purposes. research and informational for provided is It date. FOR FOR of out P P otherwise be ROPERTIES ROPERTIES Changing the Way We Look We Changing theWay C C may at OwningLakefront S S Property inAlberta ARING ARING content HORELINE HORELINE the or resource recent more a by replaced been has item This ARCHIVED. This booklet was produced in coopera- Principal author: Pat Valastin, tion with the County of St. Paul; the Alberta Conservation Association, purposes. Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay; the Edmonton, Alberta. Public Lands Branch of Alberta Concept and principal editor: R. Wayne Agriculture, Food, and Rural Nelson, Fisheries and Wildlife Management Development; the Water Management research Division, St. Paul, Alberta. Division and the Fisheries and Wildlife and Management Division of Alberta Project manager: David Park, Environmental Protection; and the Alberta Conservation Association, Alberta Conservation Association. Edmonton, Alberta. Concepts and conclusions have been Line Drawings: Terry McCue. freely borrowed from the earlier publica- informational tions listed in the References section. Design: John Luckhurst / GDL for Much of the material found in the many Photographs: John Luckhurst, lists throughout this booklet have been David Park and Pat Valastin taken from referenced material, particu- larly from publications by Alberta provided is Environmental Protection and the It Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy. The author would like to date. acknowledge the Ontario Ministry of Published by: of Environment and Energy’s very excellent Alberta Conservation Association Environmental Living: Protecting the out P.O. BOX 40027 Environment series. Volume 4 - At the Baker Centre Postal Outlet Cottage, was a valuable source of infor- Edmonton, AB T5J 4M9 mation for many of the issues dealt with 1-877-969-9091 otherwise in this booklet, particularly the chapter Charitable Registration Number be on aquatic plants. 88994 6141 RR0001 Many individuals have contributed to may this project. Especially important contri- and butions were made by Alfred Jackson (S. Fisheries and Wildlife Management Division V. Of Horseshoe Bay); Ken Yettaw and Natural Resources Service content Darlene Smereka (Cty. of St. Paul); Alberta Environmental Protection the David Park, Blake Mills, and Natalie Main Floor, Provincial Building or Cook (ACA); Dave Ealey (Comm. AEP); #416, 5025 - 49 Avenue Gerry Haekel, Allan Hare, and Jim St. Paul, Alberta Lindquist (PL-AAFRD); Larry Kuchmak T0A 3A4 AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND (WMD-AEP); Hugh Norris (NRS- RURAL DEVELOPMENT resource Public Lands AEP); and Terry McCue. 1999 recent The concepts, recommendations, more and requirements in this booklet a are strongly supported by: by replaced been has item This ARCHIVED. C ARING FOR S HORELINE P ROPERTIES purposes. Caring for research Shoreline Properties and Changing the Way We Look at Owning Lakefront Property in Alberta informational for provided is It date. of out otherwise CONTENTS: be INTRODUCTION ANATOMY OF THE SHORELINE SHORELINE ALTERATIONS may The aim of this booklet is to promote The shoreline includes the riparian The value of shoreline buffer strips, the preservation and restoration of and littoral zones. Definitions of the consequences of buffer removal, the natural state of Alberta’s lakes bank, shore, and bed, who owns methods of protecting the buffer, content and shorelands, while maintaining them, and how to find them. and the need for permits to make the the value of lakefront properties. changes to shoreline areas. or YOU NEED A PERMIT! LAKES UNDER PRESSURE Permits are needed before working ON YOUR LOT Increased lakefront disturbance is on the bed, shore, bank, or environ- On-lot activities that hurt the lake, resource damaging sensitive shorelines. mental reserve, who to obtain them and numerous ways to minimize from, why, and what if you don’t. that harm. THE LIFE CYCLE OF ALBERTA LAKES recent Types of lakes, how lakes age, and the WEEDS! EROSION more human contribution to the aging of Types of aquatic plants, and their Methods for controlling shoreline a lakes. value to fish, to wildlife, and to erosion through natural means, or by erosion protection. What human with structural or non-structural WE ARE NOT ALONE actions encourage growth of plants, repairs. The shoreline is home to a rich and how to minimize them. replaced variety of life forms, both on land Methods and allowed limits of FINAL NOTES and in water. Our individual efforts aquatic vegetation removal, and Considerations if buying a lakeside been to urbanize our lot and lakefront may methods for restoring shoreline cottage. Living with nature, and has seem small, but with our neighbours vegetation for erosion control and other ways to make a difference at doing the same, the damage to the habitat improvement. the lake. item environment adds up. This ARCHIVED. C ARING FOR S HORELINE P ROPERTIES – 1 purposes. Introduction research and informational aving a cottage at the property