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The state of the public access at Milburn Lake has been a source of concern for at least the last 20 years. Every year during the spring freshet, the access area floods to a greater or lesser degree thereby restricting the public's use of the area. All public access sites in BC are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. In 2013 a petition was presented to MoTI staff in Quesnel asking that action be taken to prevent the annual flooding. In April of 2020 the flood was particularly bad, overflowing Milburn Lake Road, eroding the road shoulder and flooding three adjacent properties. As a result the CRD issued evacuation orders on the properties. MoTI continued to do nothing. Finally in September of 2022, after Bouchie Lake Watershed Stewardship Society sent a letter directly to the Minister, MoTI imported 1250m3 of gravel onto the site, hoping to prevent further flooding of Milburn Lake Road, but stopping short of preventing further flooding of the access area.
In 2018 BLWSS commissioned the Milburn Lake Public Access Improvement Plan. The plan was completed by Quesnel River Environmental of Quesnel and laid out the foundation for raising the level of the access area and designating specific areas for parking, boat launching and public recreation area. The site is ideal for picnicking and swimming access.
Future flood prevention will hinge on the enlargement of the overflow culvert, currently only 900mm diameter. MoTI has commissioned and received a Hydrotechnical Assessment of the situation. BLWSS continues to lobby for action to be undertaken.
In the meantime BLWSS continues to work towards improving the landscaping of the area. In the event that MoTI continues to do nothing to improve the site, BLWSS has made numerous applications for a permit to carry out the work themselves. Currently a revised application is before MoTI which BLWSS believes satisfies all earlier objections. When such a permit is finally granted, BLWSS will pursue the funding to carry out the improvements to the site for the benefit of the community that use the site for recreation.
NEWS RELEASE
Stewardship Group receives $56,000 Grant to Improve Popular Right-of-Way Access on Milburn Lake
June 12, 2025
North Cariboo, British Columbia: The Bouchie Lake Watershed Stewardship Society (BLWSS) is pleased to announce the recent awarded grant from the College of New Caledonia Research Forestry Society (CNCRFS) Legacy Funding that will enable the Society to advance their plans to improve the Public Right-of-Way Access on Milburn Lake located 20 km. west of Quesnel, British Columbia. The grant of $56,000 will support the Society in having 1200m3 of clean gravel to be transported to the site so as to improve the site in terms of aesthetics and public use. The CNCRFS supported the project as it meets the granting criteria in terms of benefits: Environmental, the limiting of contaminants into the water of Milburn Lake; Recreational, improved access to Milburn Lake; Aesthetic, the improved look of Milburn Lake Access; Safety, a clearer delineation of uses of the access site e.g. swimming vs boating, parking vs picnicking.
While the Milburn Lake Public Access is a Ministry of Transportation and Transit Right-of-Way it has become an increasingly popular local recreational spot for swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. As such, the BLWSS has advocated for and worked with MoTT to have the access improved since 2018. This includes the completion of the Milburn Lake Access Improvement Plan in 2018 which was subsequently adopted by the Bouchie Lake Watershed Stewardship Society and shared with MoTT.
Over the years, the BLWSS and local residents noted that the Right-of-Way regularly flooded during spring freshet which lasted well into the summer months. This resulted in limited access to the lake, contamination of the water and unsafe parking practices along Milburn Lake Road. In 2020 due to a high snowpacks and a fast late spring thaw the overflow culvert was unable to deal with the volume of floodwater with the result that lake water flooded over Milburn Lake Road and into two adjoining properties which had to be placed under evacuation order by the Cariboo Regional District (CRD).
In September of 2022 the Ministry of Transportation brought in 1200m3 of pit run gravel to the site, which was compacted and graded. The primary objective of this work was to protect Milburn Lake Road from future flooding damage; however it did not prevent ongoing partial flooding of the access as can be seen from this picture taken two years later in June 2024.
The current improvements recently approved are consistent with the Milburn Lake Access Improvement Plan and will be completed under a pending permit from MoTT in September 2025. These improvements will result in further flooding prevention and increased access to the lake for the public.
Future planned improvements to the site will allow for further beautification of the site with a planted riparian area, grassed picnic area, a sandy beach for children, picnic tables and clearly designated areas for parking, boat launching, picnicking and swimming.
The Bouchie Lake Watershed Stewardship Society was officially established as a registered non-profit organisation in 2016. It was the result of several earlier groups of residents that have concerns regarding the health of Bouchie Lake and the access to Milburn Lake. Today the organisation has a focus on the Bouchie Lake Watershed which includes the lakes of Bouchie, Milburn and Mit Lake along with the streams connecting the lakes and the surrounding landscape, all of which contribute to the overall water quality of the ecosystem.
The Board of Directors of the BLWSS are very grateful to the College of New Caledonia Research Forestry Society (CNCRFS) Legacy Funding for their support that will enable the BLWSS to undertake these improvements that will benefit so many.
Contact:
David Law, Co-Chair
Bouchie Lake Watershed Stewardship Society
E: blwatershedss@gmail.com
T: 250 249 5948
Website: www.blwss.ca
In 2020 the spring freshet completely engulfed the overflow culvert
which due to its limited capacity caused the lake level to rise,
flood the access, overrun Milburn Lake Road
and flood two adjacent properties.
In 2022 MoTT imported 1100m3 of pit run gravel to protect Milburn lake Road from future flooding events.
Current spring freshet conditions continue to cause partial flooding of the access area resulting in limited access. Picture taken in 2024.
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