A RECONNAISSANCE SURVEY OF

ELIZABETH LAKE

WATERSHED: Upper Kootenay R iver

DATE OF SURVEY: September 12, 1985

FIELD CREW LEADER: J .G. N o r r i s

FIELD ASSISTANT: D.A. Jesson

REPORT PREPARED BY: J .G. N o r r i s

REPORT EDITED BY: D.J. Grant

(Senior Inventory Technician)

ACCEPTED FOR RELEASE BY:

( i / c Inventory Operat ions)

FISHERIES BRANCH MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

LAKE: E l izabeth SYSTEM NAME: Unnamed C

A.S.A.P. REFERENCE NO: 425016 SYSTEM NO: 35-5800-050-100

DATA ON F I L E FOR T H I S SURVEY

Locat ion J Dissolved Oxygen P r o f i l e J Physical Data I Temperature P r o f i l e 7 Bench Mark J N e t t i n g Record J Ter ra in Features 7 Lake Catch Summary 7 Access 7 F isher ies Comments J Resorts & Campsites r' I n d i v i dual F i sh Data -

J F i sh Preserved - Other Devel opments

7 - -

Obstruct ions and Pol 1 u t i ons Stomach Analysis - J Scale Reading Special R e s t r i c t i o n s -

Aquatic P l ants T His to ry o f Previous Surveys 7 W i 1 d l i f e Observations J Locat ion o f Inventory S i tes 7 M i scel 1 aneous Comments rl Photograph D i r ec to ry J Lake Draina e J Appendices 7

~ n l e t s / ~ u ! l e t s r' Bathvmetri c Reduction 7 Water Chemistry J cont'bur Map

LOCATI ON 29.5 km SSW o f Banff , A lber ta Elevat ion.. ................ 2259 m 2

............... .. La t i t ude / Longitude.. 50°55' 12" : 115O39'24" U.T.M.. 11.5945.56416

.............. ....................... Management Unit.. 4-25 N.T.S. Map No.. 82J/13

Drainage Unnamed C ( "El izabeth Lake C") + M i t c h e l l R + Cross R + Upper Kootenay R

PHYSICAL DATA Lake Drainage Area......... 0.6 sq. km

Water Surface Area........... 42 800 sq. m Volume................. 359 000 cu. m

Area above 6 m contour....... 18 400 sq. m F lushing Rate................... -

........ ........... Shore1 i n e Perimeter.. 840 m Perimeter o f - Is lands - m

..................... .................... Maximum Depth 22 m Mean Depth 8.4 m

F i l t r a b l e Residue (T.D.S.) ...... 112 mg/L Secchi Disc.................... 8.6 m

Sounding Device: Furuno FG200A Mark 3 E levat ion Source: contour i r ~ t e r p o l a t i on

BENCH MARK ( I r o n spike, center o f red c i r c l e ) Located 2.0 m above water l e v e l a t t ime o f survey i n a 50 cm diameter a lp ine l a r c h tree, on south s ide o f lake approximately 125 m eas t o f the o u t l e t .

High water mark: 0.1 m above water l e v e l a t t ime o f survey.

LAKE: E l i zabeth

TERRAIN FEATURES

Immediate Shore1 i ne:

Around the e n t i r e shorel ine, t he re was an abrupt, v e r t i c a l d ropof f of approximately 0.5 m onto shal lows. A1 ong most o f the shorel i ne, these shallows sloped gent ly ou t i n t o the l a k e f o r up t o 5 m; a t the o u t l e t , the shallows extended ou t up t o 40 m. From the ou ter edge o f the shallows, the bottom dropped steeply .

The underwater subs t ra te va r i ed somewhat around the shore l ine. Along most o f the shore l ine, there was a narrow band o f broken rocks t h a t graded i n t o muds; a long the shore l ine i n the v i c i n i t y o f the o u t l e t , t h e band o f rocks was absent and the shal lows were composed o f mudslgravel s w i t h occasional cobbles/boul ders. A t the northwest corner o f the lake, a number o f very l a r g e boulders were sca t te red a1 ong the shorel ine . As we1 1, a number o f logs and small t rees were a l s o present on the shallows around the e n t i r e shore l ine.

