Water level drop prompts marina closure at popular central Alberta lake
CBC
Summer looks different this year for Pelican Point, a lakeside community located on Buffalo Lake.
Typically bustling during the warmer months, the hamlet is now seeing a shift in activity as low lake levels have disrupted boating plans at the popular central Alberta destination.
"I've lived here all my life, I've never seen it this low," said longtime resident Neil Kostenuk.
The lake previously had a water stabilizing system to help manage water levels, but it was shut down years ago due to concerns over the invasive Prussian carp. Now, some who live in the area want the pumping to resume to help restore water levels.
The sharp drop in water levels forced the closure and dismantling of the community marina for the season.
The low water levels mean Pelican Point, which offers a destination for summer tourists, is seeing a big decrease in visitor traffic, as are neighbouring communities like Bashaw.
Erin Elder, president of the Pelican Point Community Association, said the community is split on what the best solution is.
"Some people feel that those pumps should be turned back on and that we should maintain our lake level," Elder said. "Some people feel like we just really need to, at this time, focus on our access to the lake."
About 90 kilometres west, Gull Lake has been grappling with similar water level concerns.
Pumping from the Blindman River into Gull Lake was suspended in 2018, due to the risk of introducing Prussian carp into the ecosystem.
But plans are now underway to install a filtration system at the lake's pumphouse to prevent invasive species from entering the lake. The province approved the move after the government found overwhelming support for the project in a community survey.
Norval Horner, president of the Gull Lake Watershed Society and a professional engineer involved in the research for the filtration system said he's glad the province stepped in.
"At this point, the provincial government has taken the lead on it and they're going to pay for the installation of the pressurized filtration and the restarting of stabilization," something he said he's "grateful for."
Construction of the filtration system on Gull Lake has begun with the goal of resuming pumping by spring 2026.
When Gurdeep Khinda moved from India to Montreal 30 years ago, he thought his dream of becoming an actor on stage was over. He was too busy navigating his new life and there weren't any theatre groups in the city catering to the Indian community at the time.
More than 53,000 Manitobans have accessed birth control at no cost in the first year of the provincial government's free contraception program, the province says.
The Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band is inviting beginners and youth to try its free music program to help carry on the world-calibre musical ensemble's tradition.
Mayors of municipalities across southwestern Ontario say they’ve focused on the things they could control this year, as the U.S. trade war with Canada and the world has hammered local economies.
A house filled with snakes and spiders might be straight out of many people's nightmares, but to longtime exotic pet keeper Nolan Asplund, they’re like family.
The Ontario government is introducing new rules for publicly advertised job postings in the new year, but questions remain over whether the changes will result in tangible benefits for jobseekers.
Did you know ambulance services on Prince Edward Island were once largely provided by funeral homes?
The past 12 months brought big political headlines, new partisan players and plenty of parliamentary surprises. How much do you remember from it all?
The Ontario government has quietly given itself the power to override archaeological protections on development sites.
A freezing rain event that's left roads and trees across southwestern Ontario coated in ice has also seen emergency crews overwhelmed with calls for help from people without power and snapped trees.
Annette Dionne, the last surviving Dionne quintuplet and a champion of children's rights, has died.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government is warning of multiple scams circulating leading up to the holidays.
The painted bunting usually calls the southern U.S. home and travels south at this time of year, but one decided to spend its Christmas holidays up north in Bayfield, N.B.