Water levels lowered on Ghost Lake.

[Puma]

With the Alberta government set to start modifying operations at the Ghost Reservoir on May 16, water levels have been lowered to 1,186m from 1,191.5m and exactly when they will begin to rise depends upon weather conditions and water needs from the Bow River.

TransAlta started lowering the reservoir levels on Apr. 5 to reach the government mandated level by May 16. It's the second of a five-year agreement that gives the government the authority to modify operations from May 16 to July 7. In exchange, TransAlta receives $5.5 million annually to compensate for lost revenue.

Rick Friedl, director of northern dam operations for Alberta Environment and Parks, explains the aim is to regulate water, whether it is the need for additional flood storage or supplementary flows during dry periods. While the province controls levels at the ghost reservoir for about six weeks during peak water flow, it adjusts reservoir levels at three Kananaskis-area reservoirs year-round.

The impact on recreational reliant businesses is substantial and in the Summer Village of Ghost Lake it has caused water shortages ithe last two years. Water has had to be brought in to supplement wells that go dry when the reservoir has been lowered and for fire protection.

"In the past we've identified houses that have been short of water and we've been hauling some in for them," says Friedl. "We're planning on doing that this year, too."

A study is near completion to help provide a better understanding of the water situation in Ghost Lake.

"We are actually just completing a study of the area to get a sense of how the wells are being affected by the different reservoir elevations and cataloguing the wells that are there so it forms a bit of a framework for what the area is prone to with respect to water levels and things like that," says Friedl.

The reservoir level is starting one metre lower than last year, but fortunately not at 1,185 as in 2015. There is a higher than average snow pack this year and that, in combination with temperatures, will play a major role in determiniing when levels will rise.

[Kokanee9]

Lowered is right!

There is a small piece of water on the other side of the Island across from the boat launch still surrounding the island. If the water goes any lower, the island will be connected to the mainland.

There are a couple of other spots where the bottom has come up above the surface of the water.

Anyone who boats or ice fishes there would be well advised to get out and take some pictures now, while the level is so low. You can use these pictures when the levels rise again to help know where the shallow structure is under the surface. (hint, for the ice fishing crowd!)