Spring Runoff 2020

The two main Sylvan Lake tributaries are flowing and carrying the early-season load of water and nutrients into the lake. Here is the video evidence: Golf Course Creek 2020 Spring Runoff on 2020-04-21 From the SLG&CC irrigation pond to Marina Bay. Flow at the Marina Bay Culverts on 2020-04-20 Northwest Creek, west of Sunbreaker Cove, …

A new tool for stormwater management planning and design practices

https://trca.ca/news/new-tool-stormwater-management-planning-design-practices/ Traditional stormwater practices were designed to convey water as quickly as possible to the outlet, either through natural or built water courses, to prevent flooding especially during larger storms. However, urbanization intensified upstream quickly and widely with increased impervious surfaces and sources of pollution, to a point where the additional water volume and pollution load could not be managed …

The Temperatures of Sylvan Lake

Lake users are chillier than usual this year. How can you tell? https://www.sylvanlakenews.com/community/sylvan-lake-temperature-in-summer-and-winter/ Open water lake temperatures are not monitored regularly. Data are only collected by ALMS lake technicians when the water quality is sampled during campaigns about every second year. This article uses a full set of data from  Alberta Environment archives from 1996 …

State of the Watershed Data

This set of graphics compiles data on the Environment, the Economy, and the Social cumulative effects categories within the boundary of the Sylvan Lake watershed.  

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

IDP 2020 – Geographic Information System Graphics

The land area within the scope of the proposed Intermunicipal Development Plan due by 2020 links small parts of the Blindman River and Medicine River watersheds to the core Sylvan Lake watershed. The regional topography keeps separate those watershed areas shown in the following gallery of maps. The peripheral land outside the red line perimeter …

IDP 2020-Environment

This set of graphics includes historical data on the environment of the Sylvan Lake watershed and surrounding Central Alberta. The quality and quantity of water in the watershed are critical factors that determine watershed value. Dissolved and suspended minerals and organics from the land are transported in surface and underground water into the lake and …

IDP 2020-Economics

The following graphics present Alberta Municipal Affairs data and provide an overview of land distribution, population, equalized assessments and revenue and expenses for the municipalities that are parties to the Inter-municipal Development Plan (IDP) that is now at the stage of preliminary consultation and due by 2020. Note that in each of those categories there …

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 …

Sylvan Lake Sub-Basin Groundwater Modeling by the AER-AGS Top Gun Team

This graphic from a recent Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) analysis of the groundwater supply in the Sylvan Lake region shows that the Sylvan Lake watershed is in a rare Red zone signifying high risk to Safe Yield of water supply. Sylvan Lake is located roughly at 52oN, 114oW: The Alberta Geological Survey groundwater modeling team …