Tachick and Nulki Lakes (BC270)

Tachick and Nulki Lakes (BC270)

Vanderhoof, British Columbia

Site Description

Tachick and Nulki lakes are located in northern British Columbia, in the Nechako River Valley. Tachick Lake, the larger of the two lakes (22 km²), is approximately 25 km southwest of the town of Vanderhoof and Nulki Lake (17 km²) lies just southeast of Tachick Lake. The lakes which are surrounded by spruce and pine forests are iced over between November and April. Emergent vegetation surrounds the whole shoreline of Tachick Lake, but the centre of the lake is deeper; the average depth is 4.4 m.

Birds

Tachick and Nulki lakes provide important habitat for migrating waterfowl in the fall between September and November. Numbers seem to peak in October; for instance, in mid October 1990, an aerial survey recorded 6,368 and 11,263 ducks at Tachick and Nulki lakes respectively. When the smaller numbers of geese and swans are added, 17,726 waterfowl were counted in total. Other October counts have recorded about 11,000 and 16,000 waterfowl. At Tachick Lake, diving ducks are often more abundant, whereas at Nulki Lake, dabblers tend to be more common. In both lakes, the most common diving ducks are scaup, followed by goldeneye, while the dabbling duck species are dominated by Mallards and American Wigeon.

At certain times during the fall, Canada Geese are also common on the lakes. In 1990, for example, a late fall census recorded 1,371 Canada Geese on Tachick Lake and 3,440 on Nulki Lake. Other bird species that use lake include gulls, Sandhill Cranes, swans, and coots.

Conservation Issues

The conservation issues associated with these lakes are unknown.

IBA Criteria Habitats Land Uses Potential or Ongoing Threats Conservation Status

• Waterbirds17,726 (max.)