LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche County officials and watershed experts are wading into the issue of blue-green algae infestations on area lakes.
The Algal Bloom Monitoring Project will be discussed at a Nov. 28 open house in McArthur Place. The open-to-the-public event will highlight the Lac La Biche Watershed Management Plan.
According to Julia Shapka, the interim coordinator for Lac La Biche County Environmental Services, following a free dinner, the event will start with a presentation from the Athabasca Watershed Council, which serves as the provincial watershed planning and advisory council (WPAC) for the Athabasca River watershed area, and includes the Lac La Biche region.
This will be followed by updates concerning the municipality’s watershed management plan, as well as a presentation by Dr. Rolf Vinebrooke of the University of Alberta, who will be speaking about the Algal Bloom Monitoring Project.
The Algal Bloom Monitoring Project is a collaborative effort of multiple organizations-including the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS), and Lac La Biche County-which collects samples from and uses different techniques – including satellite imagery – to monitor six lakes in northern Alberta, including Lac La Biche Lake.
“This Open House is a great opportunity for the public to learn about current watershed management initiatives,” Shapka told Lakeland This Week.
Recently, she added, committee members have been investigating in-lake treatment methods to see if they could be applied to Lac La Biche Lake.
Shapka continued by saying that Lac La Biche County seasonal staff have also been taking samples from Lac La Biche Lake and inflows during the summer to monitor water quality and analyze historical trends. One of the key measures, she explained, is developing a nutrient and water budget for the Lake.
Over the past three summers, she added, staff have collected flow data from inflows, which will be used to create this budget.
“This will help us identify the main sources of water and nutrients, which contribute to blue-green algal blooms,” Shapka explained. “Once we pinpoint these sources, we can take targeted actions like riparian planting, shoreline repair, and working with landowners to reduce nutrient inputs.”
Shapka stated that Lac La Biche County and the Watershed Management Plan implementation committee have put into action several measures aimed at improving watershed health and minimizing impacts to Lac La Biche Lake, which is a very popular recreational spot during the summer months, but often has blue-green algae, particularly during the late summer.
“We’re also rolling out educational programs for the public on healthy watershed efforts and collaborating with organizations to promote shoreline funding programs, like the Athabasca Watershed Council’s Healthy Shorelines Program,” she said.
Those who attend the open house will also be able to learn about various environmental organizations located in the region, that will have representatives at tables set up inside McArthur Place.
The event will also feature a demonstration of the municipality’s newly purchased watershed table, showcasing the importance of wetlands in the local landscape.
“This is a fantastic educational tool, and we hope youth educators will be particularly interested,” she said. “Plus, we’ll have a selection of door prizes and a chance for public feedback, which is crucial for us to focus on what matters most to residents regarding watershed health.
According to Shapka, the Athabasca Watershed Council held the original watershed management plan open house in Plamondon in November of 2023. This event, she added, drew a large crowd and inspired municipal officials to host the events more frequently.
“These Open Houses are a great way to connect with the County and our committee, voice concerns, and provide feedback on our watershed,” Shapka said. “We hope to work together with our communities to improve the lake and surrounding watershed for everyone’s benefit.”
Lakeland This Week has made contact with Vinebrooke about his blue-green algae research, with more details expected in follow-up articles at www.lakelandtoday.ca.
More details about the open house can be found in links provided in the digital version of this story at www.lakelandtoday.ca
