Early Detection Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring (EDNA Program)
In Summer 2025, LICA launched its Early Detection Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Program using environmental DNA (eDNA) technology to help protect lakes and waterways within the watershed.
The program targets high-priority aquatic invasive species and pathogens, including:
- Zebra and Quagga Mussels
- Rusty and Northern Crayfish
- Goldfish
- Prussian Carp
- Whirling Disease
Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is genetic material that organisms naturally leave behind in their environment through skin cells, waste, mucus, or other biological material. By collecting and analyzing water or sediment samples, scientists can detect traces of species present in an ecosystem without needing to physically capture or visually observe them.
This technology is a powerful tool for aquatic monitoring because it allows for:
- Early detection of invasive species before populations becomes established.
- Detection of species that are difficult to identify visually.
- Monitoring at low population levels when rapid response is most effective.
Early detection plays a critical role in protecting watershed health by supporting proactive management and reducing the ecological and economic impacts associated with invasive species spread.
This program was made possible through a generous donation from P. Kim Sturgess, Founder and CEO of WaterSMART, along with in-kind support and data analysis provided by Patrick Hanington, from the University of Alberta.
Click here to view the 2025 Early Detection Monitoring Results.
Click here to learn more about invasive species in our area.
Partnerships
Alms LakeWatch Program
LICA has partnered with the Alberta Lake Management Society (ALMS) since 2015 to conduct LakeWatch, a participatory water quality monitoring program for select lakes in the LICA Region. LICA’s contribution to the ALMS LakeWatch program is made possible by funding provided by LICA’s Industry Partners.
LakeWatch has several important objectives, one of which is to collect and interpret water quality data on Alberta Lakes. Equally important is educating lake users about their aquatic environment, encouraging public involvement in lake management, and facilitating cooperation and partnerships between government, industry, the scientific community, and lake users (Alberta Lake Management Society, 2024).
The following parameters are assessed and analyzed as part of the LakeWatch program.
| Water Chemistry | Metals | Invasive Species | Water Clarity |
| Total Phosphorus (μg/L) | Aluminum (μg/L) | Dreissenid mussels | Euphotic Depth (m) |
| Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (mg/L) | Arsenic (μg/L) | Spiny water flea | Lake Profile Depth (m) |
| Chlorophyll – a (μg/L) | Boron (μg/L) | Eurasian watermilfoil | |
| Microcystin (μg/L) | Selenium (μg/L) |
Volunteers make the LakeWatch program possible by providing and operating their boats and assisting the LakeWatch technicians with sampling procedures.
Thank you, LakeWatch Volunteers!
Alms Lake Summary Reports
LakeWatch reports are completed after each sample season to concisely summarize the key parameters of the LICA region lakes. Reports can be viewed at the link below. These reports are simply meant to contextualize the lakes in the LICA Region and are not necessarily a comparison of lake health. More comprehensive water quality reports are available for each individual lake with data collected on the ALMS Website (https://alms.ca/reports/).