Spring Lake's Environment

Our Environmental Bylaws:

To read these bylaws, click the button to go to the Bylaws Page.

• Bylaw #399 - Restricted Use of Fertilizers, Herbicides and Pesticides Bylaw
• Bylaw #398 - Amendment to Municipal Development Plan Bylaw #390

Water Wells That Last - A Guide for Private Well Owners in Alberta
Brought to you by the EAC:

Groundwater is a priceless resource lying beneath most of Alberta’s land surface. About 90 percent of rural Albertans rely on groundwater for a household water supply. Reliance on groundwater continues to increase in Alberta because of the steady rise in population and additional requirements for agricultural, industrial, municipal and domestic uses. Because it is a “hidden” resource, groundwater is vulnerable to overuse and water quality degradation.

Private water well owners are responsible for managing and maintaining their water wells. This publication provides information about how to properly manage private water wells which is key to protecting groundwater supplies.

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributors of this current and previous editions of this publication representing Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Alberta Environment and Parks, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, and the Alberta Water Well Drilling Association. We also acknowledge the following sources of information used in the preparation of this publication: Driscoll, F.G., Groundwater & Wells, and Mance, E., A Landowner’s Guide to Water Well Management.

**Photographs used in this publication were provided by Government of Alberta staff unless otherwise noted.

Focus On Composting
For more information from Spring Lake's Environmental Advisory Committee, go to the EAC webpages.

Last update: April, 2006.

Focus On Composting is published by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development under Crown Copyright. This material may be freely copied for educational use provided the source is acknowledged.

For more information or to order additional copies, please contact:
Alberta ESRD - Information Centre
Main Floor, Great West Life
9920-108 St NW,
Edmonton AB T5K 2M4

Are You Ruining The Lakes With Lawn Fertilizer?

Lawn fertilizer may be useful to make your lawn green and healthy, but what impact does it have on the fish and fowl that live in the lakes near us?  Does fertilizing my lawn affect the health of lakes and streams near me? Is there a way to have a healthy green lawn without affecting the lake health?

What Does Fertilizer Do To A Lake?
Fertilizers often affect the ecosystem in the lake negatively.  Phosphorus runoff is the biggest issue.  This chemical, directly and indirectly, harms fish.
          • The smell of fertilizer overpowers the other scents in the water. Fish can no longer use their sense of smell as a homing device because of the masking effect of grass fertilizer.
          • It harms organisms that serve as food for fish.
          • It can make it more difficult for fish to reproduce.  Studies have shown that chemicals negatively impact salmon reproduction and their ability to avoid predators.
          • Phosphorus in fertilizers stimulate growth; it’s generally used to stimulate growth in new lawns. Phosphorus in water has the same effect; it encourages algae growth. Algae releases toxins that are harmful to fish if released in large doses – which usually happens during algae blooms.
          • Algae require oxygen; algae explosions may deprive the water of oxygen fish need for survival.

What Can I Do To Minimize Damage?
You can take steps to minimize your impact on waterways.Clean the area around the lawn after you’ve mowed or fertilized. The fertilizer and grass clippings on the driveway, sidewalk, and on the road washes into the lake via the stormwater.

1. If your property is on the lake, create a buffer zone between the water and the lawn. It’s a 6-8-foot area where you don’t fertilize or mow the lawn. Not only will this help with chemical pollutants, but it’ll also keep geese at bay too.
   Without a buffer zone, geese use the yard as their feeding ground, landing pad, and litter box.  By allowing habitat plants to grow in the buffer zone, geese won’t defile the lake AND provide a sponge for lawn fertilizer nutrients.

2. Only fertilize when the lawn needs it. The grass absorbs the nutrients, and there’s no excess to pollute the lake.

3. Fertilizer at the right time. Too much nitrogen too early in the growing season leads to a shallow root system that cannot hold the nutrients; nutrients are easily washed away.

4. Use the right N-P-K ratio of fertilizer. An established lawn seldom needs phosphorus except in Fall or if the soil lacks the nutrient. Apply fertilizers with little or no phosphorus content. New grass seedlings need phosphorus; avoid overfertilizing to prevent pollution.

