2018 Ice Heave

On January 2, 2018, the lake ice on Wabamun expanded laterally and heaved up and buckled the shoreline along the north shore of the lake, from Seba Beach east to just west of the Village of Wabamun. There was some shoreline upheaval along the south shore, but the greatest damage was along the northwest shore. The damage to the shoreline was extensive in many areas including damage to buildings and structures. Long-time residents and cottage owners stated they had not seen such damage from ice in over 60 years. According to the Alberta Geological Survey, similar phenomena occurred on several lakes in central Alberta from January 1 to 2. For an explanation of the phenomenon, go to The Power of Lake Ice as well as Alberta Environment and Parks' Respect Our Lakes: Understanding Ice Ridges and Ice Pushes.

On January 19, Spectre UAV flew an aerial survey of portions of the northwest shore to document the damage. You can download a copy of the report of the flyover here (PDF, 9.2 mb).

If your shoreline is impacted by the ice heave or any other damage, please go to our Shoreline Modification Information page to learn how to repair the damage without harming the lake, including the permits required.

Shoreline Restoration Workshop

As a result of the ice heave, the WWMC organized a Shoreline Restoration Workshop on May 11 and 12, featuring David Polster of Polster Environmental Services Ltd. Fifty people showed up for the classroom session on May 11 and about 20 showed for the practical session on May 12 where willow and other cuttings were gathered to plant at the shoreline property of Pat and Lesley Taylor.