Water levels at Lake Diefenbaker are lower than normal this summer, but not to a significant extent, according to the Water Security Agency.
The elevation of the lake is 553.51 metres, which is below the typical operating range due to low inflows so far in 2025.
“Our users will be satisfied this year and we don’t have significant concerns with that. There are some areas that are impacted more on the recreational side — for boat launches or a couple of beach areas — but, for the most part, there are no significant concerns. We are still in the operating range, albeit on the lower end,” said Patrick Boyle, executive director of communications and client services with the Water Security Agency.
Boyle said about 80 per cent of Lake Diefenbaker’s water comes from the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, fed by the winter snowpack that melts and runs off into the lake and river systems.
This year’s snowpack was well below normal in what has been described as a “snow drought,” meaning the runoff was also well below average.
However, the Water Security Agency had anticipated this and took steps to mitigate the impact.
“We did have a pretty conservative approach and kept the reservoir significantly higher over the winter just to try to account for some of the differences. We were able to mitigate some of those impacts,” Boyle said.
He added that the region also saw little rainfall in the Alberta foothills this spring, further impacting water levels.
As for Buffalo Pound Lake, Boyle said that body of water is fully regulated and remains fairly consistent in level.
“It’s in pretty good shape, so no issues there as far as water levels go,” he said.
Buffalo Pound Lake’s elevation is currently 509.54 metres, which Boyle said is about nine centimetres above the summer operating level of 509.45 metres.