The County of Stettler council has voted to petition the Alberta government for emergency funding to salvage public boat access at Buffalo Lake.
During its July 8 meeting, council approved signing a joint letter from both summer villages, as well as Camrose and Lacombe County addressed to the provincial Minister of Forestry and Parks, Todd Loewen.
The letter requests immediate financial support to excavate a silted channel at the Rochon Sands Provincial Park boat launch.
According to officials, prolonged low water levels have made four of the lake’s five major public boat launches unusable.
The crisis has left the County of Stettler’s south shore launch at Buffalo View Estates as the only operational public launch remaining on the lake, creating severe parking gridlock challenges.
The intermunicipal committee is warning the province that a rare, time-sensitive window to fix the problem cheaply is rapidly closing.
Because the water has receded so dramatically, the blocked channel at Rochon Sands Provincial Park is currently exposed and dry.
This would allow contractors to use conventional heavy machinery rather than complex in-water dredging equipment.
However, local leaders fear that if water levels rise slightly, the cost of future in-water dredging could skyrocket to between $500,000 and $700,000.
With official launches closed, frustrated boaters have begun using tractors to launch wake and pontoon boats directly from the shoreline.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
