Good Spirit Lake Watershed Association Board No. 6

Gate Operations - 2024

Thursday, July 11, 2024 - The third outlet gate was closed this evening.

Tuesday July 9, 2024 - Two outlet gates were closed in the evening. Third outle gate will remain open for a period of time.

Friday, June 28, 2024 - Due to the heavy rainfall we are currently experiencing, the outlet gates have been re-opened today.

Monday, June 24, 2024 - We will begin to gradually close the outlet gates. Effective today, the gates are partially closed which has reduced the release of water by approxiately 50%.

Thursday, May 16, 2024 ~ Gates are partially opened. The lake levels were measured on Monday, May 13, 2024 and the level was 1591.2 feet. Therefore, after consultation with the Water Security Agency the gates were partially opened and are being monitored.

Good Spirit Lake Watershed Association

The Good Spirit Lake Water Association was established in 1986 under provincial law, and is made up of members from the R.M. of Good Lake #274, the R.M. of Buchanan #304, the R.M. of Invermay #305, the R.M. of Insinger #275, and the Good Lake and Buchanan Conservation and Development Area Authorities. Each of the member municipalities and C & D Authorities pay annual levies to administer and maintain the Watershed Association.

Current Board Members:

Myron Kopec, Chairman - R.M. of Buchanan
Dave Popowich, Vice Chairman - R.M. of Good Lake
Julius Dziaduck - R.M. of Good Lake
Donald Hrywkiw - Buchanan C & D
Dwayne Kitzan - R.M. of Insinger
Ernie Kozak - R.M. of Good Lake
Phillip Shewchuk - R.M. of Invermay
Darryl Stevenson - R.M. of Good Lake
Colby Wokowski - Good Lake C & D

Good Spirit Lake Lake Level

Click here to see the daily lake levels of Good Spirit Lake as plotted by the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency.

Good Spirit Outlet Structure Project - Completed in 2022

In December 2020, the outlet structure renewal project was approved by the Board. Since the approval, the Board worked with MPE Engineering from Saskatoon to move this project forward.

On March 12, 2020 a site assessment/condition assessment was conducted by MPE Engineering. The Board received the report and recommendations on March 26, 2020. For a full copy of the report (click here).

In the fall of 2022 the project was completed, and included the following work:

remove and replace existing 1200 mm CSP pipes with new 1200 mm CSP outlet pipes
remove and replace two (2) existing 1200 mm sluice gates, remove and reuse the 1200 mm 2014 sluice gate
excavate and remove sandy backfill at edges of sheet piling, replace with imported clay fill and backfill past edges of sheet piling
install erosion protection to protect against wave action

Watershed Operating Guidelines

Summer Water Releases

When spring runoff or rains causes lake levels to rise above the desirable summer operating range of 1589.5 ft. to 1590 ft., water will be released until the desirable summer levels are reached.
If the water level after spring runoff or rain is below the desirable summer operating range, no water is released.

Fall Water Releases

If the lake level is above the range of 1589 ft. to 1589.4 ft. in the fall, water will be released until the lake level is in this range. Variations within the fall target range would be based on the capacity of marshes and sloughs in the watershed area to hold spring runoff. Minor variations outside the fall target range would be based on extremely wet or dry fall conditions.
If the fall water level is below 1588.65 ft., no water will be released under any circumstances.

Our challenge is this: Let enough water out in the fall so that there is less chance of cabins flooding during spring runoff, yet keep enough water in so that the lake level is acceptable in case there is no spring runoff.

The Watershed Board, with the guidance of provincial engineers and hydrologists from the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority, work to manage the lake level based on historical data and probability, current lake levels, and capacity of the marshes and sloughs in the watershed area to hold spring runoff.

