Where-O-Where Is Municipal Stewardship?

The SLWSS stands for, and practices, environmental stewardship to protect and conserve the Sylvan Lake watershed and its lake. We know stewardship. We analyzed the text of the Sylvan Lake Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP 2020) to search for evidence of the application of the principles and practice of stewardship in the three watersheds included in …

Sylvan Lake Weather and Lake Level in 2019

The Alberta Agriculture weather station at Hespero west of Sylvan Lake reports these data for precipitation and temperature between January 1 and May 21: The lake level on 2018-11-01 was 936.550 metres above sea level (masl). On 2019-05-21 the lake level was 936.705 masl. Data are available at this Environment Canada website https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/.   Accumulated precipitation …

Professor David Schindler Predicted the Future of Sylvan Lake

Watch Professor David Schindler's 2010 CBC video interview about Sylvan Lake: Are his predictions still valid today? See the full CBC production here: https://youtu.be/mcH12ZMl3_0

Dredging the Marina Bay Channel

The excavated channel from the yacht and powerboat harbour had gradually silted in over the last two decades. Suspended solids from the principle lake tributary Golf Course Creek that flows under Highway 11A, and those that migrate around the lake in the water column driven by wind and wave action, reduced the depth so that …

Quiet Enjoyment Initiative Rejected by the Town of Sylvan Lake

The Sylvan Lake News reported on a decision of the Town of Sylvan Lake council on February 12 to decline a request for funding for the Quiet Enjoyment Initiative (QEI). The  QEI project of the SLWSS champions the rights of all Sylvan Lake shoreline populations to enjoy the watershed without disturbance by inconsiderate operators of …

SLWSS Newsletter for July 2017

The Sylvan Lake watershed includes about 150 square kilometres of land and water that need the attention of the community.   State of the Watershed Update Two summary reports compiled by the Alberta Lake Management Society included Sylvan Lake water quality data collected during our 2016 campaign. Because of the low nutrient concentrations, which are …

Sylvan Lake Boat Launch Access

The Sylvan Lake News has reported on the status of a Town of Sylvan Lake initiative to improve the convenience and reduce the cost of boat launch access at the private Sylvan Lake Marina: Affordable access to lake remains an ongoing issue From the stewardship perspective, lake protection is typically is not a top priority …

What Makes Blue-Green Algae Dangerous?

Watch this video from the American Chemical Society that explains why blue-green algae (actually bacteria) can become a health hazard. Some chemicals that are synthesized may be powerful toxins.

SLWSS VP Susan Samson Leads the Urgent Care Campaign

Click here to read the feature article on the Urgent Care project in the Sylvan Lake News edition of April 21. While our Watershed Stewardship Society priorities are a healthy environment and Sylvan Lake's water quality, watershed residents and visitors must be healthy too, and have quick access to emergency services 24/7. Please visit the Urgent Care …

Invasive Species Conference in the ‘Peg

You can always tell when something is important because someone, somewhere organizes a conference and invites experts from around the world to attend. This time, Winnipeg will be the host of the 19th International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species. See the preliminary program posted here. Even with elevated awareness and vigilance throughout North America, Lake Winnipeg has severe …