The Jackfish Lake Watershed Association is the licensed authority responsible for the operation and maintenance of those works (including the control structure) necessary in maintaining Jackfish Lake at its licensed level of operation in accordance with its approval issued by the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority.
The JFLWSA made application to increase the licensed level of Jackfish Lake by six inches. A new license requires the JFLWSA to acquire easements from properties affected by this increase. The JFLWSA has completed and registered 526 of the 600 required easements - 74 agreements remain (12 cottages and 62 agricultural).
Jackfish Lake, in 2011, operated at or above its licensed level of operation from Jan. 23 to Aug. 24. Above normal spring runoff along with frequent precipitation kept water levels high during 2011. Releases in compliance with licensing continued until Aug. 24.
Jackfish Lake currently is at its licensed level of operation, spring inflows have been below average. A two or three day release is being anticipated as part of the JFLWSA commitment to its annual allocation to Ducks Unlimited for its Jackfish Marsh Project. Ducks Unlimited then provides releases for downstream riparian requirements from its Jackfish Marsh Project. There are no releases planned outside of that unless water levels rise above the licensed level of operation.
The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority monitors levels and reports them to the JFLWSA on a regular basis. Water level data is available to the public on the Saskatchewan Watershed Authorities website at http://www.swa.ca.
