The Pigeon Lake Watershed Association’s Board of Directors invites all Pigeon Lake Community members to attend our Annual General Meeting at the Muhurst Bay Legion on August 17, 2024. Doors will open at 9:00am, and the meeting will take place from 9:30am-11:00am. Refreshments will be provided.

2024 AGM Agenda

2023 AGM Meeting Record

Reminder: All are welcome to attend, however only PLWA members are eligible to vote.

Join the PLWA team to clean up our municipal demonstration rain gardens!

Every spring, the PLWA team takes the time to pull out debris and plant matter from our demonstration rain gardens in order to prepare them for the summer growing season.

We will be starting at our demonstration site in Ma-Me-O Beach (Jubilee Park) at 9:30am, and will move to the demonstration site in Mission Beach (Mission Beach Community Park) at 11:00am. Gloves and gardening tools will be provided. If you enjoy gardening and want to learn more about PLWA and the benefits of rain gardens, you should join us!

No prior sign up required! But if you have questions, or would like to let us know that you want to volunteer, get in touch with us today!

Try ice fishing this Family Day Weekend! The Alberta Conservation Association’s Kids Can Catch program promotes family fun and helps new anglers learn about proper fishing practices. Join the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association at Pigeon Lake Provincial Park for this exciting event. No registration is required.

• Fishing rods, tackle, and bait available to borrow

• Fish Ambassador volunteers will help new anglers

• Learn about Pigeon Lake, conservation, aquatic invasive species, and traditional fishing practices

• Warm up around a campfire and enjoy a complimentary lunch

• Become a PLWA member and be entered to win door prizes with donations from local businesses

• Bring your warmest clothes, a camp chair, and your family and friends!

Kids Can Catch is on Alberta’s Family Fishing Weekend, so a fishing license is not required. Fishing regulations still apply.

We are also looking for Fish Ambassador volunteers. Please email gm@plwa.ca if you are willing to share your knowledge or your auger with us.

If temperatures are below -15°C, we will reschedule. Please check this page for updates if temperatures are getting cold. Even if temperatures are warm, please dress properly for this outdoor winter event.

Calling all acreage owners! Join us from 6:30-8:00pm (doors open at 6:00pm) on August 18 for a night of lake stewardship, and community fun! We will be playing a round of Love the Lake trivia that will challenge your knowledge about Pigeon Lake and its watershed, and hopefully teach you something too!

In addition to the fun and games, make sure to try some of the amazing brews made by our friends at Familia.

Seating will be limited, so reserve your spot today! Visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/696133914277?aff=oddtdtcreator

Note: Hosting events in our summer villages make it easy for the community to come together and enjoy themselves, but when it comes to people who live outside of town, it can be more difficult to bring everyone together. That is why, we are hosting a special edition of our Love the Lake Trivia at the Familia Brewing Taproom for those who live within our watershed, but don't reside within any of the summer villages.

We are excited to bring back our annual Love the Lake Family Fun Day! This event will take place on August 12, from 10:00am-3:00pm, at the Pigeon Lake Provincial Park Day Use Area.

This event will give the community an opportunity to enjoy some time at the lake, while learning about PLWA and the other amazing organizations that do work to make the environment around Pigeon Lake as healthy as possible!

We will have games and other activities, as well as food and prizes! Come out to meet the PLWA team, board members, and members of our healthy lake partner organizations!

This event is being hosted by an amazing community member, Deni Cameron, who has a passion for bat conservation. Deni has 9 bat houses on her property and she is excited to share about her rewarding experience as a citizen scientist with the Canadian Bat Box Project!

Deni will talk about the goals of the Canadian Bat Box project. The event will also feature discussions and demonstrations on the following topics:

• How White Nose Syndrome is decimating bat populations all over Canada & the United States

• How wind farms are killing migratory bats in unsustainable numbers and why

• Bats are now protected under species at risk legislation in Canada & Alberta

• The impact to humans if we lose bats

• How to get involved in Citizen Science to help bats

• The nine different species of bats that live in Alberta & the general difference between migratory (tree bats) and crevice dwelling bats (hibernating bats)

• Different types of bat boxes--- the good, the bad & the ugly

• Pup catchers

• Bat rescue kits

• Building bat-friendly communities

• Bat gardening & how it coincides with gardening for other wildlife & pollinators

• Living with bats

• How to deal with bats in buildings

• Becoming a bat ambassador

• Books about bats & White Nose Syndrome

• Resources for parents & teachers

This event will take place rain or shine! So, please come prepared. If it starts to rain, we can move to the garage. But, we will still spend some time outside in the yard.

