Environmental Advisory Committee

On behalf of the Spring Lake Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC), we want to tell you about ourselves. We are a volunteer committee that holds environmental issues close to our hearts. As a committee, our role is to advise the Village of Spring Lake Council on environmental issues and provide a forum for the Village residents to express environmental concerns that may impact our natural status.

Since 2005, the EAC has advised Council in several areas such as through feedback from the community via surveys and through the development of an Environmental Action Plan that is a living document and is presented to Council on an annual basis for acceptance, and implementation where feasible and affordable. We also initiate and support a variety of pursuits and educational opportunities such as the posting of prohibited and noxious weeds, handing out tree seedling kits to the community, sponsoring the annual rain barrel sale in partnership with the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain and the County of Parkland, shoreline cleanups, we participate in Pitch In Canada and present educational workshops on topics such as composting, septic systems, and healthy wells as examples.  We developed and support the Community Photo Boards which have been showcasing our community through the eyes of our residents since 2015.

Our members track a variety of information such as annual freeze/thaw dates of the lake, lake water levels, loon chick hatching and survival rates, and in partnership with the Alberta Conservation Association, the oxygen levels of the lake and the putting in and taking out of the aerators each year.

Should you have any environmental questions or concerns, contact the EAC through email at eac@springlakealberta.com, leave your name and phone number or email address and an EAC member will contact you. We will do our best to provide you with the information you request or to help address any concerns you may have as new member of our community.

TO PROMOTE EDUCATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, AND, PROVIDE ADVICE
FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF SPRING LAKE

Sincerely,

Village of Spring Lake EAC


Spring Lake Loons
Loon Platforms

The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) sets out the loon platforms on the lake every year.
The EAC takes pride in this so please make sure to stay clear of the platforms and admire the loons from the distance.

If you have any questions in regard to this please contact the EAC at 
eac@springlakealberta.com


Recent Loon Counts in Spring Lake

2020 SPRING LAKE LOON COUNT.pdf
2021 SPRING LAKE LOON COUNT.pdf
2022 SPRING LAKE LOON COUNT.pdf


Caring for Shoreline Properties
Changing the Way We Look at Owning Lakefront Property in Alberta

The Village would like to encourage residents to take a look at the "Caring for Shoreline" publication as part of our increasing effort to educate the public on better practice options for our lake and the environment...

Caring For Shoreline Properties


Did You Know?
Spring Lake Information: Eutrophication

Eutrophication - Summary Version.pdf • 16 KB


Black Knots - Black Knots Information

Wild Boars in Alberta - Wild Boars - Alberta
Invasive Wild Boar - Newspaper Clipping April 2022.pdf • 186 KB


A Good Reason to Pick Up Your Dog's Droppings
Environmental & Health Consequences of Dog Poop

• The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency in the States) deemed pet waste a “nonpoint source of pollution” in 1991, which put dog feces in the same category as oil and toxic chemicals!

• Dog feces are NOT a good fertilizer for grass. It is actually toxic, causing burns and unsightly discoloring.

• It has been estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and severe kidney disorders in humans. The EPA even estimates that two or three days’ worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it to swimming and shell fishing.

• Dog feces are one the most common carriers of the following diseases:

     - Heartworms
     - Whipworms
     - Hookworms
     - Roundworms
     - Tapeworms
     - Parvo
     - Corona
     - Giardiasis
     - Salmonellosis
     - Cryptosporidiosis
     - Campylobacteriosis

• Picking up dog waste reduces flies and their lifecycle. The same flies that lay their eggs in dog waste can then come into our homes and spread diseases as they pause on our counters and our food. Reducing dog feces reduces fly prevalence. 

• Picking up dog waste reduces flies and their lifecycle. The same flies that lay their eggs in dog waste can then come into our homes and spread diseases as they pause on our counters and our food. Reducing dog feces reduces fly prevalence. 

• Believe it or not, dogs will eat their own feces. While most dog owners think this doesn’t apply to their dogs, the truth is that most dogs will engage in this unsavory practice at some point in their lives. Dogs evolved as carnivores/scavengers and feces were considered fair game in lean times. To prevent this occasional indiscretion from becoming a life-long habit, feces should be cleaned up as soon as possible, especially in young dogs where the problem is most prevalent.

