Lacombe County is taking the lead on a management plan for Lacombe Lake.
A management plan was "strongly supported" as part of an appeal decision linked to an earlier Alberta Water Act approval of Town of Blackfalds's northwest area stormwater management system. The North West Storm Water Management Plan designed to open up a quarter section to new development was proposed in 2016 and approved in 2020 by Alberta Environment and Parks.
An appeal launched by lake property owners was rejected the Alberta Environment Appeals Board in a December 2023 decision.
Construction is expected to start on the stormwater project in July with completion about a year later. The project would use wetlands, detention ponds and a pipeline to Lacombe Lake to manage stormwater and allow the development of about 1,200 acres in the northwest end of Blackfalds.
The approval requires a management plan be developed in co-operation with Lacombe County, Lacome Lake Water Stewardship Society and other local stakeholders, as well as Alberta Environment and Protected Places.
Since much of the land involved is in the county, it is recommended that municipality act as managing partner and apply for an Alberta Municipal Affairs grant to cover the $200,000 estimated study cost. City of Lacombe will also have input into the plan.
A report to county council last week, said the shallow three-km long and 500-metre wide lake is a habitat for a variety of wildlife, including nesting shorebirds and waterfowl, and serves as a stopover for migrating birds such as trumpeter swans.
"Locally, the lake is cherished as a hidden gem for quiet paddling and is home to the Central Alberta Rowing Club," says the report from county planning services manager Cajun Paradis.
A lake management plan will assess the lake's condition, study how it functions and identify any local concerns that need to be addressed, while setting objectives and necessary actions and identifying how they will be achieved and funded.
"Lake management planning is a strategic process that is intended to help lake stewards develop and implement actions to maintain or improve lake ecosystems," the report says.
"This includes managing human activities on land that may impact aspects of lake water quality and quantity and also the associated fish, vegetative and wildlife communities."