Light refreshments will be served after the session. Each family will leave with a poster or a colouring book, as well as an AlbertaBats.ca sticker and handout.

Please consider bringing a donation as all proceeds from the event will be directed to the Alberta Community Bat Program.

The Pigeon Lake Watershed Association’s Board of Directors invites all Pigeon Lake Community members to attend our Annual General Meeting.

Coffee and snacks will be provided, and there will be lots of great information and resources available to check out before and after the meeting.

All attendees will be entered for our door prizes! The grand prize is a 2-person inflatable kayak, and 2nd and 3rd place draws will recieve PLWA swag bags.

Please take some time to review the following documents prior to the meeting as limited hard copies will be available:

2022 AGM Board Meeting Record

2022 Signed Financial Statement

2023 AGM Agenda

Reminder: All are welcome to attend, however only PLWA members are eligible to vote. If you are not yet a member, then now is the time! Sign up to be a member today

PLWA is excited to bring Love the Lake Trivia to the Summer Village of Itaska Beach!

The afternoon will begin with a fun, interactive trivia session (suitable for all ages) that is aimed towards teaching community members all sorts of things about Pigeon Lake and our watershed! Make sure to study up as there are prizes on the line!

The trivia activities will be followed by a special presentation from an Itaska Beach community member that showcases their talent for storytelling!

Bring your friends and family out to Itaska Beach Park on July 1 from 2:00-4:00pm for some community fun!

Please bring lawn chairs, blankets, or something else to sit on as seating will not be provided.

Come out and help us put the finishing touches on the Mulhurst Clean Runoff garden! The PLWA team will be working hard to get the garden ready by planting native flowers, shrubs, and more! Come lend a hand, and get a tour of the garden that features explanations of the clean runoff principles that went into transforming this area.

If you have questions about this event, or if you are interested in volunteering, fill out the form below and our team will get back to you with more details!

Look out for PLWA at the Lakedell farmers market, every other Friday, all summer long!

Come by to meet our staff, ask questions, and learn about what PLWA is doing to help Pigeon Lake and its watershed!

We will be providing free materials with tons of information about healthy lake practices!

Visit our table and pick up a scavenger hunt for a chance to win a prize!

Try ice fishing this Family Day Weekend! The Alberta Conservation Association’s Kids Can Catch program promotes family fun and helps new anglers learn about proper fishing practices. Join the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association at Pigeon Lake Provincial Park for this exciting event. No registration is required.

• Fishing rods, tackle, and bait available to borrow

• Fish Ambassador volunteers will help new anglers

• Learn about Pigeon Lake, conservation, aquatic invasive species, and traditional fishing practices

• Warm up around a campfire and cook complimentary hot dogs and marshmallows

• Become a PLWA member and be entered to win door prizes with donations from local businesses

• Bring your warmest clothes, a camp chair, and your family and friends!

Kids Can Catch is on Alberta’s Family Fishing Weekend, so a fishing license is not required. Fishing regulations still apply.

We are also looking for Fish Ambassador volunteers. Please email info@plwa.ca if you are willing to share your knowledge or your auger with us. We will meet at 9:30 to prepare for the day.

ALTERNATE DATE: Monday, February 20.
If temperatures are below -15°C, we will reschedule to February 20th. Please check this page for updates if temperatures are getting cold. Even if temperatures are warm, please dress properly for this outdoor winter event.

Thank you to our event sponsors:

Take part in PLWA’s yearly Holiday Creature Count! On December 27th, discover the wildlife that lives near you. Make note of the number and type of creatures that appear in your yard, record the results on the form provided, and email it to info@plwa.ca. The results will be tallied and posted on the PLWA website.

PLWA hopes to raise awareness about the wildlife that shares our lake and surrounding watershed area. Please join us in this endeavour while you enjoy the holidays at the lake. 

You can print this form and enter your answers at home.

Share pictures and your results on social media and email your completed form to info@plwa.ca.

Instagram: @plwaed
Twitter: @plwainfo
Facebook: Pigeon Lake Watershed Association

This workshop is being organized by invitation to municipal and First Nations councilors and staff, environmental organizations, Alberta Transportation and other government officials, and road contractors.

Workshop attendees will discuss the effects of road salt and best management practices for reducing impacts. We will hear from the Alberta Lake Management Society on salinity levels in Pigeon Lake and learn about best management practices for road salt in neighbouring jurisdictions, including a road salt study and white paper from the Sturgeon River Watershed, the Camrose Source Water Protection Plan, and the City of Leduc’s Road Salt Management Plan.