• There is a tremendous amount of information including scientific documentation of the harmful effect of dog feces available on the internet.


Environmental Advisory Committee 2019 Survey Summary

To promote environmental awareness & education, and to provide advice for the enhancement of the Village of Spring Lake.

There were a total of nine surveys returned. Here are the responses…

What do you believe are the biggest environmental issues affecting:

Our lake?

  1. too many fishermen, too much public access to the lake, preventing blue green algae
  2. run off, septic contamination
  3. over growth of the bulrush (cattails) (I realize its needed for the health of lake, but can there be too much?)
  4. the lake boat (power) activity
  5. na
  6. is higher with the rain, fish are still muddy in summer, can’t eat them
  7. lake level
  8. no concerns
  9. no comment written

    Our lake’s shoreline?

  1. people cutting vegetation, preventing prohibitive noxious plants
  2. weed in grow
  3. Edmonton trout Club’s broken dock, Edmonton Trout club leaving garbage on shore by their dock
  4. Brochures – Village of spring Lake be sent out
  5. Na
  6. Where the pathway is property needs to be  marked
  7. Trees cut down on crown/village land
  8. Replace rickety docks with village maintained docks
  9. People cutting and clearing natural vegetation

    Our natural wildlife?

  1. Cats outdoors destroying our song birds
  2. Light pollution from village security lights
  3. Speeding boaters, people destroying the loons nests
  4. No comment written
  5. No comment written
  6. Is still there birds and skunks are around
  7. No comment written
  8. Fireworks scare wildlife, ignorance about how to behave around loons and other birds on the lake
  9. People cutting and clearing natural vegetation

What is your level of awareness in regards to shoreline policies and guidelines?

NOT AWARE - 1           SOME AWARENESS - 5            VERY AWARE – 2    NO RESPONSE – 1

Would you be interested in learning more?             YES  - 6       NO – 1        NO RESPONSE – 2

Are you concerned about the loss of trees, brush or lakeshore reeds within the lake perimeter or meadows?                             

YES - 6                         NO – 2     NO RESPONSE – 1

Are there any workshops you would like the EAC to sponsor for our community?

  1. Xeriscapting and water conservation workshops
  2. No
  3. Not familiar with workshops available
  4. No comment written
  5. Possible
  6. No comment written
  7. No comment written
  8. Birds in the area - species, nesting, etc.
  9. An introduction to living by water, including the applicable laws

Do  you practice shoreline and habitat protection and stewardship by not unsettling plants or trees on your property that edge the lake or ponds?      

YES – 5     N/A – 3    NO RESPONSE – 1

Do you have any suggestions as to how we could make our Village more environmentally friendly?

  1. Plant more trees, reduce grass cutting on road access hills (other than meadow), where land can go back to nature safely
  2. Take light pollution more seriously, the new lights at the Village compound are still on at 3 a.m.
  3. Advertise more aggressively the Pitch In Canada date and time. I never see the announcement!
  4. All adhere to the guidelines for lakeshore use, plus just not shoreline
  5. Fix your path’s – they are overgrown weeds! Use tiraterbars (I cannot read what they wrote) made from logs or landscape timbers, filled with mulch
  6. There is no path on the meadow
  7. No comment written
  8. Yes, develop a community compost pile for leaves, greens, small trees
  9. More education for residents about the impacts their actions on their property have on wildlife and the lake

Do you have any suggestions that you would like to bring forward to the EAC?

  1. Attempt to be the first GREEN village in Alberta ie.  EV cars, reduce aquifer water use
  2. Share the results of surveys. There is not much info that gets out to the taxpayers
  3. I have concerns on how fast the sunchaser boats (cruisers) go on the lake. I don’t know how fast 12 kms actually is, but I’ve seen them go what I think is too fast for the loons safety
  4. No comment written
  5. Yes, I bought my property for the lake view and now I have no view because the trees along the shoreline have grown in and the village has quit cutting ¾’s of the meadow grass.       At one time, we had a dock to go and use, now we have no access.      According to the village expenses, they have not decreased in this area! But less work is being done.      So are the trees not absorbing the water! Soon to be no lake to enjoy!
  6. We are not near the lake, we should be able to see the lake. Why let 2 stories block the view. Do a walkout on the property instead of blocking the view of the lake
  7. No comment written
  8. Yes, would ask that EAC vouch for development of compost pile. Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback.  
  9. No comment written

From the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)

Welcome to the Village of Spring Lake!

