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Friends of Vancouver LakeFriends of Vancouver Lake
  • Home
  • News
    • Blog
    • News Archive
    • Videos
  • About
    • About Us
    • Lake Conditions
      • Algae Levels
      • Clark County Test Results
      • WA Dept. of Ecology Interactive Map
      • Tides & Currents
      • Weather
      • Lake Advisory Newsletter
    • Explore Vancouver Lake
    • Vancouver Lake History
    • Photo Gallery
    • Economic Impact
  • Document Library
  • Donate
  • Contact

Our Mission & Vision:

Our Mission: Friends of Vancouver Lake provides leadership to restore our magnificent resource by partnering with public and private entities to ensure that Vancouver Lake provides enhanced environmental, recreational, and economic benefits to our community for current and future generations.

Our vision: Vancouver Lake is home to diverse fish, animal, and plant species, attracts outdoor and water recreation enthusiasts, and returns economic benefits for our region.

Our Board:

Larry Cassidy - Chairman Emeritus

Larry Cassidy served for 12 years on the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission and served as Chairman for 4 years while on the Commission. He also served 10 years on the Northwest Power and Conversation Council over seeing the BPA projects for Fish and Wildlife recovery on the Columbia River and it’s tributaries. He has worked for every Washington Governor since Dan Evans.

Ted Gathe

Ted served in the Vancouver Attorney’s office for 25 years – five years as Chief Assistant City Attorney and 20 years as City Attorney before retiring in 2014.  Ted currently practices on a part-time basis representing several municipal clients including pro bono legal work for nonprofits.  He is chair of Watersheds Alliance of Southwest Washington.

Ken Imse

Ken is a retired commercial banker whose professional career began in forest ecology working for Georgia-Pacific in Florida and Oregon as a research forester and soil scientist. In the 1980s, he switched careers earning an MBA in finance and a enjoyed a 33-year career in banking. Following his retirement, Ken served for three years as the volunteer chair of the loan committee for a small community credit union until it was successfully merged with a larger institution.

Bob Chapman

Robert Chapman holds BS and MS degrees in civil and environmental engineering from Oregon State University.  Now retired, he spent his 45-year career at an employee-owned engineering firm which grew to national and international prominence.  He served as technical consultant and/or project manager implementing public water supply and advanced wastewater reclamation and reuse projects nationally.  His career included management roles as Director of Water Supply and Treatment, and Water Technology Director for the firm.

Philip Parshley

Philip has been a member of the Vancouver Lake Sailing Club since 1968, and has served on their Board of Directors for many years.  An avid racer, his sailing has taken him to many sailing venues around the United States as well as internationally.  This experience helps him appreciate the challenges at Vancouver Lake, as well as the potential for the lake to be a premier small boat sailing venue for the wider region.

Eric Hale

Betty Sue Morris

A fifty year resident of Clark County, Betty Sue Morris is best known for her 20 years in elected office: eight in the Washington State Legislature and twelve on the Clark County Board of Commissioners.

Always a strong advocate for salmon and outdoor recreation, Betty Sue served for 6 years as vice-chair of the Fish and Wildlife Committee in the Washington State House of Representatives, and during her tenure on the Clark County Commission took the leadership role in developing the local response to the federal listing of Salmonids in our area as “Endangered.” Working with county commissioners in Cowlitz County she was the lead in creation of the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board which manages state grants for salmon recovery in the lower Columbia River region.

The recipient of dozens of awards during her elected years, Betty Sue is most proud of the Clark County “Sammy Award” which she received shortly after she retired in 2008. It was for her work in Salmon recovery in our region.

A graduate of the University of Missouri with an M.Ed. from Portland State University, she and her husband Bill raised two grown children, Bill Morris and Annie Price.

Betty Sue is active with Friends of Vancouver Lake because “Children and fish should be able to swim safely in our beautiful lake. And right now, they can’t. It’s time to clean it up!”

Liz Luce

Liz Luce has extensive experience working with local, state and federal governments. Liz has worked for two United States Senators and two Governors. Liz has served as elected Clark County Auditor for 12 years. In 2005, Liz was appointed by Governor Chris Gregoire as Director of Department of Licensing in Olympia. As a community activist for over 40 years, Liz has worked extensively with boards and committees on behalf of the communities she has served. Born and raised in Everett, she was a teacher for several years before moving to Vancouver.

Jim Luce

coming soon…

Our Core Principles:

Visionary leadership

Action that leads to results

Collaboration

Evidence-based solutions

Focus on community needs and desires

Well-being and health of our community

Increasing public access to public places

Stewardship of our environment

Friends of Vancouver Lake Timeline:

2017
Fall 2017

The Eurasian Milfoil became an obvious issue to lake users

2018
Oct 2018

WA Dept of Natural Resources calls a meeting, held in Clark County, with representatives from WA DNR, WA DOE, WA DFW, Clark County , Port of Vancouver, City of Vancouver, Vancouver Lake Sailing Club, Vancouver Lake Rowing Club, and three other local rowing clubs.

2019
Jan 2019

Friends of Vancouver Lake forms to treat Eurasian Milfoil infestation

May 2019

Friends of Vancouver Lake secures WA-DOE state permit to treat Milfoil

June 2019

Lake Survey shows widespread Milfoil infestation

July 2019

Planned treatment of Milfoil postponed due to adverse lake conditions

2020
Spring 2020

County Public Health Dept begins new testing for toxic algae with updated protocalls

July 2020

Milfoil treated in lake and flushing channel

Treatment by Aquatechnex LLC,using ProcellaCOR

Cost: $150,000

Paid for by community donations and local public agency support

Sept 2020

Post-treatment surveys show success

Oct 2020

Economic study completed

2021
Spring 2021

Work begins with government agencies and elected officals to re-engage their interest and technical support

Summer 2021

Begin working with Jacobs Engineering to look for long term solutions

Fall 2021

New hydraulic modeling begins

2022
Spring 2022

Clark County hires Herrera Inc to begin work on a Lake Management Plan, with FoVL joining the Technical Advisory Group

Clark County’s new initiative for Vancouver Lake

Vancouver Lake often has poor water quality and aquatic weed…

August 18, 2022Read More

Thank You Senator Annette Cleveland

Friends of Vancouver Lake sends a great big shout out…

June 10, 2022Read More

CCT: FOVL looking for ways to improve water quality

Workshop showcases potential solution to excess phosphorus in lake “We’re…

August 3, 2021Read More
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Contact Us:

  • Friends of Vancouver Lake
  • 800 NE Tenney Rd. Ste. 110-531 Vancouver, WA 98685
  • info@vancouverlake.org
  • VancouverLake.org

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