Future of North Buck

[HowSwedeItIs]

Made my way out to NB last fall and it seemed like the beach had doubled in size from how I remember it- can't imagine this year will be any wetter than what its been, how long until its just a big mud hole?

[Brandonkop]

Made my way out to NB last fall and it seemed like the beach had doubled in size from how I remember it- can't imagine this year will be any wetter than what its been, how long until its just a big mud hole?

Nothing different than many lakes North east of the city. Water levels are all dropping. I think it's the oil company's fracking and water use. Sad state of affairs. They've depleted the ground water. Wish we could stop it, but apparently that's not going to happen. I don't see how fracking is still allowed though.

[HowSwedeItIs]

Man that's a real shame, seems like there's quite a community around the place

[Weedy1]

I sold my lot out there years ago expecting exactly this situation. Great area and very nice lake, too bad...

[Isopod]

If fracking plays a role, it's a minor one. All lakes without a good inflow stream have been declining in Alberta for at least 100 years. Beaverhill Lake, once about 200 sq. km, is now essentially gone. It is now called "Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangeland Natural Area" because it is grass now instead of water. Take a look at Miquelon Lake over the past century. In 1904 the 3 lakes were connected as one big lake. Here's a map of the change in Miquelon from 1914 to 2003. And below that I've included a photo of what the middle of those 3 lakes looked like last fall. All kinds of other lakes are heading the same way... Cooking Lake, Hastings Lake, Sandy Lake, and probably North Buck too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2016/Oct815HistoricalLakeLevels2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2015/Oct815DryMiquelonLkTwo2f.jpg

[crblair]

I've grown up going to this lake. Just a beautiful place in the summer. Water level definitely dropped the last 10yrs. It never was a deep lake and the walleye suffered because of it. Always was a great perch lake. Good for the little ones with non-stop action for small pike too. Many good days spent there

[Kim473]

I believe the oil drilling in general is the most of the cause of water levels in lakes dropping. Not putting the blam on fracking alone. I think because they can drill deeper than ever before, they drill through the aqua reservores down and into a hole deeper than the aqua ducts. If this is a empty hole / no oil in it then the water from all sources above it slowly drains down to fill the empty hole as they have now peirced the bedrock with thier drill.

Most areas north of red deer need a couple 100 year record rainy/snowy, wet years in a row to make up for lost water in the lakes we have today.

[snowman160]

If fracking plays a role, it's a minor one. All lakes without a good inflow stream have been declining in Alberta for at least 100 years. Beaverhill Lake, once about 200 sq. km, is now essentially gone. It is now called "Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangeland Natural Area" because it is grass now instead of water. Take a look at Miquelon Lake over the past century. In 1904 the 3 lakes were connected as one big lake. Here's a map of the change in Miquelon from 1914 to 2003. And below that I've included a photo of what the middle of those 3 lakes looked like last fall. All kinds of other lakes are heading the same way... Cooking Lake, Hastings Lake, Sandy Lake, and probably North Buck too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2016/Oct815HistoricalLakeLevels2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2015/Oct815DryMiquelonLkTwo2f.jpg

Ive hunted waterfowl around Tofeild for many yrs an once talked a to a landowner just north of Lamont.family farm for over 120 yrs.he told me his great grandfather had settled there in the late 1800's an beaverhill lake was dry.kinda interesting I thought.

[hippietrekker]

It is definitely sad to see the water levels dropping. I went to North Buck several times this past summer and into the fall - water is certainly down from what I remember as a youngster. They had blue green algae this summer too, which is unfortunate.

In term of fishing, lots of small pike but no luck with much else - caught a few larger pike.

The dropping water levels in numerous lakes is of significant concern to me. However, I do not think we can simply point to one thing as 'The Problem', it is no doubt multiple factors which create these larger issues. I do find it a little unfortunate though that in Alberta industry seems to trump the environment every time. Who are we kidding, that is not just an Alberta thing. It is sad to say but I feel such despair when thinking of the future of our waters.

