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Blue Jay, Vol.53, Issue 3

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Blue Jay, Vol.53, Issue 3 FRANK LAKE — IT’S MORE THAN DUCKS TOM SADLER, 201E Pine Road, Strathmore, AB. TIP 1C1, CLIFF WALLIS, 615 Deercroft Way SE, Calgary, AB. T2J 5V4 and CLEVE WERSHLER, 70 Deerpath Rd. SE, Calgary, AB. T2J 6K8 Wetlands are among the most pro¬ ing landscape have been extensively ductive ecosystems on the planet, modified for decades by human ac¬ and are the most biologically diverse tivities. The Frank Lake area is a of the temperate zone ecosystems. DU/Alberta Prairie Care project site Canadian wetlands support over 300 that has recently been restored and species of birds and 70 species of that has been selected for the imple¬ mammals as well as several species mentation of several projects under of reptiles. Wetlands are also essen¬ the More Than Ducks program. tial for the survival of all our amphibi¬ ans and contain a myriad of inverte¬ History of Frank Lake brates, micro-organisms and native plant life. Because of the importance Frank Lake has had a history of of wetlands and the myriad of threats widely fluctuating water levels that facing them, Ducks Unlimited Can¬ have severely diminished its produc¬ ada’s (DU) projects have focused on tivity. In recent decades, the lake has wetland development and protection. varied in size from over 3,800 acres Many DU projects also incorporate in the 1950s to being completely dry areas of productive upland habitat. In in the 1930s, mid-1940s, and from addition to their importance for wa¬ 1983 to 1989. DU first looked at the terfowl production, both wetland and possibility of diverting water to Frank upland sites are very important for Lake from the Highwood River in conserving a broader range of bio¬ 1946 but the scale of such a project diversity. was beyond its scope at the time. In 1994 DU established a “More In 1952, the Frank Lake basin ex¬ Than Ducks” national committee and perienced flooding during a record directed it to incorporate native plant runoff. The local municipal district materials into Prairie Care projects and the Alberta Government began a and optimize the benefits for a multi¬ drainage program that would have tude of plants and animals that occur drained the entire lake. However, DU in DU and North American Waterfowl stepped in and only the south basin Management Plan wetland and up¬ was partially drained. Flooding oc¬ land developments. curred again in 1975 and a sheet steel weir was constructed to stabi¬ Located near High River in south¬ lize the remaining marsh. A water li¬ western Alberta, the Frank Lake ba¬ cense was issued to Ducks Unlim¬ sin is a provincially significant wet¬ ited. After 1975, water levels in the land.8 When it has had water, it has remaining lake receded owing to a been the most important wetland in lack of runoff and, in 1983, Frank southwestern Alberta for nesting and Lake went dry. staging waterfowl, marsh birds, and shorebirds. The basin and surround¬ In 1988, DU took advantage of an 134 Blue Jay Yellow lavauxia (Oenothers flavaj C. Wallis opportunity to secure a water supply purchased. This allows for the back- for the lake. Cargill Ltd. proposed to flooding of portions of the original build a large meat packing plant near marsh that had been drained and High River. The firm’s plan to con¬ provides for the restoration of upland struct a pipeline northeast to the Bow areas to native grassland species to River to facilitate disposal of the produce cover for wildlife. Seven plant’s tertiary treated waste water hundred acres of back-flood wet¬ met with strong opposition. In May of lands have been added to the 1988 DU was approached by Alberta roughly 2,500 acres of the main Environment to use Frank Lake for Frank Lake basin. Almost 2,000 the disposal of Cargill’s waste water. acres of upland cover are being re¬ DU agreed to this provided they stored. could get additional water to restore the marsh and make the Frank Lake In 1994 DU funded a habitat map¬ complex a viable wetland. Alberta ping program as well as spring, sum¬ Environment agreed to DU’s pro¬ mer and fall surveys of wildlife in¬ posal and additional water supplies cluding vascular plants, amphibians, for Frank Lake were secured from reptiles, birds and mammals. A the Town of High River’s tertiary ef¬ Breeding Bird Survey route and sev¬ fluent and from natural flows in the eral breeding bird transects were es¬ Highwood River. Diversion sched¬ tablished to provide a basis for future ules were designed to eliminate con¬ monitoring, particularly in upland flicts with the Highwood fisheries. habitats. Field studies are continuing in 1995. In 1989, a pipeline was con¬ structed to Frank Lake and DU un¬ Description of the dertook the construction of additional Frank Lake Basin diking as well as water controls to regulate the marsh. Flood-prone