Bonnie Lake Sustainability Association Promotes Community Action in Watershed and Lakeshore Management

They agreed to form the Bonnie Lake Sustainability Association (BLSA). "The group identified some common goals and potential activities, and applied for funding under the Community Riparian Program," explains Delaney Anderson, Conservation Technologist with Smoky Lake and St. Paul Counties. Their goals are focused on education and awareness. "They received the funding and were able to move forward on several activities."


Photo credit: Delaney Anderson


Lake Awareness Day at Bonnie Lake
Photo credit: Delaney Anderson

The motto of BLSA is STEAM - Sustainability Through Education, Awareness and Management. "They want stakeholders around the lake to develop an understanding of what riparian areas are, their importance and how everyone affects water quality," says Anderson. "There are cumulative effect issues, it's not just about point source issues." A number of community meetings were held to help people understand the different aspects of the lake. The community includes local agriculture producers, permanent and semi-permanent cottage owners, other residents and the town of Vilna who rely on the lake for their water.

BLSA established a demonstration site of lakeshore fencing to prevent cattle from directly accessing the lake, and installation of alternative watering systems. They put up signage to make people more aware of the sensitivity of the riparian areas, with a particular focus on alleviating ATV traffic. They've also held a Healthy Lake Day with speakers and various activities along the shoreline. Staff from the Cows and Fish Program have done riparian health assessments and held riparian workshops. BLSA has made presentations to the Vilna school classes, setup trade show booths at local area tradeshows and have published a newsletter.

Together with the Alberta Lake Management Society, BLSA conducted a water sampling project over four months last summer. "We're waiting for the report that will tell us the status of Bonnie Lake in terms of dissolved oxygen, nutrients and other indicators of lake health," explains Anderson. "We would like to continue the monitoring that has been started, but it is costly and we are looking for funding." Blake Mills of the Alberta Conservation Association also flew the shoreline with his ultra light, and provided a video to BLSA. This will help the group establish a benchmark by which they can monitor changes along the shoreline.

"BLSA has lots of things to move forward on, including water, riparian and shoreline data, now it's a matter of deciding where to go from here," says Anderson. They want to focus on extending information and are developing information packages for new cottage owners, agriculture producers and other residents. They are hoping some of their activities will have a regional influence because they believe they could have a positive impact on stakeholders from other lakes in the area. Anderson adds, that she tries to get coverage in the local paper when they have activities, which usually results in calls or emails from others at different lakes with similar concerns.

"One of the key things I've learned from working with BLSA is the importance of involving all of the stakeholders from the start," notes Anderson. "Although my role is to deal primarily with agriculture producers, it's important to include everyone at the beginning so one group doesn't feel like they are being singled out. Everybody has a different perspective of what the impacts on a lake may be, and that's where the community focus and education comes in to play. If you give everyone the same information, the better chance you have of people maintaining a level playing field and establishing common goals."

For more information, contact:
Delaney Anderson.