Research & Monitoring
Be Lake Informed
Research & Monitoring
Residential Construction Information
Research Partners
Research and monitoring is a critical component in determining beneficial management practices to protect and enhance water quality. The Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan mandates the advancement of science. PLWA is working with our healthy-lake partners to expand our knowledge on applied lake water quality, cyanobacteria formation, nutrient loading and shoreline assessments.
Technical Summary
Appendix C is the science-based foundation of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan. This is an update on information found in the 2006 State of The Watershed Report and provides benchmark updates to many of the environmental indicators relevant to Pigeon Lake and its watershed. The technical summary was prepared by Adam Kraft and Théo Charette from CPP Environmental, with hydrological contributions from Alberta Environment and Parks.
Monitoring Projects
LakeWatch
LakeWatch is a volunteer-based water quality monitoring program that collects information about local lakes and reservoirs.
Water Quality
With the assistance of volunteers, Alberta Lake Management Society, technicians test the lake approximately five times during the summer, collecting important data pertaining to water temperature, clarity, water chemistry parameters, and invasive species.
Invasive Species Monitoring
Monitoring for zebra and quagga mussels by Citizen Scientist volunteers involves placing a PVC pipe beneath their docks, checking it monthly for signs of the invasive species and reporting back to PLWA staff. Volunteers also keep an eye out for the presence of invasive aquatic plants.
Research Projects & Enhanced Monitoring
Satellite Algal Bloom Pigments Model
Through a collaborative project with ALMS and the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), PLWA is assisting in the creation of a model to track near-real-time algal bloom pigments in Pigeon Lake. The project uses both in-lake monitoring and the Copernicus EU Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 satellites to retrieve data.
eDNA Beach Sampling
The Hanington Lab at the University of Alberta is developing a decentralized process for analyzing eDNA to give information about public health targets, as well as invasive species and species at risk.
The PLWA has partnered with the Hanington Lab and ALMS to coordinate sample collection from Ziener Park and the Provincial Park every second week for the 2020 summer season.
Smart Buoy to Monitor Pigeon Lake
With special thanks to the In-Lake Technical Committee of the Alliance of Pigeon Lake Municipalities, state of the art monitoring technology will be deployed at Pigeon Lake. The buoy project is the result of the collaborative work to implement the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan. The initiative is being funded by the Summer Village of Crystal Springs through a Community Partnership Grant from Alberta Municipal Affairs.
Public Portal | News Release, April 30, 2021 | Fact Sheet | Data 2021
Shoreline Health Assessments
Government of Alberta - Pigeon Lake Shoreline Assessment
The lake and stream shoreline intactness was evaluated for the Pigeon Lake watershed based on the amount of vegetation present. Overall, the Pigeon Lake has an intactness score of 74%. Although there has been improvement in lake riparian management area intactness, it’s scores remain lower than tributaries.
Riparian areas are the biologically rich and productive areas at the edge of lakes, wetlands, and rivers. Healthy riparian areas also help stabilize the shoreline and protect against erosion from waves, boat wakes, and ice heaves. They also provide important breeding and feeding habitat for wildlife.
Riparian Assessment for North Saskatchewan Region Lakes - Full Report
2018 Government of Alberta - Pigeon Lake Shoreline Assessment - Summary
Love Your Lake - Pigeon Lake Shoreline Assessment
The state of the shoreline is important to the overall health of a lake and the people and wildlife that call it home. Maintaining or restoring shorelines to their natural state, helps maintain good water quality by reducing nutrient inputs and preventing soil erosion.
Love Your Lake is a program of Watersheds Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation supported by Nature Alberta. The program promotes shoreline stewardship and helps shoreline property owners protect and restore their shorelines, thereby improving the health of their lake.
2018 Love Your Lake - Pigeon Lake Shoreline Assessment Summary Report