Wizard Lake Watershed and Lake Stewardship Association

09/22/2026

With help from Leduc County Recreation Programs & Events crew and our volunteers, you will notice the safety buoys 🛟 ⚠️ (and some floating debris) have been taken out of the water for the winter.
Please use caution and be mindful of others for the rest of the season!

Thank you to everyone 🙌🏻

09/15/2026

Sediment doesn’t stop at the field edge. A fence installed upstream can mean clearer water downstream. Thinking like a watershed means understanding that small choices add up—especially when they’re repeated across a landscape.

09/15/2026

Register at the link below if you’re interested in learning more!

Watershed Wednesday Webinars are back! On Wednesday, October 7th, join Bradley Peter, Executive Director of the Alberta Lake Management Society to learn about Lake Monitoring and the new Algal Bloom Tracker.

Blue green algae continues to proliferate throughout our watershed. While this prehistoric bacteria is naturally occurring in Alberta, a variety of factors are driving more frequent and intense blooms. Bradley Peter will discuss how research innovations are helping us better understand the drivers of these blooms. Additionally, he will introduce us to the new Algal Bloom Tracker, developed by ALMS, the University of Alberta, and several lake stewardship groups. The tracker provides a new way to model both historic and present algae blooms, showing how they change over time and across seasons.

Register now with this link: https://www.nswa.ab.ca/whats-happening/watershed-webinars

08/14/2026

Did you know that foaming on the surface of lakes and streams is often a naturally occurring phenomenon and not a result of environmental pollution?

💧 Foam formation is common in water with high organic content, such as productive lakes and darker-coloured streams originating from wetlands or woody areas.

💧 Aquatic plants naturally die and decompose in lakes, releasing organic material such as oils which float to the surface. Wind and wave action push the oils along the shoreline where turbulence introduces air into the organically enriched water forming bubbles.

💧 Slimy foam in water may be caused by pollution especially if near a potential pollution site or if its formation does not align with wind or turbulence direction.

08/09/2026

Whether you're heading out for a cruise, towing the kids, casting a line, or simply enjoying a day on the water, your wake doesn't stop when your boat passes by.

Large wakes can:
🛶 Erode shorelines and damage fragile habitats.
🦆 Disturb nesting birds and other wildlife.
🏊 Create unsafe conditions for swimmers, paddlers, and anglers.
🚤 Damage docks and boats tied along the shoreline.

Slowing down near shore, around docks, in narrow channels, and whenever others are enjoying the water is a simple way to show respect for everyone who shares the lake.

08/09/2026

Thinking about washing up in the lake? It’s best to leave the soap at home💧

Even soaps labeled as “biodegradable,” “natural,” or “eco-friendly” aren’t necessarily safe for lake water. Biodegradable soap needs the right conditions to break down properly, including contact with soil. In a lake, those conditions usually aren’t present, meaning soap doesn’t simply disappear after it enters the water.

Soap ingredients can affect water quality and harm the tiny organisms, plants, and animals that depend on healthy lakes. Detergents in soap can even change the surface tension of the water, making it harder for some aquatic organisms, like water striders, to move across the surface.

A single wash might seem small, but the effects can add up when many people do the same. Help protect our lakes by keeping soap out of the water so they remain healthy places for wildlife and for people.

Dive deeper into this topic with the Love Your Lake article featured in this issue of Cottage Country Lifestyle Magazine: https://issuu.com/cottagecountryfreemagazine/docs/cottage_country_summer_2025/31

07/23/2026

Volunteers had a great lake day today!
Island maintenance was completed by one team and Summer Lakekeeper’s samples were collected for Alberta Lake Management Society by another! ☀️