Above the h igh water mark, the shorel i n e was genera l l y q u i t e steep, except a t the o u t l e t end where the adjacent meadow was most ly f l a t . The sho re l i ne vegetat ion was most ly a l p i n e ground species w i t h on ly sca t te red i n d i v i d u a l a1 p i ne 1 arch t rees. As a resu l t, shore l i ne access was genera l l y good a l l around the lake.

Surrounding Country:

E l i z a b e t h Lake s i t s i n a small bas in a t the f o o t o f the r i d g e lead ing t o t he "Nublet" and Nub Peak. As a r e s u l t , the surrounding country was genera l l y steep, except a t the o u t l e t , where there was a small f l a t meadow t h a t extended f o r approximately 50 m before the ground began t o s lope up t o "Chuck's Ridge." The steep slopes t o the south and eas t rose approximately 50 m t o the r i d g e which separates E l i zabe th Lake from Cerulean Lake. Vegetat ion cover was most ly ground species w i t h sca t te red patches o f l a r ch l sp ruce and brush. To the nor th, the steep slope rose approximately 300 m t o the "Nublet" r idge. As t h i s was a major avalanche slope, vegeta t ion was l i m i t e d t o ground species.

E l i zabe th Lake l i e s i n the "Subalpine Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine F i r " b iogeocl i m a t i c zone.

LAKE: E l i zabe th

ACCESS

Di rec t i ons :

E l i zabe th Lake i s no t accessib le by road. H i k i n g and horse t r a i l s l e a d i n t o the park from Kootenay and Banf f Nat ional Parks and from the M i t c h e l l R i ve r area, a1 though horses may n o t be permi t t e d i n the E l i zabeth Lake area. Commercial he1 i c o p t e r f l i g h t s from Canmore, Alber ta, 27.5 km t o the northeast, t o Mount Assin iboine Lodge, are pe rm i t t ed on c e r t a i n days o f the week. Depending on weather, f l i g h t d is tances range from 28 km t o 50 km. Normal charges are on a per person basis .

RESORTS 81 CAMPSITES

Mount A s s i n i b o i n e Lodge and t h e N a i s e t c a b i n s were l o c a t e d approximately 4 km away a t the nor theas t corner o f Lake Magog. The t e n t camping area was l oca ted 2.5 km away on the bench on the west s i de o f Lake Magog.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

A h i k i n g t r a i l passed along the slope t o the south o f the lake and crossed the o u t l e t by b r idge j u s t downstream o f the 1 ake.

OBSTRUCTIONS AND POLLUTIONS

No known p o l l u t i o n s o ther than some washing o f s i l t s i n t o the o u t l e t f rom po r t i ons o f the meadow damaged by horse t r a f f i c . There were occasional sweepers along the lakeshore and a number o f l a rge boulders above and below the water1 i ne, a t the west end o f the avalanche slope.

SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

None known; however, the lake i s w i t h i n a p r o v i n c i a l park and l o c a l parks personnel should be consulted.

LAKE: El i zabeth

AQUATIC PLANTS

None seen.

WILDLIFE OBSERVATIONS

None.

MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS

A bottom sediment sample was taken t o prov ide a more complete p i c t u r e of 1 ake chemistry ( see Appendix B ) . The shore out1 i n e was obtained from an a i r photo enlargement.

LAKE: E l izabeth

LAKE DRAINAGE

General :

El izabeth Lake s i t s i n a small basin a t the southern f o o t o f the "Nublet" r i d g e and has a drainage area o f approximately 0.6 sq. km. The lake i s the headwaters o f a small unnamed creek and as such has no i n l e t s , only overland surface flow. The unnamed o u t l e t ( "El izabeth Lake C") f lows southwest f o r approximately 1.3 km before j o i n i n g the M i t c h e l l R, which f lows southwards t o the Cross R thence westwards t o the Kootenay R.

