Great Information & History on Muriel Lake from the early 1990s

The Lakehomes in Alberta website had this interesting information about Muriel Lake on their site. Here is a few interesting clips from their site:

“In 1988, landowners near the lake were surveyed for the background report to the Muriel Lake Area Structure Plan review (Alta. Mun. Aff. 1988; 1989). Most respondents (87%) were concerned about water levels in the lake. Other problems cited were poor fishing (54%), shoreline weeds (31%), weeds in the lake (26%) and algae (20%). Water quality was rated, on average, as good to excellent. In a 1976 survey of cottage owners, only 17% of respondents cited poor fishing as a problem, 10% cited algal growth, and only a few people complained of weeds. Variations in the weather, and therefore, changes in the lake level and the concentration of algae, were probably responsible for the differences between the results of the two surveys. In summer, the favourite recreational activities of cottage owners in the 1976 survey were swimming, fishing, power boating, sightseeing, and water skiing. Only 25% of respondents used their cottages in winter and these people mostly went snowmobiling and ice fishing (Alta. Mun. Aff. 1976).”

“Muriel Lake drains an area of 384 km2, but because of the large size of the lake (64.1 km2), the ratio of drainage basin area to lake area is only 6 to 1. Most water flows into the lake from the south and east via several creeks). The largest inflow is a small creek that drains Bluet Lake and Gamier Lake to the south. The area around Sinking Lake, to the west of Muriel Lake, is considered part of the gross drainage basin, but it is unlikely that water levels are ever high enough to allow water to flow from this area into Muriel Lake. The outlet from Muriel Lake, Muriel Creek, flows intermittently from the northeastern bay to nearby Landry Lake, and eventually to the Beaver River.”

“Muriel Lake is a large but rather shallow water body. The maximum depth of 10.7 m is located in a small hole north of the island in the southeast bay. Most of the central part of the lake basin is about 9 m deep. The basin drops off most steeply along the west-central and north-central shores. The lake has three islands, with locations and shapes that vary with water levels. When water levels are lower, as in 1962 when the bathymetry was surveyed, there are two islands in the northeast bay, a peninsula along the eastern shore, and an island in the southeast bay that has a long sand spit extending from its southeast corner. When water levels are sufficiently high, as in 1986, the more southerly island in the northeast basin floods and the peninsula on the eastern shore becomes an island.”

Read more here: http://www.lakehomesinalberta.com/muriel-lake/muriel-lake-info

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