The major habitat types of the lands and adjacent uplands were Frank Lake Study Area have been 53(3). September 1995 135 White-faced Ibis C. Wallis broadly classed into four categories: shallow open water in the bays and upland native mixed grasslands; along the shores of the larger basins. meadows and shorelines; wetlands; and human-modified habitats. Grass¬ Associated with these significant lands occur only as small remnants habitats are regionally significant on the surrounding uplands. Lower- concentrations of migrant shorebirds, lying meadows and shorelines occur nesting and migrating waterfowl, and around temporary wetlands and the rare or endangered species. The di¬ permanent water of the larger ba¬ versity of shorebirds is great. Shore- sins. The wetlands include expanses bird species include species that are of open water and extensive bulrush rare in Alberta such as Sharp-tailed marsh and unvegetated shores. Hu¬ Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Red man-modified habitats include crop¬ Phalarope and Dunlin. Black-necked land, planted cover and previously Stilts have nested in recent years. cultivated wetlands. To date, 177 Frank Lake provides an important vascular plant species (147 of which staging area in spring and fall for are native), two amphibian species, Trumpeter Swans — as many as 70 168 bird species, and 13 species of have been noted during migration. mammals have been recorded in the Up to 20 White-faced Ibis have been Frank Lake project area. The most observed and the species may nest. environmentally significant habitats Some rare plant species have also have been identified and mapped. been recorded. These include: all remnant patches of upland native mixed grassland; a The most significant plant and ani¬ productive shoreline complex on the mal species are: largest peninsula in the largest lake basin; an extensive bulrush marsh in • 9 prairie bird species considered the largest lake basin; and diverse to be of high priority for the North wetland vegetation, shorelines and American Waterfowl Management 136 Blue Jay R28 R27 W4m Calgary .*— -—m. * \o V IT • 0 7" " / H 0 ° c\ / n a O r-i <1 ¥ . _ a N K / \ Ca □ r, ° rgill n Frank : \Pi[ seline o Lake 0 O a IMIJ 0 r ^ V. IIWY23 a Q 0 rO r> A Oi K a G L« r \ i 1T V ' CD >rv - j • • ?*: ti. / o c>\ Basin 1 a | r( ;gT; A- '■ Powerline / d •SC— o 0 oW Ci as a "q (? - n. £3 .Basin O r> D <3 r )D Q V, Basin 3 G> * a Q Ducks Unlimited Canada 6 *7 ^ Q o Noftti Am»rtcon Waterfowl ;---I 2- Management Plan 0 Q O *N Multi-Species Plan _ — Dam/Dyke Shelterbelt ^ Amphibian Scrape Control Goose Nesting Rock Island S-' Reptile Rocks Ditch/Canal 'tf Owl Burrow J" Raptor Pole Figure 1. Frank Lake basin, southwestern Alberta. Plan; 4 vulnerable, 5 threatened these, Piping Plover, Loggerhead and 1 endangered species as de¬ Shrike and Burrowing Owl have fined by COSEWIC; and 8 species not been sighted in recent years. (5 Red-listed and 3 Blue-listed) of concern in Alberta (Piping Plover, 19 regionally or provincial^ rare Baird’s Sparrow, Trumpeter Swan, bird species.6,7 Burrowing Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Upland Sandpiper, Loggerhead 1 provincially and 3 nationally rare Shrike, Ferruginous Hawk, Short¬ plants, including a COSEWIC threat¬ eared Owl, Long-billed Curlew, ened species (western blue flag American White Pelican, Bald (Iris missouriensis), yellow lavauxia Eagle, Prairie Falcon).1,2,5 Of (Oenothera flava), blunt-fruited 53(3). September 1995 137 yellow cress (Rorippa truncata) Franklin’s Gulls that has reestab¬ and slender yellow cress (Rorippa lished itself there. Protection of tem¬ tenerrima))2' 4 porary wetlands and gradual draw¬ downs of some basins will be used Management to maintain the full range of marsh vegetation, rare plants and feeding Although regional populations of habitats for water birds, marsh birds, many native plants and animals have and shorebirds. Portions of the wet¬ been significantly reduced or elimi¬ lands will be shallowly back-flooded nated, DU’s Frank Lake project pro¬ to provide habitat for waterfowl and vides high quality habitat for a variety migrant shorebirds. of native wildlife. It also offers an op¬ portunity to restore several degraded Grasslands will be managed and habitats. In the past, many wildlife restored to provide suitable condi¬ enhancement projects have focused tions for native grassland plants, on one or a few species or species’ birds and mammals. Waterfowl pro¬ groups. The challenge at Frank Lake duction will be maximized through is to institute an ecologically based maintenance of lush upland nest management plan that will maintain cover, particularly in important nest¬ the range of natural habitat variabil¬ ing areas adjacent to wetlands. This ity. Management must not only pro¬ dense cover will also support spe¬ cies like Baird’s Sparrow.
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