The 2018 Water Quality monitoring program was carried out during the open water season following the same monitoring and sampling plan used since its implementation in 2011. The prime program objective of this monitoring program remained unchanged which is to ensure compliance with Saskatchewan Surface Water Quality Objectives for Recreation and Aesthetics and for the protection of Aquatic Life. The secondary program objective is to gather baseline physical and chemical parameter data that can be used for comparisons over time to determine trends and to monitor any parameter changes
In 2018, three sampling trips were made to Anglin, Christopher, and McPhee lakes to collect physical parameter data at sites located centrally on each of the lakes. At each of these sites a depth profile method was used to collect data on the following parameters in the water column: water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity and transparency data (Secchi depth). In September, a water sample was collected at Anglin, Christopher, and McPhee Lakes which was analyzed by the Saskatchewan Research Council in Saskatoon.
This program utilizes a number of volunteers at each of the lakes to provide assistance and boat transportation to the sampling locations. The District of Lakeland thanks the following individuals: Al Christensen at Anglin Lake, Wayne Bartel at Christopher Lake and Pauline Smith, Craig Foster and Rob Thurmeir at McPhee Lake.
The 2018 data collected at all the sampling locations remained consistent with the previous data obtained at these sites. All the data collected met the provincial objectives for Recreation and Aesthetics and for the protection of Aquatic Life.
Emma Lake was also monitored in 2018 as part of the Nutrient study initiated in partnership with Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the North Saskatchewan River Basin Council. Besides the normal physical data collected as has been the yearly practise, weekly transparency readings were taken on all three lakes for analysis.
Wayne Hyde
Environmental Advisory Committee