Crescent Lake is showing signs of recovery after a summer of low water levels and weed overgrowth, city officials say.
Recent rainfall combined with a trial weed-harvesting program has helped restore the lake’s appearance and ecological balance.
Weed harvesting trial sees promising results
Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin, Director of Operations for the City of Portage, notes, “Starting on Monday last week, we had a contractor come out that was doing weed harvesting. Some of the weeds had already sunk down to the bottom, so they were just hitting the worst spots, basically. They were able to pull out quite a bit, even though it wasn't that visible. Then when we got the big rain on Tuesday, the water came up about 6 inches. A lot of the weeds were not even visible. It made it a little bit harder for the contractor, but it sure makes the lake look nicer with a little bit of extra water.”
Lequier-Jobin notes the weed harvesting took place over four days.
We were doing it as a trial, to decide whether what we want to do next year. We could possibly hire them again, but we're looking at all of our options to make sure that we have a good system that's going to work for us in the future.”
The mechanical weed harvester, a boat equipped with cutting blades and a scoop, removes excess plant growth from the lake. Unlike dredging, which disturbs sediment at the bottom, the harvester allows the city to cut and remove weeds efficiently, helping reduce nutrients that fuel algae blooms.
Heavy rainfall restores lake to optimal levels
The recent rainstorm raised Crescent Lake’s water level by approximately six inches, bringing it up to the city’s preferred operating range.
"That rain brought it up to basically the top of our operating level that we like to have. We have as much water in the lake as we'd like to have. We do have a weir that we operate to make sure that it doesn't get too high. We're in good shape for next year.”
Related stories:
- City cleanup continues after heavy Portage rainfall
- Portage's Crescent Lake finally looks better, and here's why
This increase means the city no longer needs to pump water from the Assiniboine River, a practice limited by provincial regulations earlier in the summer. The combination of rain and the harvester trial is helping maintain both water clarity and the visual appeal of the lake.
Weed removal benefits local farms
The weeds collected from Crescent Lake are being repurposed for agricultural use.
"They're being used by a farmer for soil amendment. They have lots of nutrients in them, so they make quite a good fertilizer.”
By returning nutrients to local farmland, the city supports both the surrounding ecosystem and regional agriculture, while limiting future weed and algae growth in the lake.
- with files from Tylor Baer
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.