11 Jacko Lake

About Jacko Lake

The name of the lake originated in and around 1855 from Alex Jacko a shadowy half-breed person who worked sometime for the Hudson Bay company (Balf, 1978).  Jacko Lake is located 7 km south of Kamloops. The entire area surrounding the lake is known as “Pipsell” to the Secwépemc people (Rothenburger, 2015).  The lake is 40.5 ha with a mean depth of 8.8 m (29 ft) and a maximum depth of 22.9 m (75 ft). It lies 891 m (2923 ft) above sea level and flows into Peterson Lake, exiting the lake south into downtown Kamloops and eventually to Thompson River (British Columbia Adventure Network, n.d.a). The biome supports a high biodiversity of red- and blue-listed endangered birds and animals.  It is home to 13 bird species, 90 different medicinal plants, 45 distinct food plan species, and 39 species of animals — 13 of which humans use as food sources (Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation, 2017).

Recreational Activities

In less than half an hour, this is an ideal fishing destination. The province has been stocking Jacko Lake with fish, primarily rainbow trout, since the 1950s (Brothen, 2015).  In the past, it was well-known for huge fish.  The chemistry in Jacko Lake is superior to most lakes, with rainbow trout reaching 76 cm (30 in) and weighing over 4.5 kg (10 lb) (Brothen, 2015; Lund, 2017). The lake has two boat launches with exceptional fishing and paddling conditions (Kamloops Kayak, n.d.). It contains small bays bordered by grasslands with little tree coverage, allowing for the easy 3.5-km trail walk to cast at various locations (KamloopsTrails, 2013). “One of the biggest misconceptions is this lake is man-made. It’s not; it’s man-enhanced,” says Stephen Maricle, a biologist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Brothen, 2015).

Indigenous Value

“Pípsell is a cultural keystone area that must be preserved in a state consistent with the traditional importance of the site to the Secwépemc people. Pípsell must only be used in ways that preserve and sustain the area, and which allow for the culture of the Secwépemc people to be exercised and maintained.” Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation (SSN) (2017)The Pipsell cultural area holds historical significance to the Tk’emlupsemc te Secwépemc and Skeetchestn Indian Band, also known as Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwépemc Nation (SSN). (Ignace & Ignace, 2017).  It was one of the first places in spring where the Secwépemc people came to get their food, medicine, and plants (Klassen, 2016). KGHM Ajax applied to develop a copper and gold mine in the Jacko Lake area (Brothen, 2015). In 2016, the project was estimated to cost about CA$1.3 billion (Zeidler, 2017).  The project did not proceed because the Secwépemc people claimed the area had high cultural value (Rothenburger, 2015). SSN made a Declaration of Title on Pipsell (Jacko Lake) to continue to hold and benefit from the lands for its current and future members and other local communities.

Ecosystem Services

The ecosystem services valuation by lakes depends on the lake’s location and the physical, economic, and geographic characteristics (Reynaud & Lanzanova, 2017). It is the many direct and indirect benefits that nature provides to society.  The direct uses include:

• Usage for recreation — Jacko Lake is well-liked for outdoor pursuits like boating, paddling, and fishing. The many lakes and their surroundings provide natural beauty that attracts visitors from all over the world.
• Wildlife habitat — Fish, amphibians, and birds are just a few of the natural species that benefit from the lake’s crucial ecosystem (Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation, 2017). This environment promotes crucial biological processes and supports biodiversity.
• Cultural use — The nearby Indigenous people, who have long-standing uses for the lake and its surroundings, place high cultural significance on Jacko Lake (Ignace & Ignace, 2017; Klassen, 2016). Fishing and gathering of plants and other natural resources are examples of this.
• Aesthetic Value — The lake and the surroundings contribute to the aesthetic significance, providing a lovely backdrop for artwork like paintings and photographs. It is a perfect lake for wildlife, watching the various birds and animals in the area.

On the other hand, indirect uses of the lake include:

• Water supply — The neighbouring city of Kamloops receives some of its drinking water from Jacko Lake (Kamloops This Week, 2020a). The lake aids in replenishing the aquifer that feeds the city’s wells with water, which is necessary for uses like agriculture and industry.
• Climate control — By absorbing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the lake and its surroundings assist in controlling the local climate, which lessens the effects of climate change.
• Flood prevention — During heavy rainfall or snowfall, the lake can help prevent flooding by regulating the flow of adjacent streams and rivers (Kamloops This Week, 2020a). In addition, it provides drought recovery for years of low annual rainfall.