If you are an individual interested in this topic, please contact us here with any comments or questions.

The Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up at Pigeon Lake starts on August 15 and runs until October 15.

We had six municipalities participate last year. This year we challenge you to get involved so that we can have groups from all 12 municipalities participate in shoreline clean up events!

How to participate:

Community Leaders: Please contact PLWA at info@plwa.ca for more information.

Small group, families or individuals:

1. Sign a waiver

2. Review the GCSC Checklist

3. Print the Data Card

4. Prepare your cleanup materials (gloves, bags or buckets, data card and pen) and head to a shoreline near you or the municipal beach and clean up as much garbage as you can

5. Fill out the Data Card and submit to info@plwa.ca

Help us clean up the shoreline in your area! Thanks for participating!

PLWA is excited to bring Love the Lake Trivia to the Summer Village of Ma-Me-O Beach!

PLWA will begin our activities with some family friendly trivia to engage the community in sharing their knowledge, and learning more, about wildlife, local history, Pigeon Lake and its watershed stewardship. The PLWA team will be sharing animal furs and skulls, and comparing the “human wingspan” with the wingspan of local birds. There will also be historic photos from community members about the lake. Make sure to study up as there here will be prizes on the line!

The trivia activity will be followed by a series of stories, presented by Erin Dentzien, all about Pigeon Lake and its history. We hope that this will kick start a conversation where attendees can share about their own experiences and memories of life at the lake.

Bring your friends and family out to Jubilee Park on August 26 from 6:30-8:30pm for an evening of community fun!

Please bring lawn chairs, blankets, or something else to sit on as seating will not be provided. PLWA will provide snacks and beverages for all attendees.

PLWA is excited to bring Love the Lake Trivia to the Summer Village of Silver Beach!

The evening will begin with a fun, interactive trivia session (suitable for all ages) that is aimed towards teaching community members all sorts of things about Pigeon Lake and our watershed! Make sure to study up as there are prizes on the line!

The trivia activities will be followed by a special presentation from a Silver Beach community member that showcases their talent for storytelling!

Bring your friends and family out to Ouimette Park on August 12 from 6:30-8:30pm for an evening of community fun!

Please bring lawn chairs, blankets, or something else to sit on as seating will not be provided.

The Secchi Dip-In day has volunteers from all across Pigeon Lake take their first water clarity measurements using a secchi disk. If you have access to a boat please join us along with other boaters on Saturday, July 30th in an effort to monitor the water clarity at Pigeon Lake!

Water clarity is measured by lowering a secchi disk from your boat into the water until the disk is no longer visible. That depth is recorded and submitted to our online form. Volunteers will receive a secchi disk along with training materials and guidance. Measurements can be taken at any time during the Dip-In day. Please fill out the form below to sign up, or stay after our AGM on July 23rd to help us make secchi disks!

Volunteers have been gathering information for the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) during the annual Dip-In since 1994. Learn more on the NALMS Secchi Dip-In webpage. Also watch the NALMS Quick-Start Video: “How to Take a Secchi Depth.”

Sign Up!

In 2022, a number of cottage owners at Pigeon Lake will complete renovations and other construction projects on their property. PLWA provides resources to residents and their contractors, including a residential construction checklist and resource sheet, to guide their project through new statutory plans that include watershed management practices.

This workshop will highlight some of the beneficial management practices that can be implemented during the design and construction phases. There will also be opportunities for participants to discuss common challenges that they have faced when doing work in the watershed.

The goal of this workshop is to help contractors and residents:

1. Learn about beneficial management practices.

2. Express their own challenges, and share potential solutions.

If you’re in the preparation phase, or in the middle of building or renovating at Pigeon Lake, please contact us for more information at plwaprograms@gmail.com

In 2022, a number of cottage owners at Pigeon Lake will complete shoreline landscape restoration projects. Most of these are residential projects that are being undertaken to address damage from ice heaving early in 2021. With the help from Alberta Environment and Parks, a step-by-step sheet for approvals is available on the PLWA website. Even with this resource, cottage owners and contractors have reached out to PLWA with questions about best practices and the approvals process. 

This workshop will focus on landscaping and shoreline restoration projects, including the permitting process, the lake-friendly landscaping plan, best management practices during the installation (not introducing invasive species). There will also be an opportunity for participants to discuss common challenges when working in the watershed.

The goal of this workshop is to help contractors and residents:

1. Navigate the permitting process (roles, responsibilities, and timelines) to avoid costly penalties for moving ahead without a permit.

