LET’S EXPLORE
Inundation on Surprise Lake
Community questions and concerns since 2015 have often focused on expected inundation around Surprise Lake
1
Each winter, locked under thick ice, is an 18km-long battery of renewable water we all know as Surprise Lake. The amount of water under the ice determines how much clean energy the lake can produce each winter without damaging the ecosystem
2
When spring comes, the snow and ice begin to melt away, revealing a low Surprise Lake. The lake begins to rise as the days get longer and warmer. For most of the spring and early summer the lake is well below inundation levels- leaving beaches open for camping in the summer
3
The melting of snow high atop the mountains around Surprise Lake brings its highest water levels and inundation. Some years it’s very high, and others it is low. Most importantly, each year, it is temporary
The steep shoreline around Surprise Lake minimizes most impacts of inundation. Areas at risk of noticeable inundation are typically found near the mouth of tributaries.
Often these sites are used for camping, but they are not historically used during peak inundation times of year.
Atlin’s Hydro Opportunity will increase the weir height on Surprise Lake by 70 cm - less than a metre. In general, it will increase inundation levels by about 35 cm and last from late August to early November.
Atlin’s Hydro Opportunity will operate an extensive program of environmental monitoring and stewardship throughout the Surprise Lake watershed - paying close attention to, and mitigating where possible, the temporary impacts of inundation on Surprise Lake.
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