Lake Management in Alberta

Lake Issues ~2500 lakes in total with 800 fish-bearing lakes in Alberta Many lakes have changed due to Watershed alteration Fishing pressure Flow regulation Shoreline urbanization Climate change Albertans continue to expect the Canadian lake experience Clean water Good fishing Safe contact recreation Pleasing aesthetic values Healthy aquatic ecosystem How have we risen to that challenge?

Pigeon Lake

Alberta’s 51 summer villages are located on the following twenty lakes: Amisk LakeLac Ste. Anne Baptiste LakeLong Island Lake Burnstick LakeMoose Lake Buffalo LakeNakamun Lake Ghost LakePigeon Lake Gull LakeSandy Lake Island LakeSkeleton Lake Lake IsleSylvan Lake Lac La NonneVincent Lake Lac La BicheWabamun Lake Alberta’s 51 summer villages are located on the following twenty lakes: Amisk LakeLac Ste. Anne Baptiste LakeLong Island Lake Burnstick LakeMoose Lake Buffalo LakeNakamun Lake Ghost LakePigeon Lake Gull LakeSandy Lake Island LakeSkeleton Lake Lake IsleSylvan Lake Lac La NonneVincent Lake Lac La BicheWabamun Lake

The problem has been recognized since the 1970s In many cases we have the science So why haven’t we solved lake water quality issues? Roles and responsibilities around land use planning are not clear or consistent.

Statement Of Opportunity There are two major challenges for effective lake management 1.Scientific Information Water quality Inputs – nutrient budgets Land use change 2.Clearly defined roles and responsibilities on lake watershed management

Lake Watershed Management Others Municipal Source Water Protection Plans and Drinking Water Safety Plans Central Alberta Recreational Lakes Group Alberta Lake Management Society Water for Life -safe, secure drinking water -healthy aquatic ecosystems -reliable, quality water supplies for a sustainable economy Alberta Water Council Water policy advice on Lake Conservation Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils Water quality and watershed outcomes Lake management plans Lake Stewardship Groups Lake management plans Shoreline management BMP Implementation Cumulative Effects Management Land Use Framework Enabled by Alberta Land Stewardship Act Regional Plans Legislatively binding Water Quality Management Frameworks Water quality outcomes Monitoring AMERA, AESRD, ALMS, Stewardship Groups, ABMI Education and Awareness DU, Living by Water, ACA, AARD, Ag Canada, Municipalities, C&F Implementation DU, Living by Water, ACA, AARD, Ag Canada, Municipalities, SV, C&F

Strategic direction for a provincial lake policy Recommendation 1: The GOA, in setting strategic directions and developing a provincial lake policy, should: identify goals and objectives to improve the provincial coordination of lake watershed management; adopt a comprehensive watershed approach that addresses multiple issues and achieves the goals and outcomes of Water for Life; define clear roles and responsibilities for the GoA, municipalities, Watershed Planning and Advisory Councils and Watershed Stewardship Groups, and environmental non-governmental organizations, in coordinating lake watershed management at the provincial level; and define provincial processes for: setting provincial monitoring and research priorities; prioritizing lake watershed management needs and resources; and integrating watershed and land use management by integrating lake watershed management planning into regional and municipal planning processes.

Producing an inventory of Alberta lake watersheds, establishing provincial-scale criteria for determining lake and watershed health, and prioritizing Management Needs Recommendation 2: In collaboration with its partners (e.g., AEMERA, ALMS, WPACs and academia), the GoA coordinate the development of a GIS-based publicly-available data layer that can be used to create mapping and inventory products for Alberta lakes and their watersheds by Additionally, develop: a knowledge portal that will provide one-window access to knowledge and products available for each lake by 2020; and a process to populate the portal with information, to be initiated by Recommendation 3: AEMERA and the GoA, in collaboration with their partners, identify a suite of provincial criteria and indicators for determining lake and watershed health and/or risk factors by 2018; using existing information, apply these criteria to conduct a preliminary assessment of current knowledge about the health of Alberta lakes and their watersheds and information gaps; and from this analysis, identify future lake research and monitoring needs by Recommendation 4: Building on the scientific work of AEMERA (recommendation 3), the GoA work with partners and stakeholders to develop an iterative process, using environmental, social and economic criteria, to identify priority lakes requiring further planning and/or management actions, by 2019.

Lake Watershed Management Planning Recommendation 5a: The GoA identify a consistent process as part of the provincial lake policy for provincial and local governments to undertake or participate in multi-stakeholder lake watershed planning initiatives, and to incorporate lake watershed management plans for priority lakes into provincial, regional, sub-regional, inter-municipal and municipal decision-making. Recommendation 5b: This process should also outline how existing lake watershed management plans, or plans developed for non-priority lakes, may be considered by these provincial and municipal planning processes. Recommendation 6: Working with active stakeholders around priority lakes, the GoA identify and support an appropriate local authority or designate (e.g., municipality, Crown manager, WSG, etc.) to lead a collaborative process for the development and implementation of a lake watershed management plan. An ongoing process to identify leads should be initiated by Recommendation 7: While funding is a shared responsibility of multi-stakeholder groups developing lake watershed plans, the GoA should also provide resources, including funding, staff and expertise for the development and implementation of lake watershed management plans for priority lakes.

Managing the uplands Recommendation 8: The GoA, through its periodic review of key legislation (e.g., MGA and AOPA), ensure alignment with and support of the goals and outcomes of Water for Life and the new provincial lake policy, when completed. AWC stakeholders should be invited to participate in all such review processes. Recommendation 9: AUMA, AAMDC, ASVA and their members support greater collaboration and consistency in municipal planning around lakes by developing support tools and guidance for: developing lake watershed management plans providing incentives for plan implementation inter-municipal development planning around lakes incorporating lake watershed objectives into municipal development plans and Land Use Bylaws establishing setbacks, riparian buffers and reserves to maintain healthy lake watersheds adopting low impact development Best Management Practices Significant progress should be made by 2018, with ongoing improvements.

And lastly.. Recommendation 10: The GoA, in collaboration with the appropriate sectors, identify source areas of non-point source pollution in priority lake watersheds and raise awareness of BMPs, and available incentive programs for their implementation, in these areas. An ongoing process to achieve this should be initiated by Recommendation 11: The GoA work with others (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations, AUMA, AAMDC and ASVA and their members) to identify and make a plan to resolve regulatory gaps in relation to land development and other activities on and surrounding lakes and to develop a plan to improve federal-provincial- municipal coordination of regulation, compliance and enforcement activities, by Recommendation 12: ALMS continue to work with the GoA, WPACs, watershed stewardship groups and conservation organizations to coordinate lake education and outreach, including identifying target audiences, developing consistent messaging, and ensuring a one-window access to educational information, tools and resources for lake watershed management by 2018