Major Systems:

Unnamed C ( "E l i zabeth Lake C") - o u t l e t (System No. 35-5800-050-100)

For the f i r s t 150 m downstream o f the lake, the creek was about 2 m wide and had a moderate slope o f 2.5%. While there was a f a i r percentage o f gravel i n the substrate, there was a lso about 10% f ines , mostly s i l t s washed out o f the meadow from areas damaged by horses. This s i l t , combined w i t h the h igh compaction and r e l a t i v e l y shallow water depth, would l i k e l y l i m i t spawning p o t e n t i a l . The lack o f vegetat ive cover o r overhang and lack o f undercut banks would l i k e l y l i m i t r ea r ing p o t e n t i a l . Beyond the f i r s t 150 m, the grad ient becomes much steeper and the substrate much la rger .

M i nor Systems:

None seen.

LAKE: El i zabeth

LAKE DRAINAGE CONT' D

System Name: Unnamed C O u t l e t

System No. 35-5800-050-100

S i t e Locat ion: 40 m downstream o f lake; 20 m downstream o f footbr idge.

Channel W i d th 2.2 m Water temp. 7°C

Wetted W i d th 2.2 m Stage ( f l o w ) moderate

Max. Depth

Avg. Depth

V e l o c i t y 0.25 mlsec

S1 ope 2.5 %

T u r b i d i t y 1+ m Col our c l e a r

F lood Signs ( h t l t y p e ) : 0.3 m based on t e r r a i n shape; however, the recent snow obscured o ther signs.

Bed Mater i a1 : Compaction: High f i n e s - 10 % w i t h f i n e l a y e r over remaining substrate gravels- 40 % la rges - 50 % bedrock- 0 %

a1 so some wood debr is

Banks (form, height , s t a b i l i t y ) : m o s t l y s t e e p l v e r t i c a l w i t h some sma l l undercuts, 0.1 m h igh and stable.

Comments:

The area around the immediate o u t l e t had been damaged by horse use and s i l t s were being washed o u t i n t o the gravel areas of the channel. The channel ran through a meadow area and there was no channel cover o r overhang. The stream cont inued i n a l i k e manner f o r 100 m before the grad ien t steepened.

LAKE: E l i zabeth

WATER CHEMISTRY Limnology S ta t i on No. 1

Date Sept. 12/85 Time 1320 A i r Temperature 1 O C

Wind Ve loc i t y 3 k m / h r WindD i rec t i on northwest F i e l d p H S f c e 7.9 Cloud Cover 10 110 O.C. Surface Condi t ion r i p p l e d 20 m 7.5 Secchi Disc 8.6 m Water Colour b l ue-green H2S 20 m no odour

Method( s) Used Water Temperature YSI Model 57 Oxygen Meter f o r f i e l d tes ts : Dissolved Oxygen Y S I Model 57 Oxygen Meter

A i r Temperature hand a1 coho1 thermometer F i e l d pH Taylor comparator, Model T-0 H 2S -

Depth o f Bottom 21.0 m Depth o f Water Sampl es O m / 2 0 m

LAKE : El i zabeth

WATER CHEW I STRY CONT ' D

Limnology Stat ion No: 1 Seam No: E206411

Residue F i l t r a b j e 105'C (T.D.S.) Surface 112 . q /L

20 m 112 mg/L

Speci f i c Conductance Surf ace 185 umhos/cm

20 m 191 umhoslcm

Lab pH Surface 7.7*

20 m 7.7*

Method /Agency Used: Envi ronmental Laboratory

Comnents: *Accuracy not guaranteed as samples too long i n t r ans i t .

DISSOLVED OXYGEN AND TEMPERATURE PROFILE

D i ssol ved Oxygen (rng / l ) a B

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 t 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 4

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 Temperature ("C) -

LAKE: El i zabeth

NETTING RECORD

Mesh s izes are hung i n an experimental order: 25, 76, 51, 89, 38, 64 mn.