The Different Levels of Good Spirit Lake

Why does the Watershed Board lower Good Spirit Lake in the fall? (only when necessary as per the above guidelines)

To reduce the potential for flooding of resort property, the lake has to have enough capacity in the fall to hold most of the spring runoff. On average, spring runoff and spring rains increase the lake level about 10 inches. But spring runoff has been as much as 4 feet, and as low as 1/4 inch. We have to be reasonably prepared for the big runoffs, like in 2006, 2007 and 2011.

If the lake floods in the spring, why doesn't the Board open the gates and let the water out then?

It is impossible to let the water out as fast as it comes in. In spring, when all the creeks and rivers are full, only 1 to 2 inches of water per week will go out of the man-made gate and outlet channel. That's not much when 2 or 3 feet of spring runoff could come racing into the lake over a 2-3 week period.

Desirable Summer Levels

Boaters generally like the lake high (1590 ft. or more), and beach users/dune walkers like the lake a bit lower (1589.5 ft. or less). When lake levels allow, the Board tries to provide balance between the two groups of recreational users, keeping in mind the erosive effects that high water levels and wave action can have on the shoreline.

A Fluctuating Lake

Over the past 41 years the level of Good Spirit Lake has fluctuated significantly. The graph below shows the historical highs and lows. Note that flood damage of resort properties begins at 1591.5 ft.

What does the Watershed Association do?

The Good Spirit Lake Watershed Association operates and maintains the outlet control structure at the south end of Good Spirit Lake. This is done with four objectives in mind:

Accommodate spring runoff into the lake
Help prevent flooding and erosion of property adjacent to the lake
Reach a desirable summer lake level
Minimize downstream flooding

Upstream Drainage

As seen on the map, approximately 1,000 square kilometers of land naturally drains into Good Spirit Lake. Some of this land has also been improved, in that provincially-approved ditches are in place to drain otherwise unusable land and make it available for farming. This generates tens of thousands of dollars of income on an annual basis for farmers in the area.

Recreational use of Good Spirit Lake

There are hundreds of cabins at Burgis Beach, Canora Beach, the Provincial Park and other resorts. As well, the beaches and sand dunes are a tourist attraction, and boating and fishing are popular.

Good Spirit Lake is shallow (average depth 20 feet) and fluctuations in the lake levels become very visible. A summer water level of between 1589.5 feet and 1590.0 feet elevation is targeted by the Board, but reaching these levels is highly dependent on adequate amounts of spring runoff.

Outlet Structure Renewal Project

Burgis Beach flooding, 1985

Burgis Beach flooding, 2010, same location

One of the objectives of managing the lake level is to reduce the risk of flooding. Flood damage to resort property begins at a water level of 1591.5 feet, and there are municipal restrictions on building development for most lots in the R.M. of Good Lake. High water levels and wave action can erode shorelines, beaches, and the sand dunes.

Downstream from Good Spirit Lake

The timing and amount of water release has to be done in consideration of its effect on grain/hay land, trails, Ducks Unlimited projects, wells and property downstream from Good Spirit Lake. Water from Good Spirit Lake ultimately ends up in the Whitesand River south of Canora.

The control structure is at the south end of Good Spirit Lake. There are three large culverts that are controlled by gates.

The control gates are shown above, high and dry from 2002 to 2005. Below, the lake water is much higher and the gates are open (2012).

The control structure at the south end of the lake was opened and water let out of the lake during the following times from 1995 to 2011:

April 28 to July 3, 1995
October 14 to December 16, 1995
November 3, 1996 to April 20, 1997
October 23 to December 2, 1997
December 5, 1998 to February 4, 1999
November 15, 1999 to March 3, 2000, winter draw down to 1588.3 feet
April 24 to July 14, 2006, no fall draw down, lake left at 1589.39 feet
March 24 to August 8, 2007, close to flooding in the spring of 2007
Oct 7 to November 15, 2007, fall draw down to 1588.94 feet
July 21 to August 20, 2008
May 19 to June 12, 2009
August 26 to September 15, 2009
November 18 to November 24, 2009
May 5, 2010 through winter 2011

Aerial photo of control structure area and drainage channel