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Water Quality Sampling Data
Multiple factors can influence water quality in Lenore Lake; these include precipitation and runoff from various parts of the surrounding watershed including Ranch and Houghton Lakes, outflow, evaporation, soil/geological characteristics, and human influences. The size and shape of Lenore Lake are also critical factors for understanding water quality and changes in water quality over time.
Water quality monitoring is being undertaken during 2010. Lake samples will be collected on the north and south basins of Lenore Lake, north and south basins of Houghton Lake, St. Brieux Lake, Deadmoose Lake and Waldsea Lake. Additional sampling will occur on Ranch, Frog, Middle, Basin, Flat, Murphy and Mantrap Lakes. This sampling enables a better understanding of differences in water quality among lakes and expected changes to water quality in Lenore Lake.
Spring stream water quality monitoring is also being conducted at several key locations in the Lenore Lake Basin. During spring, weekly sampling will occur at priority locations. Sampling frequency will be lower during the summer and sampling will cease when flows stop. Field and laboratory measurements at all sites will include Total Dissolved Solids, specific conductivity, major ions, water temperature, pH and turbidity. In addition, lake monitoring will include nutrient analysis.
The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority shares water quality monitoring data with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Ministry of Environment, and other interested stakeholders to provide them with accurate data so that they can have more information with which to make decisions with respect to their mandates and responsibilities.
Laboratory measurements of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) taken at four locations between Houghton Lake and Lenore Lake, SK. There is a time lag between when samples are taken and when laboratory results are available. To provide the most up-to-date values in this table we will include field values for Specific Conductivity until the results are received from the laboratory. Specific Conductivity values are coloured blue and have units of uS/cm. |
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Location
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| Date |
Houghton Lake North end @ Trench |
Grid 777 @ Culvert |
Lake Lenore Rearing Pond: Rearing Pond Inflow |
Lake Lenore Rearing Pond: Rearing Pond Overflow |
| 05-Apr-10 | 6870 mg/L* | 6700 mg/L | 1720 mg/L | 389 mg/L ** |
| 08-Apr-10 | 3820 mg/L* | 8100 mg/L | 4890 mg/L | 2370 mg/L |
| 12-Apr-10 | 7130 mg/L* | 7020 mg/L | 6280 mg/L | 4560 mg/L |
| 15-Apr-10 | 5200 mg/L* | 5360 mg/L | 2870 mg/L | 3110 mg/L |
| 19-Apr-10 | 3020 mg/L* | 2630 mg/L | 2280 mg/L | 2190 mg/L |
| 22-Apr-10 | 1970 mg/L* | 2020 mg/L | 2260 mg/L | 2540 mg/L |
| 26-Apr-10 | 19,500 mg/L | 18,200 mg/L | 15,400 mg/L | 8220 mg/L |
| 29-Apr-10 | 16,000 mg/L | 16,800 mg/L | 15,900 mg/L | 15,100 mg/L |
| 03-May-10 | 13,700 mg/L | 13,900 mg/L | 14,300 mg/L | 15,100 mg/L |
| 06-May-10 | 14,000 mg/L | 14,000 mg/L | 14,000 mg/L | 13,700 mg/L |
| 12-May-10 | 13,200 mg/L | 13,500 mg/L§ | 13,000 mg/L | 13,300 mg/L** |
| 18-May-10 | 13,100 mg/L | § | 11,300 mg/L | 13,400 mg/L** |
| 27-May-10 | 13,000 mg/L | § | 4940 mg/L | 7690 mg/L** |
| 7-June-10 | 12,000 mg/L | § | 3110 mg/L | 3160 mg/L** |
| 29-June-10 | 11,300 mg/L | § | 2250 mg/L | 1140 mg/L** |
| 8-July-10 | 10,700 mg/L | § | No sample 8 July | No sample 8 July |
| 14-July-10 | No sample 14 July | § | 1260 mg/L | 940 mg/L** |
| 3-Aug-10 | 10,200 mg/L | § | 2800 mg/L | 1220 mg/L** |
| 24-Sept-10 | 9750 mg/L | § | No sample 24 Sept | 1760 mg/L** |
| 10-Feb-11 | 11,800 mg/L † | § | No sample 10 Feb | No sample 10 Feb |
* Ice still on Houghton Lake (except for around the shoreline).
** Rearing pond not flowing out the overflow spill structure.
† Sampled at Houghton Lake North Baseline location
§ Culvert at Grid 777 closed.
Lenore Lake Outflow
Laboratory measurements of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) taken at Lenore Lake Outflow. |
| Date |
Lenore Lake Outflow |
| 05-Apr-10 | 399 mg/L |
| 12-Apr-10 | 1680 mg/L |
| 19-Apr-10 | 780 mg/L |
| 26-Apr-10 | 2880 mg/L |
| 03-May-10 | 2980 mg/L |
| 12-May-10 | 3350 mg/L |
| 17-May-10 | 3480 mg/L |
| 07-June-10 | 3320 mg/L |
| 29-June-10 | 3550 mg/L |
| 08-July-10 | 3340 mg/L |
| 03-Aug-10 | 3450 mg/L |
| 24-Sept-10 | 3300 mg/L |
2008 and 2009 Results
Definitions
Salinity is a measure of the dissolved salts in water. For lakes, salinity is measured by determining the concentration of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). TDS is measured in a laboratory so a second measure, specific conductivity, is used to estimate salinity in the field. The greater the specific conductivity and TDS values, the more saline the water.
Total Dissolved Solids is a measure of the amount of all dissolved salts and organics dissolved in the water. A freshwater lake is generally considered to have Total Dissolved Solids less than 1000 milligrams per litre (mg/L).
Specific conductivity measures the resistance in water to electrical flow. Salts (ions) increase water's ability to 'conduct' electricity. Therefore, water with greater mineral/salt concentrations will have greater values for specific conductivity.
Historical Water Quality of Lenore Lake
- Water quality data from Lenore Lake is intermittently available from the 1930s. Since the 1930s, the Total Dissolved Solid concentrations in Lenore Lake have ranged from approximately 4000 mg/L to 8000 mg/L. The TDS in Lenore Lake is presently at or near its lowest concentration since measurements were first taken in the 1930s.
- As with Lenore Lake, Houghton and Deadmoose Lakes have lower concentrations of Total Dissolved Solids compared to their historically known Values. TDS for Houghton and Deadmoose Lakes in 2009 were approximately 14,000 mg/L.
Historical Salinity Levels of Lenore Lake
Please click on the middle of the callout boxes to see historic TDS for the respective lakes.
Outflow discharge from Lenore Lake.
Discharge measured at Lenore Lake outflow. Hydrometrics unit. cms=cubic metres per second. |
| Date |
Lenore Lake Outflow |
| 03-May-10 | 0.33 cms |
| 17-May-10 | 0.32 cms |
| 21-June-10 | 0.58 cms |
| 19-July-10 | 1.56 cms |
| 26-July-10 | 2.20 cms |
| 03-Aug-10 | 0.32 cms |
| 09-Aug-10 | 0.58 cms |
| 23-Aug-10 | 1.56 cms |
| 15-Sept-10 | 1.88 cms |
| 20-Oct-10 | 1.93 cms |
| 01-Nov-10 | 1.72 cms |
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