[Bushrat]

Couldn't have anything to do with the lack of rain and snow for the last 15 years or so.

[mac1983]

We have been fracking as long as we have been drilling for gas and oil. So if we ban fracking we are in essence banning drilling for oil and gas, what's next.
Would like to know if there is intensive fracking in those areas buck, beaverhill, miquelon or any of those central lakes that have been going dry for a hundred years. I have been around in the areas where they are fracking and using fresh water, west of fox creek in the duvernay, in the montney around gp and dowson creek, and yes they use a lot of water and have not seen them sucking lakes dry, could be wrong though like to see some evidence before all the uneducated about the oil industry get more disinformation.

[Pikebreath]

We have been fracking as long as we have been drilling for gas and oil. So if we ban fracking we are in essence banning drilling for oil and gas, what's next.
Would like to know if there is intensive fracking in those areas buck, beaverhill, miquelon or any of those central lakes that have been going dry for a hundred years. I have been around in the areas where they are fracking and using fresh water, west of fox creek in the duvernay, in the montney around gp and dowson creek, and yes they use a lot of water and have not seen them sucking lakes dry, could be wrong though like to see some evidence before all the uneducated about the oil industry get more disinformation.

Some oil & gas activity in the Beaverhill / Miquelon area but not that much in comparison to a lot of other areas in this province.

Last 40 years has seen a much drier bias than the equivalent number of years prior to 1975.

And yes I have also heard the stories that Beaverhill (and Miquelon) were dry in the late 1800's.

[Brian Adams]

Couldn't have anything to do with the lack of rain and snow for the last 15 years or so.

Ok good.

[schleprock]

"I believe the oil drilling in general is the most of the cause of water levels in lakes dropping. Not putting the blam on fracking alone. I think because they can drill deeper than ever before, they drill through the aqua reservores down and into a hole deeper than the aqua ducts. If this is a empty hole / no oil in it then the water from all sources above it slowly drains down to fill the empty hole as they have now peirced the bedrock with thier drill."


AMAZED AT THE IGNORANCE (LACK OF KNOWLEDGE) AND RIDICULOUSNESS OF THIS ABOVE POST!

[RigPig]

I drilled some well south of GP last fall and could not believe the size of the pumps pulling water out of the Cut Bank River. It was almost not flowing at all but they somehow obtained permits to pull water.
As someone who make a living from oil and gas I still think there needs to be more scrutiny on the oil companies.

[boroumand8]

What the heck is going on? All these lakes are drying...

[wellpastcold]

It would be hard to believe the resource industry is responsible for the lake levels in North Buck. I looked into buying some property on the lake 18 months ago. The property owner told me that the lake was down about 8 feet in the 20 years he had owned the land. It is possible that something changed the flow of underground springs feeding the lake but I don't know. I think it is definitely related to a number of dry years for sure.

[WLT]

We own property near the south end of the lake. The water level was very low this past weekend and many of the nearby creeks and beaver dams are super low. The boat launch at the south end will be an adventure this year, especially for those with pontoon boats.

[waterninja]

If fracking plays a role, it's a minor one. All lakes without a good inflow stream have been declining in Alberta for at least 100 years. Beaverhill Lake, once about 200 sq. km, is now essentially gone. It is now called "Beaverhill Lake Heritage Rangeland Natural Area" because it is grass now instead of water. Take a look at Miquelon Lake over the past century. In 1904 the 3 lakes were connected as one big lake. Here's a map of the change in Miquelon from 1914 to 2003. And below that I've included a photo of what the middle of those 3 lakes looked like last fall. All kinds of other lakes are heading the same way... Cooking Lake, Hastings Lake, Sandy Lake, and probably North Buck too.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2016/Oct815HistoricalLakeLevels2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/rollingstone/2015/Oct815DryMiquelonLkTwo2f.jpg
x2 what he said. Oil drilling may also be playing a role, but ALL lakes are slowly but surely drying up. I'm glad I will probably be dead and gone when that and increased fishing pressure pretty well kills all angling in AB.

