| IBA |
Alkali Lake
Gladmer, Saskatchewan |
| Site Summary |
| SK016 |
Latitude
Longitude |
49.003° N
104.312° W |
Elevation
Size |
663 m
4.98 km² |
Habitats:
native grassland, mud or sand flats (saline), inland saline lake, arable & cultivated lands, other
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Land Use:
Agriculture, Rangeland/pastureland
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Potential or ongoing Threats:
Agricultural pollution/pesticides, Drought
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| IBA Criteria: Nationally Significant: Threatened Species |
| Conservation status: |
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Site Description
Alkali Lake Straddles the Montana Saskatchewan border, about 18 km southeast of Gladmer. It is located at the eastern edge of a hilly region called the Big Muddy Badlands. Much of the area immediately to the west of the lake has been cultivated for agriculture, but some small areas of native grassland persist in areas to the north and east. Several intermittent creeks drain into the lake, and a large island is located near its centre.
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Birds
On occasion, Alkali Lake supports significant numbers of nesting Piping Plovers. During the 1996 International Piping Plover Census, a total of 22 Piping Plovers was observed. This represented about 1.3% of the Canadian Great Plains population that was recorded that year. During the 1991 census, however, no Piping Plovers were observed. The lake, which contains extensive gravel, sand, and silt beaches, is typical of many lakes in the region in that habitat suitability is partially governed by the amount of water that is present. A lake that is unsuitable for nesting Piping Plovers during high water years may become suitable when water levels drop, or vice versa.
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IBA Criteria |
| Species↓ T | A | I |
Links |
Date |
Season |
Number |
G |
C |
N |
| Piping Plover |
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1996 |
SU |
22 |
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✔ |
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Note: species shown in bold indicate that the maximum number exceeds at least one of the IBA thresholds (sub-regional, regional or global). The site may still not qualify for that level of IBA if the maximum number reflects an exceptional or historical occurrence.
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Conservation Issues
The eastern two-thirds of the north shore is designated as critical Piping Plover habitat under the Wildlife Protection Act of the Saskatchewan Provincial Government. Such a designation is given to sites that contain at least one pair of nesting Piping Plovers, and where there is a reasonable expectation of repeat use by the nesting plovers. The designation protects the shoreline to the high water mark from development.
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