Government Cuts ALMS Operational Funding
This summer, ALMS was disappointed to learn that the provincial government will cut operational funding for 2016. While ALMS is grateful for the support of our monitoring program, the operational funding a
llows ALMS to maintain full-time staff and leverage for our important monitoring, education, and policy initiatives.
Despite this set-back in our 25th anniversary year, ALMS will continue to monitor our province's biodiversity through our award winning LakeWatch Program, empower environmental stewards with tools such as our new Aquatic Plant Field Guide, provide education through conferences such as the upcoming NALMS Symposium, and to influence policy through our involvement on the Alberta Water Council.
If you value the programming provided by ALMS, you may show us your support by contacting the Environment Minister at:
Hon. Shannon Phillips
402 - 8 Street South
Lethbridge, AB
T1J 2J7
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2016 ALMS Scholarship Recipient: Laura Redmond!
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We are delighted to introduce you to our 2016 Schola
rship Recipient:
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2016 Scholarship Recipient: Laura Redmond |
Laura Redmond.
Laura is a Master's of Science student at the University of Alberta. There, she studies the relationship between alpine lakes and climate change. Alpine lakes may act as important early-indicators of climate change, but how capable are plankton at adapting to these changes? Can plankton resiliency help us to identify susceptible lake systems? Will understanding plankton adaptations help us better predict climate impacts to other levels of the food chain? These are all questions Laura will be exploring and we are proud to support her in her research!
Laura will be presenting her research at our fall annual general meeting, so stay posted to our newsletter for the date and time!
Congratulations, Laura! |
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New Tools for Exploring Alberta Lakes:
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While the Atlas of Alberta Lakes website is down, you can try the new ALMS Interactive Map! This new tool will allow you to quickly find nearly 100 lakes and their water quality data! Find the lake on the map and select the year to visualize the LakeWatch report, or expand the photograph for a quick guide to the lake's location, trophic status, depth, and access!
And, if lake levels are what you are after, try the Province's new Alberta River Basins website for all your water quantity data needs!
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| LakeWatch Interactive Map |
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Community Based Water Quality Monitoring Survey:
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'This survey was created in a partnership between Living Lakes Canada, Simon Fraser University, and Acadia University and is a collaborative effort of individuals and organizations working to protect freshwater. The purpose of this survey is to address the current lack of information available about water monitoring programs across the country. In doing so, we hope to learn how many monitoring programs are currently running, where these programs are located, what they are testing for, how they are funded, and what can be done to ensure data is used effectively to improve local water quality and source water protection.
The results will help provide a national scan of water monitoring activities, which has the potential to raise the profile of the significance of this work while also revealing key lessons and opportunities to better support community-based monitoring.
Please join in our collective efforts to help improve community-based water monitoring by taking 10-15 minutes to fill out the following survey.'
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Summer Blue-Green Algae Advisories and Safety:
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Alberta Health Services (AHS) has posted many blue-green algae advisories at lakes across the province. These advisories are important reminders of the health risk blue-green algae present. Blue-green algae can cause skin irritation and produce potent toxins including Microcystins. AHS recommends avoiding contact with blue-green algae and avoiding recreation where blue-green algae is visible.
Currently, blue-green algae advisories are in place for:
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Cyanobacteria Bloom, 2011 |
Winagami Lake
- Calling Lake
- Moose Lake
- Lac la Biche
- Garner Lake
- Mons Lake
- Lessard Lake
- Baptiste Lake
- Lac Ste. Anne
- Lac la Nonne
- Isle Lake
- Stoney Lake
- Bonnie Lake
- Wizard Lake
- Jackfish Lake
- Isle Lake
- Hastings Lake
- Half Moon Lake
- Hasse Lake
- Magee Lake
- Alix Lake
- Clear Lake (Wainwright)
- Clear Lake (Calgary)
- Pine Coulee Reservoir
- Twin Valley Reservoir
- Eagle Lake
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NALMS Registration NOW OPEN!
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ALMS is seeking volunteers with boats to assist with an aquatic invasive plant survey at
Buffalo Lake! Contact Brad for more details at 780-415-9785 or programs@alms.ca
