Winter LakeKeepers

The Battle River Watershed Alliance collecting samples at Battle Lake, 2021.

Winter LakeKeepers allows volunteers to independently monitor lakes or reservoirs for parameters important for understanding lake ecology and health in the winter. The program is well suited to volunteers who ice fish on their favorite lake, but anyone can participate.

Training manuals and monitoring equipment are sent to Winter LakeKeepers volunteers to collect data from lakes or reservoirs. Two different protocols can be followed: a base-level protocol is designed to allow for more time to deliver samples back to ALMS, and an enhanced protocol is designed to collect additional samples that require delivery back to ALMS more quickly.

Samples are delivered back to the Alberta Lake Management Society office in Edmonton for analysis and reporting. Samples may be shipped to the office, or hand delivered. Once the samples are analyzed, all of the data and field sheet information is uploaded to the Gordon Foundation’s DataStream water quality data portal, and then compiled into a report for each season.

Visit Alberta Lake Management Society's Winter LakeKeepers webpage for all the details. If you would like to volunteer with Winter LakeKeepers, contact ALMS at programs@alms.ca or 780-702-2567.