What in-lake approaches are being considered to address water quality?
Investigation of In-Lake Management feasibility is one recommendation of the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan. Various in-lake management options have been and continue to be assessed for feasibility at Pigeon Lake. A wide variety of options have been considered - including aeration, mixing devices, algal harvesting, water importation, algicides, and phosphorus sequestration (chemical additives). '
Feasibility Assessment
In-lake interventions require regulatory approvals and need to be thoroughly assessed for feasibility and applicability. Questions to be addressed include:
demonstrated effectiveness - especially for a large shallow prairie lake
duration of effect - or the period of time in which natural forces overcome the intervention
assurance of success - or the consensus of scientific opinion that the intervention will deliver the desired effect
assurance of benign effect - or clear scientific evidence that the intervention will not harm human health or important lake biota or cause consequential effects such as the unintended introduction of invasive species
feasible cost-benefit - or what is the cost of initial and subsequent interventions. Is the cost one-time periodic or annual? Is the cost magnitude politically feasible? Do the project benefits justify the expenditures?
If the above assessments are positive, then a candidate for a water quality project would also have a set of questions going through development stages including, project governance, regulatory approval, project implementation and ongoing environmental monitoring and re-interventions. These questions include:
project governance and who pays - which organization is equipped and capable to take the lead to make a regulatory application, undertake the studies, manage the project, acquire the funds, be accountable to funders, and be responsible to regulatory authorities for delivering on conditions of an authorization and addressing potential environmental liabilities? If some or all the cost is to be born by local rate payers, what is the mechanism to equitably share project costs and be accountable to rate-payers?
project make-up - how would a proposed water quality project be implemented? What are the logistics? Can it accomplished in one season, multiple seasons or will it be ongoing in perpetuity? Who will provide the technical leadership?
consensus and consent -will there a consensus among all twelve surrounding municipalities and the Four Maskwacis Cree Nations to proceed with the candidate project? Will specific consent be required from some or all local governments, including the Four Maskwacis Cree Nations?
Current Status
Currently the Alliance of Pigeon Lake Municipalities and its In-Lake Technical Committee have been assigned the task of investigating In-lake options. This activity is framed within the Pigeon Lake Watershed Management Plan and has the support of the PLWA Board.
Since the inception of the PLWA, no “silver bullets” have emerged. Any potentially feasible in-lake solution would likely take considerable time to move from concept to approval to implementation. In the meantime, all of the other Watershed Management Plan recommendations are being actively pursued by the PLWA, the municipalities and our partners. These actions are all directed at the same end objectives- a clean and healthy lake and watershed for future generations.