Carvel Pitted Delta Lakes Survey

In the Carvel Pitted Delta, a post-glacial geological region west of Edmonton, Alberta, there are a large number of lakes that display a high diversity of morphology and water chemistry conditions. Some lakes are used extensively for recreation, others are surrounded by residential developments or agricultural land, while others have very little shoreline development due to being surrounded by large parcels of land. Some lakes have moderate levels of historical monitoring, but many have never been monitored. Beginning in 2019, upon learning about a few lakes with near-oligotrophic conditions, retired aquatic professional Dave Trew enlisted the support of the Alberta Lake Management Society and the University of Alberta to investigate a number of these lakes in the the summers of 2019 and 2020, as well as winter 2020-2021 (much of this data is available in the 'LakeKeepers Water Quality Data,' also available on Datastream). In the summer of 2021, the Mayatan Lake Management Association was enlisted to secure grant support from the Land Stewardship Centre, Stony Plain Fish and Game, and the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance to execute a survey of a high number of lakes within the region. 44 lakes were successfully sampled once each, where water chemistry measurements and samples were collected, along with preserved phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic invertebrate samples. In 2022, another survey was conducted and included 50 lakes, which were sampled following a slightly enhanced the sampling design. All water chemistry data is available in this dataset. Data analysis and reporting efforts for the survey are ongoing. Further data collection is probable. The primary goal of the project is to develop an updated and improved regional overview of lake water quality to support future land and water management decisions, and encourage location conservation and stewardship activities.