5. Test the soil to see what it lacks before fertilizing. The earth may have enough nutrients and lawn fertilizer may not be necessary.

Do All Lawn Fertilizers Hurt Waterways?

TOO MUCH FERTILIZER WILL HURT A LAKE.  
Organic fertilizers are slow-releasing fertilizers made from natural ingredients. Grass and plants absorb and utilize nutrients better when released slowly. It’s easier to overfertilize with a synthetic fertilizer than a slow-releasing fertilizer.

The N-P-K ratios on fertilizer bags vary. It’s generally safer to use fertilizers that contain low or zero phosphorus (P). Synthetic fertilizers high in phosphorus may hurt the waterways if the plants don’t completely absorb the phosphorus. Nitrogen is water soluble. Excess nitrogen seeps into the groundwater that flows eventually into the waterways. Slow releasing fertilizers will release nitrogen over time stimulating leaf growth.

Apply lawn fertilizer when the lawn needs it and, in the ratio, required. We tend to overfertilize our yards because of the desire to have a lush, green natural carpet to walk on. This really isn’t how it works in nature. Natural fertilizers could be the safer option when living close to a waterway.

Let your grass grow longer.  Keeping grass at a higher length will help to reduce the need for watering and fertilizer.  Use the best lawn mower you can for your yard.  Reel mowers do less damage to your grass than traditional or zero turn mowers.

Website Source: Backyard Workshop

Spring Lake Biophysical Assessment

This Professional Report was prepared by CPP Environmental. The quality of the information, conclusions, and any estimates are based on information available at the time of the preparation of the report.

SunHills Solar Project Newsletter
January 23, 2023

TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta”) is proposing to construct the 130-megawatt (MW) SunHills Solar Project (“SunHills” or “the Project”), located over one kilometer from the south side of Wabamun Lake, on lands included within the Highvale Mine site in Parkland County. The mine closed in 2021 and is currently being reclaimed. Once the Project is operational, it is expected to generate approximately 247 gigawatt hours of electricity in the first year.

Check out TransAlta's website by clicking HERE.

Read the FULL TransAlta Newsletter by clicking the link below:

Eutrophication (Nutrient Pollution)
Brought to you by the EAC:

Did you know?
Spring Lake is known as a ‘seepage lake’ and lakes such as ours are typical in this area. These bodies of water have no surface water inflows or outflows. Most water comes from groundwater flow; springs in our case. Spring Lake, like many lakes in Alberta, is what is called a ‘eutrophic lake’. Lakes become eutrophic in a natural process as the lake ages and becomes more productive. This normally takes thousands of years to occur. We as humans, through our various cultural activities have greatly accelerated the eutrophication process in thousands of lakes around the world.

Read the PDF attached for the complete article on Eutrophication in Spring Lake.

Consequences of NOT Cleaning Up Dog Waste

• Beyond the mess and the smell, it’s potentially infectious to other animals and to humans.
• Waste left to wash into the soil, whether in a neighbourhood, trail or dog park, can spread life threatening parasites, not to other dogs and cats, but also to wild animals and to people.
• Signs that remind you to pick up after your pet are not just trying to keep public spaces clean; they’re urging you to help safeguard your community’s health.
• Common dog waste parasites include hookworms, roundworms, coccidia and whipworms. Hookworms and roundworms can thrive in a variety of species, including humans.
• Beyond parasites, unattended droppings may also be contaminated with viruses that can create life-threatening disease in other animals, domesticated and wild.

Key points to remember to avoid parasites and minimize the impact on our ecosystem:

• Pick waste up and safely throw it out regardless of where your pet poops. Sanitize your hands afterwards.
• Wash your hands before eating or touching your face while gardening or working in the yard.
• Avoid rinsing poop into the soil. Using rain or a garden hose only removes the visible mess, not the microscopic issues.
• Make sure sandboxes are covered when not in use.
• Keep your pets on intestinal de-worming schedules.
• Have your vet test your pet’s waste for intestinal parasites.