lost to shoreline for Hlake has certainly erosion, Bob and Jane con- changed over the years. ceded victory to nature. Today there are many people Bob and Jane saw the provided living along side lakes, the error of their ways, and the is It ecological balance has been Cook family’s lakefront prop- disrupted at many lakes, and erty has now become a date. at some lakes, fish popula- restoration project. Their of tions are reaching critical lawn was made smaller and out lows. Biologists are very separated from the shoreline concerned, as are many cottage by a buffer strip of vegetation. owners, and governments are start- wenty years ago, Bob and Jane Dogwood, willows, bulrushes, and ing to take lakeshore issues very Cook bought their dream cot- cattails (plants native to their lake) otherwise T seriously. As a result, the laws tage on Antler Lake. In time, this were planted to “naturalize” and be regarding fish habitat and environ- cottage became their permanent hold together the shoreline. By may mental reserves are being closely year-round home. Like their neigh- planting, and by letting the aquatic examined, and more rigorously bours around them, they set out to vegetation grow, they hope to enforced. transform the land upon which their restore their lakefront to a relatively content This booklet describes manage- cottage sat into the perfect lakefront stable, natural state, one that is the ment practices that can be adopted lot. They started to “clean up.” They resistant to the forces of wind and or on lakeshore properties to help pro- cut down willows, brought in fill, water, and home once again to tect the shoreline and preserve the and planted grass down to the water. wildlife and fish. Their eroding water quality of the lake. It will also They picked all the rocks from the property value will also be stabilized resource include ways of restoring damaged sandy lake bottom, and they pulled and enhanced by this work. After shorelines to their natural state. In out all the bulrushes and aquatic much expense and hard work, finally, most cases, the best management for plants. They worked hard. Twenty the Cook family may be able to recent shorelands involves retaining the years later, with three meters of really enjoy living by the lake. natural characteristics of your prop- more a erty. Maintaining a healthy water- by front is far less costly than trying to fix a disturbed system, and the bene- fits are far greater. Repairing shore- replaced line damage can be costly, and diffi- cult, if not impossible to achieve been fully. This booklet is a guide to mak- has ing sound choices that will benefit both you and the lake you enjoy. item This ARCHIVED. 2– C ARING FOR S HORELINE P ROPERTIES purposes. Lakes Under Pressure research and informational t many Alberta lakes, TIMES HAVE CHANGED for Athere are a growing The area of land that drains number of lakefront toward a lake is called its cottages and residential watershed. We all live in a provided developments. There is particular watershed, and our is It also a definite trend activities affect other people toward year-round lake- and other species within it, just date. front living. People are as their activities affect us. Over of putting unprecedented pressure on long periods of time, a waterfront out lakes and their shorelines. Shorelines water quality and the lives of many environment will develop a natural can be altered in many ways. Some species of fish and wildlife. These “balance” due to interactions among cottage owners have created sandy adverse effects can be minimized water, land, vegetation, and wildlife. beaches; others have built retaining when we practise stewardship as we This delicate equilibrium can be eas- otherwise walls, and still others have lawns enjoy lakefront property and partici- ily disrupted when humans rearrange be down to the water. Unfortunately, pate in outdoor activities. the lakefront area, or when any of may when people alter the shoreline, it Stewardship implies responsibility the components are destroyed. often becomes difficult for plants and obliges us to understand that If we do not stop our damaging and animals to survive there. what we do on the land and in the activities at the lakefront, and help content water affects the lake and our enjoy- restore natural shorelines, the quality the OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE LAKE ment of it. Our responsibility of our lakes will continue to deterio- or Most people buy lakefront property, extends not just to our human neigh- rate. We need to change the way we or visit Alberta’s lakes, to enjoy the bours, but also to all the plants and look at lakeside properties. Rather natural scenic beauty and to take animals for which the lake is home, than seeing shoreland as something resource part in recreational activities. When and whose presence enhances the to be “cleaned up,” something to we focus on the waterfront, however, quality and enjoyment of our time “civilize,” we need to respect and our activities can adversely affect spent at the lake.