On behalf of the Spring Lake Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC), we want to tell you about ourselves. We are a volunteer committee that holds environmental issues close to our hearts. As a committee, our role is to advise the Village of Spring Lake Council on environmental issues and provide a forum for the Village residents to express environmental concerns that may impact our natural status.

Since 2005, the EAC has advised Council in several areas such as through feedback from the community via surveys and through the development of an Environmental Action Plan that is a living document and is presented to council on an annual basis for acceptance, and  implementation where feasible and affordable. We also initiate and support a variety of pursuits and educational opportunities such as the posting of prohibited and noxious weeds, handing out tree seedling kits to the community, sponsoring the annual rain barrel sale in partnership with the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain and the County of Parkland, shoreline cleanups, we participate in Pitch In Canada, and  present educational workshops on topics such as composting, septic systems, and healthy wells as examples.  We developed and support the Community Photo Boards which have been showcasing our community through the eyes of our residents since 2015.

Our members track a variety information such as annual freeze/thaw dates of the lake, lake water levels, loon chick hatching and survival rates and in partnership with the Alberta Conservation Association, the oxygen levels of the lake and the putting in and taking out of the aerators each year.

 Should you have any environmental questions or concerns, contact the EAC through email at eac@springlakealberta.com, leave your name and phone number or email address and an EAC member will contact you. We will do our best to provide you with the information you request or to help address any concerns you may have as new member of our community.

 

TO PROMOTE EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, AND PROVIDE ADVICE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE VILLAGE OF SPRING LAKE

 

Sincerely

Village of Spring Lake EAC


Our Accomplishments!
To date, there have been a number of initiatives that we as the EAC have undertaken.

Posted by: ON Wed, Oct 28, 2020 at 1:03:49 pm MDT    Comments (0)

CBC - “One Million Acts of Green”

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (the CBC) has started a program called “One Million Acts of Green”. This program helps people determine how environmentally friendly they are. Logging onto their web site takes you to a check list of things you can do to be more environmentally friendly. They have lots of ideas of what people can do year round to cut back on energy being used.
Click here to visit their website.

 


Spring Lake's
Ice Thaw and Freeze Chart

YEAR DATE THAWED DATE FROZE OVER
1979 May 4  
1980 April 22 November 12
1981 April 19 November 8
1982 May 5 November 13
1983 May 3 November 12
1984 April 15 October 27
1985 April 23 October 30
1986 April 22 November 8
1987 April 23 November 16
1988 April 14 November 20
1989 May 1 November 10
1990 April 20 November 3
1991 April 23 October 27
1992 April 17 November 6
1993 April 26 November 7
1994 April 19 November 2
1995 April 20 November 1
1996 April 24 October 31
1997 April 28 November 10
1998 April 18 November 12
1999 April 25 November 5
2000 April 26 November 7
2001 April 27 October 25
2002 May 17 October 29
2003 May 2 November 1
2004 April 21 October 25
2005 April 17 November 13
2006 April 21 November 1
2007 May 1 November 15
2008 May 4 November 20
2009 April 30 November 7
2010 April 19 November 11
2011 May 5 November 4
2012 May 4 October 25
2013 May 6 November 5
2014 May 1 November 11
2015 April 20 November 19
2016 April 8 November 17
2017 May 6 November 2
2018 May 5 November 6
2019 April 19 October 29
2020 April 29 October 22
2021 April 22 November 3
2022 April 29 November 8
2023 April 27  

Loon Platform

The Enviroment Advisory Committee (EAC) has set out the loon platforms on the lake over this past weekend. The EAC takes pride in this every year so please make sure to stay clear of the platforms and admire the loons from the distance.

If you have any questions in regards to this please contact the EAC at 
eac@springlakealberta.com


 


site
Version 5.3
Site Map | Login | Powered By: Techweavers Inc.