[EZM]

There are some good resources on Watershed management out there for those who might be interested in obtaining factual information instead of drawing their own conclusions through speculation and conjecture.

Fracking isn't great - but it's not quite as bad as you think - when considering the question of the levels of our water tables and watersheds.

A few things to consider ..... a major river like the NSR will remove far more water from an upstream watershed and water table in one day than months of all the fracking water used in oil/gas activities. This water, of course, is naturally replaced upstream as a course of nature.

Although in some areas where drainage basins and watersheds are small, and man made activities consume or remove water, there is a drop in the water table that may impact lakes, the re-balancing of this water occurs (in most cases) quite rapidly.

Agriculture and Hydro have a far greater impact on watersheds ....... but they are not as "ugly" I guess.

Fracking does not magically make the water disappear into never never land never to be seen again. Fracking does not permanently remove any significant amount of the water in the operation. It displaces the water. It just moves it temporarily until it settles out again.

In fact if you understand the (simplified) concept the hydraulic fracturing brings water up to the target area and uses this same water (under pressure) in situ to cause fracturing in CBM (or other) formations. It stays there and drains back down.

Oil/Gas (and some water) is extracted and separated. Most of the water stays in place. The oil and gas companies are not interested in hauling water to the refinery. They skim off the stuff that eventually is refined into oil and gas.

It's the permanent displacement of the oil/gas that has some limited effect on the water table in the short term. In most areas this means less than 2% of the volume.

That`s a drastically over simplified view ....... but nevertheless a good way to look at it from a 2000 foot view.

I am far more concerned with the detergents, organic peroxides, stimulants and chemicals they use in the operation ....... I think that`s the biggest concern for me.

[mooseknuckle]

really sucks. we spent our summers in the 80's at lower mann lake near ashmont. what a beatiful spot we had. i drove by the old place last summer where once there were islands are penicilas now. from our back porch to the water it was 50ft now its 400 yards. really sad i remeber rowing out 100 yards and catching 100 pike in an evening easy. now its a slew.

[waterhawk]

I am not familiar with the lake this thread is talking about. I would point out that water levels are very low in areas where there is basically no oil and gas activity. I have friends that have lived at Buffalo Narrows Saskatchewan for over fifty years. They commercial fish in the area. They say that they have never seen the water levels in the local lakes as low as they presently are.

[SNAPFisher]

really sucks. we spent our summers in the 80's at lower mann lake near ashmont. what a beatiful spot we had. i drove by the old place last summer where once there were islands are penicilas now. from our back porch to the water it was 50ft now its 400 yards. really sad i remeber rowing out 100 yards and catching 100 pike in an evening easy. now its a slew.

Nicely said ECM. I'm not a fan of fracking either but it's hardly the cause. Just a very small contributor. Good post.

MK, Upper Mann as well, Bonnie, Vincent, Chicken Hill, etc, Some are and all will be nice sloughs. About 40-45 years ago there were trees floating in both Upper and Lower Mann, due to flooding, that the cabin owners pulled out with boats. That is because of a very heavy snow fall and really wet year. Everything came up and the Beaver river blew through some of the bridges. It is cyclical and I guess we just have to wait until the next wet year, some years of recovery and then have another decent 30 or so years. Mother nature better hurry up cause I'm not getting any younger :)

P.S. Brandon, I thought your family grew up in the area and would know better from history. No?

[Talking moose]

Nicely said ECM. I'm not a fan of fracking either but it's hardly the cause. Just a very small contributor. Good post.

MK, Upper Mann as well, Bonnie, Vincent, Chicken Hill, etc, Some are and all will be nice sloughs. About 40-45 years ago there were trees floating in both Upper and Lower Mann, due to flooding, that the cabin owners pulled out with boats. That is because of a very heavy snow fall and really wet year. Everything came up and the Beaver river blew through some of the bridges. It is cyclical and I guess we just have to wait until the next wet year, some years of recovery and then have another decent 30 or so years. Mother nature better hurry up cause I'm not getting any younger :)


This.^