Rock Island Fire
About 2010 - 2011 there was a sizeable fire that burned up to the Rock Island River through the Muskeg. That year, it did rain, and the water colour actually changed from the ash that washed into the lake from the Rock Island river fire.
The next years were dry, and we ended up losing a few feet of water in the lake. The algae then took off. Beavers actually dammed the Calling River and the flows slowed down.
My best guess is a heavy nutrient load from that fire and subsequent dry years did not let the lake flush out like it normally does. Last year the lake started rising up, and all this year it has regained its 2009 levels. The beaver dams all blew out, and the river has been running strong.
With a little luck, the nutrient load will flush out and the water quality will improve over the next couple of years.
This lake is different from most Alberta lakes, as it has no weir, and it has a good year round outlet flow.
Most important, the perch are recovering nicely, and this has really filled out the days in March for ice fishing, then last few hours before dark for ling and walleye.
Now if I could only figure out how to catch the whitefish.
Drewski
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