JACKFISH LAKE

Jackfish Lake is in the interior plains of North America and is susceptible to changes due to its semi-arid watershed and shallow, mixed, and isothermal basins and the same can be said of its neighboring lake, Murray Lake². Jackfish Lake has steep slope areas that exist along this lake with several pockets of steep slopes located in upland areas³. In this region of the basin, the upper reaches of Jackfish Creek flowing into Jackfish Lake, provide anglers with steam-fishing opportunities for brook trout walleye, pike, perch, and whitefish can be caught in Jackfish and Murray Lakes⁵. Jackfish Lake also obtains water supply from surface and groundwater sources. Jackfish Lake Control Structure was constructed at the lake’s outlet and is regulated by Lehman Creek which connects Murray Lake to Jackfish Lake⁵. Jackfish Lake experiences poor water balance that often shows evaporation loss equalling or exceeding annual inflows⁵. Thus, a project was created called Jackfish Lake Control Project. A structure will supply water to Jackfish downstream landowners and help flood planning when water levels are high and import water when lake levels are low during a drought period⁵.

Jackfish Lake Watershed Association Board (JLWAB) was created in 1966 and constructed a control structure and downstream ditches to regulate Jackfish and Murray Lakes’ water levels and impound sufficient water to maintain a water level⁴. The JLWAB is responsible for operating the control structure when water levels rise higher than the licensed level of 529.44 m and will supply water along Jackfish Creek downstream⁴.