Membership Benefits | NBALA 2024

Is Membership Right for Your Lake Association?

You are concerned about Climate Change and potential impacts on lake health?
You want to maintain lake health for current and future generations.
You feel it's important to become better informed so quality of life and property values are maintained and protected
Your lake is important to you and time has come where you need the tools to help you better understand and preserve Lake Health.

The New Brunswick Alliance of Lake Associations is committed to providing our members with the highest quality services and information to help them become better stewards of their lake. Our membership offers many benefits such as public outreach and education programs, and grants for lake water monitoring and reporting and tools to help you reach out to your membership. We are also dedicated to providing resources for members to obtain information about the lake's water quality, healthy lake and property practices, and how they can play a role in maintaining a healthy lake ecosystem.

Membership Includes

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

The NBALA offers many important education materials to member lake associations including ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’ signage, Invasive Plants Patrol Guide and Invasive Plants Identification Cards. Members also have access to our Members Only Forum where a collection of YouTube Videos, print material and local (Provincial) guidelines are maintained.

WORKSHOPS AND PROGRAMS

When you become a member of the NBALA you can participate in our coordinated, province-wide volunteer lake monitoring program! We partner with the Environmental Trust Fund, and the Department of Environment and Local Government to train volunteers to gather important water measurements that support research initiatives and environmental policy. NBALA also has Member Conferences with guest presenters twice per year.

You will also have direct access to our successful Invasive Plants Patrol Program.

COMMERCIAL LIABILITY INSURANCE

Individual associations are automatically covered by a commercial general liability insurance policy that protects officers and directors from personal liability, repairs to or replacement of water monitoring equipment and covers any accidents involving volunteer members. This helps keep peace of mind so lake associations can collect data without worrying about insurance costs.

INFLUENCING, LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY

With the support of its members, the NBALA represents and speaks publicly on behalf of lake associations and their property owners that respects good public policy and other matters of shared concern and interest.

RESEARCH

The NBALA data collection work supports academic research through educational institutes like the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of New Brunswick. NBALA also works hand in hand with New Brunswick Invasive Species Council.

EQUIPMENT

All members will also receive several pieces of monitoring equipment for understanding lake water quality, water levels, conductivity, water temperatures, pH levels and more!

This includes:

YSI AND SECCHI DISKS

The YSI Professional Plus handheld multiparameter meter provides measurements for dissolved oxygen, conductivity, specific conductance, salinity, resistivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, ORP, pH/ORP combination, ammonium (ammonia), nitrate, chloride and temperature. An essential equipment piece!

BATHYMETRY MAPPING

A bathymetric chart is the submerged equivalent of an above-water topographic map. Bathymetric charts are designed to present accurate, measurable description and visual presentation of the submerged terrain. This is also an effective tool in understanding how climate change is impacting local lake ecosystems.

Cost: $150 annually

Bathymetry Mapping reflects lake depth and water tempature on a certain date and time. Lake Associations can utilize this tool to highlight shallow areas with higher temperatures, cottage density and potential areas for cyanobacteria blooms. We also know that Eurasian Water Milfoil can reach heights of 3 - 4 meters, thus how a shoreline could be impacted.