The Wabamun Watershed Management Council, after reviewing and prioritizing issues around the lake, identified nutrient loading as the most signifcant issue to act on. After learning more about the issue themselves (see presentations under Information Sessions), they prepared a nutrient reduction strategy to address this problem.

The reason nutrient loading is such an issue is that phosphorus build up in lake sediments (called internal loading), now accounts for as much as 56% of total phosphorus releases annually. If we allow too much nutrient into a lake undesired amounts of aquatic vegetation and algae will occur. While we cannot do much about the nutrients contained in sediments, we can do our best to limit the nutrients entering the lake due to our activities on the land (called external loading).

Members of the Council attended events throughout the watershed over the past two summers to discuss this issue further with watershed residents. A specific focus in 2008 and 2009 was to work with the Living by Water Program and the Alberta Conservation Team (ACT) to do free homesite consultations at Seba Beach in 2008 and with Moonlight Bay, Kapasiwin & Lakeview in 2009. These consulations helped to provide guidance specific to what homeowners can do to maintain healthy lakes and improve water quality. Of special interest was a Shoreline Naturalization Information Session that was held at the end of August to outline the proper steps and techiques a cottage owner would use in order to naturalize a lakefront property.

For more information, please view the following documents:
How to Improve Water Quality at Lake Wabamun: Reducing Nutrient Loading (pdf)
How to Improve Water Quality at Lake Wabamun: Responsible Boating and Boat Care (pdf)
How to Improve Water Quality at Lake Wabamun: Sewage System Care and Maintenance (pdf)


Watch for the following nutrient reduction posters when you're out at the lake:
Sewage in Lake Poster (pdf)
Fertilizer in Lake Poster (pdf)
Boat Toilet Poster (pdf)
Detergent in Lake Poster (pdf)


You may also be interested to learn that a certain amount of the phosphorus that enters the lake comes from the everyday household cleaners and lawn fertilizers we use. The good news is that we can buy or make phosphate free and lake friendly alternatives. See the attached file for more information:
Phosphate Free Cleaners to Buy and Make (pdf)