Observations
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7 October 2024
Tawatinaw River - Town of Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The water level is very low. Some bubbles/foam on water.
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7 October 2024
Tawatianw River Lagoon - Athabasca by Lisa Allan
Many water insects were scooting around. The water was much cloudier than the last visit and water vegetation had died back. While the Tawatinaw is very low, the pond seems to be about the same level or slightly higher than the last visit. Deer scat on the well-used game trail to the pond.
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6 October 2024
Tawatinaw Valley Retreat dock by Shawna Vollema
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2 October 2024
Helliwell Lake Bridge (RR 250) by Petra Rowell
rafts of geese, 2 cormorants, duck sp.
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30 September 2024
East of northern foot bridge by Kim Zimmermann
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18 September 2024
North End by Janet Keith
Beautiful sunny fall day. Water is clear tea coloured. Aquatic weeds healthy and reach almost to the surface. Lots of geese ,a few ducks. Seems the loons have left
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9 September 2024
Tawatianw River Lagoon - Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The water level seems to be stable. There have recently been ducks and a blue heron on the pond.
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9 September 2024
Tawatinaw River - Town of Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The water level is very low. The shopping cart has been removed!
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9 August 2024
Tawatinaw River - Town of Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The water upstream was relatively clear. There was an earthy smell to the water. There is a shopping cart just upstream from the tree. :-(
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9 August 2024
Tawatianw River Lagoon - Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The water is clear but overgrown with an aquatic plant, possibly coontail. We observed a family of ducks, a small shorebird, and a tiny fish. I can't confirm if there is a connection between the Tawatinaw and the pond. It doesn't seem like there is a direct channel.
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2 August 2024
East of northern foot bridge by Kim Zimmermann
Water extremely low. Lots of wildlife tracks in the mud.
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1 August 2024
Helliwell Lake Bridge (RR 250) by Petra Rowell
Lots of duckweed. Beaver dam under the bridge impeding flow. Damselflies, Red-winged Blackbirds, grebes.
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6 July 2024
Tawatianw River Lagoon - Athabasca by Lisa Allan
It's not observable from the trail or the testing area, but it seems that there is isn't much flow going from the river to the lagoon. The aquatic plant that was thick through the entire lagoon had a small white flower. There were less Styrofoam balls, which means they were eaten by wildlife or washed away.
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6 July 2024
Tawatinaw River - Town of Athabasca by Lisa Allan
The Athabasca is high, so there is back flow from it moving upstream on the Tawatinaw. The water is still significantly lower compared to last year at this time. The riparian plant growth looks good, with some of the planted willows looking better than they have in previous years. We continue to see the Styrofoam ball pollution in the area. There is some gravel under the bridge washing out upstream from the site.
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4 July 2024
Helliwell Lake Bridge (RR 250) by Petra Rowell
natural debris and floating dark green algal mats on surface, reddish brown algae mats below surface, flow very gentle; water level average, water color brown, clear to cloudy in some places, no odour, pond weed growing up from bottom, heard a loon, saw Black Terns, Red-headed and Yellow Blackbirds, Lesser Scaup, hundreds of blue damselflies
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2 July 2024
North End by Janet Keith
Full summer. Lots of red winged blackbirds and black terns around
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30 June 2024
Tawatinaw Valley Retreat dock by Shawna Vollema
Water level is high with lots of attached weeds. Water color and clarity are clear. Slow flow/still by dock, flowing faster in the middle of the lake.
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14 June 2024
Helliwell Lake Bridge (RR 250) by Petra Rowell
Red-winged Blackbirds, Mallards, Blue-winged Teal, mats of algae on the surface but water fairly clear, lake level high
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11 June 2024
Tawatianw River Lagoon - Athabasca by Lisa Allan
There is a pollution event occurring at this site and further downstream. There are small styrofoam balls littered along the banks. They are likely being washed downstream into the Athabasca when the water levels are high or there is heavy rain. The water was clear but with some scum and thick with a water plant (id?) Saw a small frog, some empty snail shells and bird scat. Didn't observe if the lagoon is still connected to the Tawatinaw. It has been connected through a small channel.
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11 June 2024
Tawatinaw River - Town of Athabasca by Lisa Allan
There was some brown scum collecting along the banks and at the tree in the river. There is a pollution event occurring at this site and further upstream. There are small styrofoam balls littered along the banks. They are likely being washed downstream into the Athabasca when the water levels are high or there is heavy rain. No evidence of wildlife at the site.
