Watershed 101

Missed the session, it’s not to late to learn about watersheds and how the community at Pigeon Lake is working together to care for its lake and watershed.

Eutrophic Lakes

Dr. Michael Paterson, Senior Research Scientist at the International Institute for Sustainable Development - Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA), spoke on Eutrophic lakes on Thursday, November 4th at the Watershed 101 workshop hosted by the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association. Dr. Paterson, discussed long standing research conducted in the Experimental Lakes Area and identified factors that effect the health of lakes around the world. His full biography is included below.

Review Dr. Paterson’s presentation - Algal Blooms: eutrophication and the health of our lakes

Caring for the Lake Together

The community at Pigeon Lake is working together to implement the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan with guidance from Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan Steering Committee, Pigeon Lake Watershed Association, Alliance of Pigeon Lake Municipalities and the In-lake Technical Committee, Alberta Environment and Parks, Healthy Lake Partners, Maskwacis Cree Four Nations, and Pigeon Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan

How to get involved:

Welcome to the Lake Program - Local Real Estate Agents help distribute stewardship packages to new homeowners.

Lot Owners - Property owners in the Pigeon Lake watershed are taking action on their property and shoreline to help the health of the lake. Make a positive impact by:

1. Implementing lake-friendly landscaping and management practices

2. Minimizing your footprint

3. Enjoying nature

4. Taking part in community action for the lake, sharing stewardship information, becoming a citizen scientist

5. Learning more about the lake and ecosystem services of the lake and watershed

Sustainable Agriculture Programs - Leduc County and County of Wetaskiwin's sustainable agriculture programs supports the adoption of beneficial management practices by agricultural producers through education and awareness

Alberta Low Impact Development Partnership - Resources for Clean Runoff

• Rain gardens explained in 2 minutes

• Building a rain garden in Alberta: 12 Steps to Success

• Homeowners talk about their experiences building their Alberta rain gardens

• Bioretention explained in 3 minutes

Additional Resources for Property Owners

Support the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association

• Become a member

• Make a donation

• Volunteer

• Be lake informed

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Dr. Michael Paterson

The IISD-ELA is a research facility in northwestern Ontario, Canada that uses whole-ecosystem research and experimentation to better understand and find solutions for problems affecting freshwater. During his 30-year career at the IISD-ELA, Mike has participated in and led projects on a variety of environmental issues including the effects of eutrophication and harmful algal blooms, dams and reservoirs, climate change, and various contaminants including mercury, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics. He is an author or co-author of over 75 peer-reviewed publications and regularly provides advice to provincial and federal governments, non-governmental organizations, and industry. Mike is an adjunct professor at the Universities of Manitoba, Trent, and Lakehead.

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The Watershed 101 session was made possible through a grant from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation.

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation invests in real estate policy, research, practices, and education that strengthen Alberta’s communities. The Foundation’s revenues come from the interest earned on public money deposited in real estate brokers’ pooled trust accounts. Learn more at www.aref.ab.ca.