GENERAL INFORMATION
Site Name: Big Lake Natural Area
Stewards Names: Big Lake Environment Support Society
Email:
Date: Jan 2, 2003
Inspection Number: 5
Hours: reported separately
Phone: 458-5617
Changes: Yes

DISTURBANCES
- Vegetation/Animals:
- Soil:
- Vandalism:
- New Trails/Cleared Lines: 4 Wheel Drives,
- Comments On Disturbances: People driving four-wheel "quads" have set up a race course of sorts on the ice of the narrows between the two basins of Big Lake. The race course is marked with old tires. These will likely end up in the water in the spring.

USES
- Recreation: ATVing, Bird Watching, X Country Skiing, Hiking, Snowmobiling,
- Other: haying
- Comments On Uses: Part of the east block of the BLNA had haying activity in the fall. At least 6 round bales are still visible in the Natural Area.

BIOLOGICAL NOTES (optional)

ACTION RECOMMENDED
- Reclamation:
- Materials & Supplies:

SUMMARY
- Change In Condition Since Last Inspecton: No Change
- Summary Comments:
A release of a yellow-brown brine solution to the Sturgeon River was investigated on Jan. 2, 2003. Alberta Environment was notified of the occurrence. It was first noticed on the river at the Meadowview Drive bridge and extended for an unknown distance upstream of the bridge. It was flowing downstream over the ice for roughly 200m. Several kilometers downstream a larger flow of the same yellow-brown brine solution was noticed. This extended for roughly a kilometer of the length of the river into the area bounded by the Big Lake Natural Area. It was actively flowing at 11:30 AM towards Big Lake. The source of the discharge was not determined.