At its April 20, 2022 Board meeting, the Wabamun Watershed Management Council (WWMC) approved its Strategic Plan for 2022—2025. The plan is “a comprehensive strategy that will assist in ensuring the continued viability of Wabamun Lake as an environmentally secure place to live, work, recreate and appreciate.”
The WWMC is working on the following to achieve its mission and vision through its Strategic Plan and Watershed Management Plan:
Working with the Alberta Lake Management Society to regularly sample the water quality, the flora and fauna of the lake.
Working with Alberta Environment and Parks, the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) and the municipalities to implement the Wabamun Lake Watershed Management Plan that guides future development and conservation activities on the watershed and lake.
Sponsor and implement projects to increase the information available about lake water quality, the lake’s flora, fauna, wetlands and invasive species.
Continuing to provide information to the community about reducing nutrient loading and other issues that affect public health and the environmental integrity of the watershed.
Providing a forum for communication, debate, and planning coordination among stakeholders in the Wabamun Lake watershed.
Continuing to increase its General Membership and raise funds to support the council and its projects.
Members of the Council have attended events throughout the watershed to discuss nutrient loading further with watershed residents. As well, the Council has sponsored, in partnership with the Federation of Alberta Naturalists, voluntary Home Site Consultations for lakeshore residents to help them become stewards of their lakeshore and help keep the lake healthy.
Our Partners
The WWMC thanks the following governments and organizations for their support of specific WWMC projects [Click on the image to go to the respective website.]:
Successes
The WWMC has had several successful projects over the years, including the following:
Watershed Management Plan
With the help of the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) and a Steering Committee made up of representatives from various stakeholder groups, the 2020 Wabamun Lake Watershed Management Plan was published in 2021. Go to Studies & Reports.
Riparian Assessment
In 2014, the WWMC conducted an assessment of the riparian zone around the lake with the help of the NSWA. The riparian zone of a water body is the “transitional area between upland and aquatic ecosystems” and is crucial to the health of the lake. Using an unmanned aerial vehicle or “drone”, the NSWA conducted an aerial survey of the lakeshore and published its findings in 2015.
State of the Watershed Report
With the help of Aquality Environmental Consulting, the WWMC published its report on the state of watershed in 2013. The report reviewed all the scientific information available on the lake and watershed up to that time. The publishing of the report is a crucial step in the development of a watershed management plan. You can download the report (PDF) here.
Home Site Consultations
The WWMC has sponsored, in partnership with the Federation of Alberta Naturalists, voluntary Home Site Consultations for lakeshore residents to help them become stewards of their lakeshore and help keep the lake healthy.
For more information, please view the following documents:
Reducing Nutrient Loading
Responsible Boating and Boat Care
Sewage System Care and Maintenance
Nutrient Loading
Over the past few years, the WWMC has been focusing on nutrient loading in the watershed, where nutrients from soils and other sources enter the lake and increase the productivity of algae and other plants. This can be detrimental to the health and diversity of life in the lake. The WWMC has looked at this issue in depth at their meetings and has prepared some brochures that outline what stakeholders around the lake can do to help with this issue. Members of the Council have attended events throughout the watershed to discuss nutrient loading further with watershed residents.