2. Learn about beneficial management practices.

3. Express their own challenges, and share potential solutions.

If you’re in the preparation phase, or in the middle of building or renovating at Pigeon Lake, please contact us for more information at plwaprograms@gmail.com

Join us for a fundraiser at the Mulhurst Bay Legion on June 18!

One of the directly affected families, who lives near the proposed CFO, is organizing the event to raise awareness about the impacts and to raise funds for the challenge.

The event will feature:

• Pancake breakfast (9:00am)

• Live music all day

• Community dinner (5:00pm)

• Silent auction

PLWA Staff will be at the event with information about the CFO appeal.

Help us spruce up the clean runoff demonstration swale for the summer. Come with gardening tools (rakes, shears, etc.) and garbage bags if you can. We also need someone to transport the garden waste from the demonstration site to the Mission Beach Transfer Station. PLWA staff will be on site to lead the clean up and talk about the benefits of the clean runoff garden. Snacks will be provided.

In case of poor weather, an alternate date will be posted.

Landscaping Your Lake Lot

Consider adding a rain gardens to catch, slow, and filter water drainage from you roof and lawn. Nutrients and contaminants are removed. Big or small rain gardens, with native and colourful plants and stones, attract bees, birds, and butterflies. They will add colour and beauty to your lake lot all while promoting biodiversity and reducing the frequency and intensity of algal blooms.

Join us at our clean up event to learn more!

Resources

Alberta Clean Runoff Action Guide

Naturalize Your Lot: A Guide to Lake-friendly Landscaping

The Pigeon Lake Leaders Session is an annual meeting co-hosted by the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association, Alliance of Pigeon Lake Municipalities, and the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan Steering Committee.  

The goal of this session is to meet with community leaders, assess the progress of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan implementation, and identify new areas of collaboration for a healthy lake and watershed.

Municipal Councillors, the Chair and representatives from the Pigeon Lake Chamber of Commerce, Maskwacis Cree Tribal Council and Mamawo working groups, the Sustainable Agriculture representatives from the County of Leduc and Wetaskiwin County, and healthy-lake partners are invited to attend this session.

Working Together for a Healthy Watershed, Healthy Lake and Healthy Community

CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

Come out to the Pigeon Lake Provincial Park to try ice fishing

Sunday, Feb 20th 10 am - 3 pm

We have 80 fishing to lend out, or bring your own rod.

Hosts: Pigeon Lake Watershed Association, Alberta Conservation Association, and local fishing ambassadors.

Dress for cold weather, pack a lunch, and make a day of it!

This is Alberta’s Family Fishing weekend—a fishing license is not required.

Fishing regulations still apply.

Learn from seasoned anglers, discover how we are caring for our lake, and enjoy some time in nature!

Directions: Pigeon Lake Provincial Park & Campground, Township Rd 470, Alberta T0C 2C0, https://goo.gl/maps/dZfzaEdihZagBdz87

#pigeonlakealberta #familydayweekend #lakelove #kidscancatch #pigeonlakealberta

Discover the wildlife that live near you. Make note of the number and type of creatures that appear in your yard and record the results on the form provided.

Creature Count

Pigeon Lake is a beautiful prairie lake which plays a central role in this vibrant community. It has provided both livelihood and enjoyment for many generations of Albertans. As such, there is a strong community commitment to caring for the lake. By municipal resolution, the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan (Plan) was adopted by all 12 municipalities in 2018. The Plan has the endorsement of key stakeholder groups including the Pigeon Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and received support from the Four Maskwacis Cree Nations.

The Watershed 101 training session offers the essentials of watershed management. Learn about the common challenges of a lake lot property owner in Alberta. Learn about lake health, how local real estate agents, producers and businesses are involved in supporting lake health, and how residents are involved in citizen science and stewardship initiatives. The session will address statutory planning and the technical side of watershed management. As leaders in your sector, learn more about your role in this Water for Life strategy and the important ecosystem services that are drivers of the local economy.

Speakers:

Dr. Michael Paterson is the Senior Research Scientist at the International Institute for Sustainable Development - Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA). 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.

Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan: Catherine Peirce, Executive Director, Pigeon Lake Watershed Association

In-Lake Management: Brian Waterhouse, Mayor Summer Village of Sundance Beach, Pigeon Lake In-Lake Management Committee.

Sustainable Agriculture Programs: Kim Barkwell, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, County of Wetaskiwin and Leduc

Register:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1416158552829/WN_4jj-rdE_SLmCkxd239_jlg

Once registered, you will receive an email with access details (internet or phone option included)