 1.5 µg/L from 1 reading2013: median 2.3 µg/L from 6 readings2014: median 2.7 µg/L from 5 readings2015: median 1.2 µg/L from 21 readings2016: median 2.5 µg/L from 1 reading2017: median 9.4 µg/L from 1 reading2018: median 7.1 µg/L from 1 reading2019: median 8.1 µg/L from 1 reading2020: median 8.1 µg/L from 1 reading2021: median 13 µg/L from 1 reading2022: median 22 µg/L from 1 reading2023: median 11 µg/L from 1 reading2024: median 8.3 µg/L from 1 reading2025: median 8.4 µg/L from 1 reading2026: median 7.7 µg/L from 1 readingµg/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

The measures disagree: clarity reads mesotrophic, phosphorus reads oligotrophic, algae reads oligotrophic. That's common: clarity also depends on silt and colour, not just algae.

IndexClass
From secchi depth (3.9 m, 2012–2025)41mesotrophic
From total phosphorus (12 µg/L, 2012–2026)40oligotrophic
From chlorophyll a (2.0 µg/L, 2012–2026)38oligotrophic

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
2026–20 µg/L (1)7.7 µg/L (1)
20252.3 m (1)15 µg/L (1)8.4 µg/L (1)
20242.6 m (1)12 µg/L (1)8.3 µg/L (1)
20232.7 m (1)21 µg/L (1)11 µg/L (1)
20222.0 m (1)24 µg/L (1)22 µg/L (1)
20213.7 m (1)32 µg/L (1)13 µg/L (1)
20203.2 m (1)14 µg/L (1)8.1 µg/L (1)
20193.0 m (1)14 µg/L (1)8.1 µg/L (1)
20182.9 m (1)16 µg/L (1)7.1 µg/L (1)
20172.6 m (1)11 µg/L (1)9.4 µg/L (1)
20165.8 m (1)13 µg/L (1)2.5 µg/L (1)
20155.8 m (6)11 µg/L (15)1.2 µg/L (21)
20145.9 m (5)9.7 µg/L (5)2.7 µg/L (5)
20135.2 m (6)10 µg/L (6)2.3 µg/L (6)
20128.6 m (1)9.0 µg/L (1)1.5 µg/L (1)
20115.8 m (1)9.0 µg/L (1)2.2 µg/L (1)
20103.7 m (1)7.0 µg/L (1)–
20097.4 m (1)7.0 µg/L (5)0.8 µg/L (1)
2008–12 µg/L (4)4.8 µg/L (4)
2007–11 µg/L (6)1.6 µg/L (7)
2006–8.0 µg/L (7)2.1 µg/L (8)
2005–8.0 µg/L (4)3.4 µg/L (4)
20046.9 m (2)11 µg/L (2)2.5 µg/L (2)
20036.1 m (2)15 µg/L (2)2.9 µg/L (2)
20025.6 m (2)7.0 µg/L (2)4.1 µg/L (2)
20013.7 m (2)12 µg/L (2)9.1 µg/L (2)
20006.0 m (2)12 µg/L (5)4.3 µg/L (2)
19995.4 m (2)7.0 µg/L (2)2.0 µg/L (2)
199810.4 m (2)––
1997–14 µg/L (2)–
1996–13 µg/L (2)2.3 µg/L (4)
19955.3 m (1)5.0 µg/L (5)1.9 µg/L (2)
19946.3 m (2)10 µg/L (3)3.0 µg/L (2)
1993–12 µg/L (2)1.1 µg/L (2)
19926.4 m (2)14 µg/L (2)5.2 µg/L (2)
19918.6 m (2)12 µg/L (2)2.8 µg/L (2)
19907.0 m (1)11 µg/L (2)4.3 µg/L (2)
1989–12 µg/L (2)3.6 µg/L (2)
19886.9 m (10)16 µg/L (19)2.0 µg/L (9)
19874.1 m (12)16 µg/L (27)2.7 µg/L (12)
1986–17 µg/L (3)–
19854.4 m (3)22 µg/L (3)–
19845.8 m (2)16 µg/L (2)2.0 µg/L (2)
19837.4 m (2)22 µg/L (2)3.4 µg/L (2)
19827.5 m (6)16 µg/L (3)1.9 µg/L (21)
19814.6 m (5)18 µg/L (4)2.4 µg/L (7)
19805.1 m (6)18 µg/L (7)2.4 µg/L (8)
19797.0 m (5)15 µg/L (6)1.6 µg/L (6)
19784.6 m (6)27 µg/L (5)3.6 µg/L (5)
19772.0 m (5)23 µg/L (4)12 µg/L (4)
19761.5 m (4)19 µg/L (4)12 µg/L (2)
19751.1 m (4)36 µg/L (4)19 µg/L (4)
19741.2 m (1)18 µg/L (1)–
19735.5 m (1)––
1971–70 µg/L (5)–
1970–75 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

  • 0500848 Deep basin 296 readings
  • 0500245 Central site 103 readings
  • 0500450 Mouth Vernon Creek: west 103 readings
  • 0500791 North end 2 readings
  • E221969 1.1 km from Oceola Rd 1 reading
  • E221970 3.0 km from Oceola Rd 1 reading
  • E221971 5.1 km from Oceola Rd 1 reading
  • E276503 Highway pull-out 850 m north of Oceola Rd (WOO-1) 1 reading
  • E276504 Highway pull-out 3 km north of Oceola Rd (WOO-2) 1 reading
  • E276523 Northwest corner of the lake, 25 m south of Oyama Rd (WOO-3) 1 reading

Left out: 1 reading at 1 site whose names put them away from the open lake

  • E276524 Northeast corner of the lake, south of boat launch (WOO-4) 1 reading; 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 the water receiving its discharge, 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.