Water levels at Crescent Lake face fresh uncertainty after the City of Portage la Prairie learned it can no longer pump water from the Assiniboine River due to new provincial rules tied to aquatic invasive species.
City Director of Operations Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin says the change is linked to zebra mussels found in the river and means the city has had to pause a practice that’s been ongoing for nearly a century.
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Pumping crucial during dry summers
A long-standing method to maintain lake levels, pumping water has helped especially during dry summers like this one.
“If we get good rainfalls, then we can get away without pumping,” she adds. “But years like this year especially, where we've had minimal rainfall, the evaporation, especially when it’s hot, the lake tends to get lower as the summer goes on.”
The pause presents concerns for recreation and maintenance, including boat access for weed harvesting and fountain installations.
“The city wouldn’t be able to get any boats out for things like taking out the fountain that we do every year,” Lequier-Jobin says. “Weed harvesting would be a challenge once the lake levels drop too low to get boats in and out.”
Residents’ lake access could be affected
Low water levels could also impact local residents’ ability to enjoy watercraft access.
“Quite a few of them have small watercrafts that they like to use,” she continues.
The city owns pumps and infrastructure ready to resume once provincial approval is granted for alternative methods, but for now, they are working with the government on solutions.
“We are looking for some methods that we might be able to use to get water into the lake, but it’s going to take a bit of time to figure that out,” Lequier-Jobin says.
The city is also awaiting approval to use a mechanical weed harvester as an environmentally safe alternative to herbicides previously banned due to fish habitat regulations.
City hopes rainfall eases the situation
Meanwhile, the city hopes rainfall will help keep lake levels stable during this transition.
“We understand this may be a concern for residents and want to assure you that it is a concern for Council as well,” the city states in a recent update.
Officials promise to keep the public informed as they work through these challenges.
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