All Resources

Respect our lakes : responsible lake living

Description

This brochure highlights actions individuals can take in the watershed, on the shore and in the water to help maintain or improve the health of Alberta lakes.

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Respect our lakes : lake legislation in Alberta

Description

This one-page infographic provides a handy overview of a lakeshore property in Alberta, indicating what part of a property is private land, what part is public land, and the provincial and federal... More ≫

Description

This one-page infographic provides a handy overview of a lakeshore property in Alberta, indicating what part of a property is private land, what part is public land, and the provincial and federal legislation that applies to each of these areas.

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Respect our lakes : agriculture around Alberta lakes

Description

This brochure explains how agricultural activities around a lake can affect the water quality of the lake, and what agricultural producers can do to keep sediments and nutrients resulting from... More ≫

Description

This brochure explains how agricultural activities around a lake can affect the water quality of the lake, and what agricultural producers can do to keep sediments and nutrients resulting from agricultural activity out of Alberta's lakes.

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Respect our lakes : cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)

Description

This brochure provides information on blue-green algal blooms, how they affect the water quality of a lake, and what lake users should do to protect the health of themselves, their families, and... More ≫

Description

This brochure provides information on blue-green algal blooms, how they affect the water quality of a lake, and what lake users should do to protect the health of themselves, their families, and their pets if a bloom is present in their lake.

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Riparian assessment validation for North Saskatchewan Region Lakes

Description

This report documents the assessment of the performance of the GIS-based method used to evaluate the intactness of riparian habitats along the shorelines of Pigeon, Gull, Sylvan, and Buffalo lakes... More ≫

Description

This report documents the assessment of the performance of the GIS-based method used to evaluate the intactness of riparian habitats along the shorelines of Pigeon, Gull, Sylvan, and Buffalo lakes and their associated tributaries. Both desktop and field validation methods were used and the ability of the GIS assessment approach to capture relative differences in intactness locally and regionally was tested. Overall the method proved to be reliable for assessing and comparing the intactness of riparian management areas across large geographical areas.

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Riparian assessment for North Saskatchewan Region lakes

Description

The report documents the GIS-based method developed to assess the current condition of riparian habitats along the shorelines of Pigeon, Buffalo, Gull, and Sylvan lakes and their associated... More ≫

Description

The report documents the GIS-based method developed to assess the current condition of riparian habitats along the shorelines of Pigeon, Buffalo, Gull, and Sylvan lakes and their associated tributaries. The results of the riparian and land cover assessment are summarized and visualized, including a summary of habitat change within riparian management areas through time. Includes documentation of the GIS modelling and analysis methods including recommendations for minimum data standards and validation procedures.

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Respect our lakes : understanding lake legislation

Description

Legislation is in place to manage and conserve our natural resources. By following this legislation, we not only ensure that we can enjoy our lakes today, but also into the future. It is... More ≫

Description

Legislation is in place to manage and conserve our natural resources. By following this legislation, we not only ensure that we can enjoy our lakes today, but also into the future. It is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of regulations. For example, before starting any project that may alter the shoreline areas of a water body, you must have written authorization from all applicable regulators and a copy must be present at the work site.

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Respect our lakes : understanding lake science

Description

The scientific study of lakes helps us assess lake conditions and monitor changes over time. This is especially important as we are seeing increased pressure on lakes due to shoreline development,... More ≫

Description

The scientific study of lakes helps us assess lake conditions and monitor changes over time. This is especially important as we are seeing increased pressure on lakes due to shoreline development, agricultural practices, vegetation removal, intensive land-use and increased recreational use. Climatic variability also affects water quality and quantity. Through ongoing lake monitoring, we can track the state of our lakes and inform lake management planning for the long-term benefit of lakes.

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Respect our lakes : aquatic vegetation and lake health

Description

Aquatic plants along lake shorelines are important for maintaining healthy lake ecosystems. They provide habitat for fish spawning, nesting habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds, rearing sites for... More ≫

Description

Aquatic plants along lake shorelines are important for maintaining healthy lake ecosystems. They provide habitat for fish spawning, nesting habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds, rearing sites for young fish and wildlife, and they protect shorelines from wave and wind erosion. Aquatic vegetation also performs many important biological functions that maintain lake water quality, such as filtering runoff water that enters the lake.

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Respect our lakes : keeping Alberta's lakes healthy

Description

Lakes are one of the most treasured aspects of the Alberta landscape. They have become an integral part of many lives, whether you are a long-time lake resident or someone who visits lakes... More ≫

Description

Lakes are one of the most treasured aspects of the Alberta landscape. They have become an integral part of many lives, whether you are a long-time lake resident or someone who visits lakes occasionally for boating, fishing or wildlife watching. Unfortunately, many lakes and watersheds in Alberta have seen extensive land clearing and development, resulting in large amounts of nutrients entering lakes and settling in lake sediments. Years of reduced rainfall coupled with excess nutrients has resulted in lakes that have many water quality issues, such as extensive blue-green algal (cyanobacterial) blooms.

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