Non-use options of bequest and existence values benefit others now and in the future.  The importance of the continence of Jacko Lake includes the protection and restoration of habitat, aesthetic values for scenic beauty, and cultural significance.

Valuation of Jacko Lake

The Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) was created from academic literature reviews of various ecosystem studies (Brander et al., 2023).  The studies were screened according to the specific ecosystem services and identified people’s trade-offs and willingness to pay for the ecosystem.  The introduction of this book summarizes the monetary value for each service per biome based on the average, median, and modified median of the Canada, US, and UK studies. There is a variance between the three valuations based on the number of values produced from the ecosystem services database and those used per biome. The average is an optimistic valuation, while the median provides a more conservative assessment by removing the influence of outliers. Finally, the modified median removes values occurring in only one or two studies to provide the most conservative value of ecosystem services per hectare per year.

These three assessments provide a range of lake valuations per hectare per year of $23,542, $57,726, and $78,804 for the modified median, median, and average, respectively. Applying these values to Jacko Lake, the total valuation of ecosystem services is $2,168,451, $2,337,903, and $3,191,562 each year.

A relatively high social discount rate of 1.5% is applied to assess the value of the lake as a natural asset; however, a very low rate of 0.1% is also used to respect the valuation of Indigenous people on water streams. The latter determines the present value of future flows from a long-term ecosystem assessment. The value of Jacko Lake with the 1.5% discount rate is USD 212.8 million, the median valuation is USD 155.9 million, and with the most conservative valuation, the modified median valuation is USD 144.6 million. However, using the low rate of 0.1%, the value of Jacko Lake is USD 2.17 billion for the most conservative estimate, USD 2.34 billion for the median, and USD 3.19 billion using the average ecosystem services per year.“This land is one of the first areas in spring that we come to to get our first proteins of fish, our medicine, our plants. All of that is important to us.” Skeetchestn Indian Band Chief Ron Ignace (Klassen, 2016)

These amounts show that Jacko Lake’s value alone surpasses the estimated value of KGHM Ajax’s open pit copper and gold mine at CAD 1.3 billion when the lower discount rate is used (Zeidler, 2017). This analysis shows that the local SSN was right to reject the project as it would destroy this value of nature, which is worth more than what the project would replace. This figure also shows the importance for decision-makers to use the economic values of nature to assess trade-offs when determining whether to develop or protect and not assume they have a zero value. Failure to calculate the economic value of ecosystems that provide many benefits to the community will result in the price being zero and thus exploited by profit-maximizing corporations. This exploitation would result in the diminishment and loss of the total value of ecosystems (Jacko Lake).

However, the Pipsell area faces new threats. The Canada Energy Regulator recently approved Trans Mountain Corp.’s request to alter a 1.3 km pipeline route in the Jacko Lake area (Pipsell) near Kamloops due to tunnel construction challenges (Stephenson, 2023). The Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation, who holds spiritual and cultural values for the Pipsell area, opposed the change, having previously agreed only to the original route. Trans Mountain Corp. noted that a rejection would mean a nine-month delay and cost an extra $86 million. This research shows that the additional $86 million is nothing when there is a significant risk of losing a natural asset valued conservatively at USD 2 17 billion.

Concluding Remarks

“Harmony means all things ringing true together.”
Richard Wagamese (2013)Indigenous people have strong ties to the natural world and all living creatures (Ignace & Ignace, 2017). The land and its natural resources, including lakes, connect spiritually and culturally to many Indigenous civilizations. Many Indigenous communities revere lakes as spiritual locations with healing and energy qualities. For instance, several Indigenous communities believe lakes either serve as the home of spiritual beings or as a connection to the spirit world. Additionally, Indigenous peoples rely on lakes for food, water, and other resources for survival. As a result, they frequently have a profound understanding of how crucial it is to preserve the health and well-being of the lake ecosystem. Overall, it is accurate to say that many Indigenous peoples place a high value on lakes and ecosystems because of their cultural and spiritual significance and importance to maintaining their identity.

Valuation is not commodification, but instead, signifies scarcity and importance. The benefits from the ecosystem services the lake provides are collective, just like the benefits of clean air. However, the market vastly undervalues these benefits; even this chapter undervalues them using conservative estimates representing a minimum valuation. Also, Indigenous peoples may have an implicit discount rate that approaches zero for this particular area. This rate means that the valuation of the land and lake approaches an infinite value, which allows nature to be in harmony with communities.

It is challenging to broadly generalize who might place little value on lakes because attitudes about natural resources can differ greatly depending on various factors, such as culture, geography, and economic situations. Nevertheless, some patterns involving this topic appear worldwide, especially in industrialized nations that consider lakes and other natural resources more as commodities used for financial benefits. These nations place less emphasis on safeguarding the lakes and precious ecosystems for current and future generations. Additionally, people frequently destroy lakes and other natural resources for short-term gains, such as through commercial development, water diversions, and overgrazing.

It is crucial to remember that these are generalizations and that opinions on lakes and other natural resources can differ significantly based on the unique cultural and socioeconomic setting. Their direct and indirect uses will ultimately influence the value people assign to lakes. The non-market valuation provides empirical evidence using a transparent, structured system for public policymakers to use in all planning and decision-making stages to ensure the lake’s sustainability.

Media Attributions

Figure 1: “Jacko Lake” by Kamloops Daily News (2015), via ArmchairMayor.ca, is used with permission.

References

Brander, L. M., de Groot, R., Guisado Goñi, V., van ‘t Hoff, V., Schägner, P., Solomonides, S., McVittie, A., Eppink, F., Sposato, M., Do, L., Ghermandi, A., and Sinclair, M., Thomas, R., (2023). Ecosystem services valuation database (ESVD). Foundation for Sustainable Development and Brander Environmental Economics. https://www.esvd.net/

British Columbia Adventure Network. (n.d.a). Jacko Lake. http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/high_country/lac_la_jeune/jacko.htm

Brothen, G. (2015, October 30). What exactly is Jacko Lake? iNFOnews. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/what-exactly-is-jacko-lake/it24332

Hirons, M., Comberti, C., & Dunford, R. (2016). Valuing cultural ecosystem services. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41(1), 545–574. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085831

Ignace, M., & Ignace, R. E. (2017). Secwépemc people, land, and laws: Yerí7 re stsq’ey’s-kucw (Vol. 90). McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Kamloops Daily News. (2015). Jacko Lake. ArmchairMayor.ca. https://armchairmayor.ca/2015/06/18/aboriginal-title-declared-on-jacko/#prettyPhoto

Kamloops Kayak. (n.d.). Jacko Lake. https://kamloopskayak.com/kamloops-area-paddling-lakes/jacko-lake/

Kamloops This Week. (2020a, January 10). Dam delay: Stalemate means no work on Jacko Lake spillway upgrades. https://archive.kamloopsthisweek.com/2020/01/10/dam-delay-stalemate-means-no-work-on-jacko-lake-spillway-upgrades/

KamloopsTrails. (2013, August 31). Roche Lake and Jacko Lake. Kamloops Trails. https://kamloopstrails.net/2013/08/31/roche-lake-and-jacko-lake/

Klassen, C. (2016, April 27). Secwepemc Nation shows off importance of Jacko Lake. CFJC Today. https://cfjctoday.com/2016/04/28/secwepemc-nation-shows-off-importance-of-jacko-lake/

Lund, B. (2023, June 9). Stillwater fly fishing around Kamloops, British Columbia. Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. https://www.gofishbc.com/learn/fishing-tips/lake-fishing/stillwater-fly-fishing-around-kamloops-british-columbia

Reynaud, A., & Lanzanova, D. (2017). A global meta-analysis of the value of ecosystem services provided by lakes. Ecological Economics, 137, 184–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.03.001

Rothenburger, M. (2015, June 18). Aboriginal title declared on Jacko. ArmchairMayor.ca. https://armchairmayor.ca/2015/06/18/aboriginal-title-declared-on-jacko/

Stephenson, A. (2023, September 25). Regulator rules in favour of Trans Mountain route deviation. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/trans-mountain-canada-energy-regulator-jacko-lake-1.6977939

Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation. (2017). Honouring our sacred connection to Pípsell: Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc says yes to health people and environment. https://stkemlups.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2017-03-ssnajaxdecisionsummary_0.pdf

Wagamese, R. (2013, October 29). Wagamese: Will Ajax honour the land? Kamloops Daily News. https://kamloopsnews.ca/kdn-opinion-columnists/wagamese-will-ajax-honour-the-land/

Zeidler, M. (2017, March 4). First Nation-led environmental review panel rejects Ajax mine in Kamloops, B.C. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/first-nation-led-environmental-review-panel-rejects-ajax-mine-in-kamloops-b-c-1.4010569