NETTING SITE #1 Type s i n k i n P Date Set Sept. 12/85 Time 1025 monofi ament Date L i f t e d Sept. 12/85 Time 1435

Net Dimensions: Length 91.4 m Depth 2.4 m Shallow End Mesh Size 25 mn, Depth 3 m, Substrate mud/rocks Deep End Mesh S ize 64 mm, Depth 18 m, Substrate mud

Comments: One too th mark found; uncer ta in i f was i n ne t dur ing se t t i ng .

LAKE: E l izabeth

LAKE CATCH SUMMARY

M i nnow Traps: B a i t bread

-4

SIZE RANGE (cm)

-

SPECIES

no catch

FISHERIES COMMENTS

NUMBER SAMPLED

0

#

1

2

There are stocking records fo r an El izabeth Lake w i t h l o c a t i o n coordinates the same as Sunburst Lake, suggesting t h a t t h i s lake has been stocked. However, t h i s record i s f o r Eastern brook t r o u t i n 1958/59. It seems u n l i k e l y t h a t Eastern brook t r o u t would have been stocked i n t h i s lake and, as there i s another E l izabeth Lake i n the Cranbrook area, i t i s assumed t h a t t he 1 ocat ion coordinates are i nco r rec t . The 1974 lake survey reported catching Yellowstone c u t t h r o a t t r o u t and i t seems t h a t t h i s i s the more 1 i k e l y species, w i t h E l i zabeth Lake being u n o f f i c i a l l y stocked a t the same t ime as the o ther lakes i n t h i s area.

NUMBER PRESERVED

0

The 1974 survey reported a catch o f 2 f i s h dur ing an overn ight se t (s ink ing) , which suggests t h a t the populat ion was low a t t h a t time. With no f i s h being caught dur ing t h i s survey, although a too th mark was seen, i t would appear t h a t the populat ion has died o f f o r i s close t o dying o f f . Local repo r t s i nd i ca ted t h a t l a rge f i s h had been caught i n E l izabeth Lake i n the past bu t t h a t noth ing had been caught i n the l a s t few years.

NETT1 NG SITE NO.

HOURS

24

24

There appears t o be some gravel areas i n the o u t l e t immediately downstream; however, there was a f a i r amount of s i l t , and spawning success may be reduced, accounting f o r the suspected d ie -o f f . Unl i ke Cerulean and Sunburst Lakes, there was no evidence o f successful beach spawning i n E l izabeth Lake.

ANGLED

- 0 - - -

Numerous gammerids were seen i n the surface waters.

1 2 3 4

DEPTH(m)

1.0

1.0

OTHER

0

TOTAL

0

SUBSTRATE

mud/rocks

mud/rocks

d

SPECIES

no f i sh ; l o t s o f gammerids

no f i sh ; l o t s o f gammerids; caddis la rvae

LAKE: El i zabeth

HISTORY OF PREVIOUS SURVEYS

Survey Date

Ju ly , 1977 Reconnaissance l e v e l aquat ic b iophysical inventory o f major streams i n Mount Assin iboine area. Data f o r E l i zabeth Lake and "El izabeth Lake C" der ived from a i r photo i n t e r p r e t a t i o n and 1974 l ake repor t . Data cards and maps avai 1 able from Inventory Operations, F i she r ies Branch, V i c t o r i a , B.C.

August 21, 1974 Gunvi 11 e, George, and Tom Park i n. Reconnaissance Survey of El i zabeth Lake, unpubl i shed. Reference copies 1 ocated a t Inventory Operations, F i she r ies Branch, V i c to r i a , and a t F i s h e r i e s Research, F i s h e r i e s Branch, U.B.C., Vancouver, B.C.

LAKE: E l i z a b e t h

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

WATER CHEMISTRY REPORT

08-0c t -85 MINISTRY O F ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY Report for form 00008549

Air E m i s s . Ngmt. - Air Program ATTN: NORRIS J G

qite: E206411 ELIZABETH LAKE DEEP STATION Om ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From : 85/09/12: 0000 To : 85/09/12: 0000 0

Sample State Fresh Water Samp 1 e 85009760 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Description Analytical Technique Result Units ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P H p H Meter ;>

Result 7. 7, analyzed autsidc a f :)ptimal time t"rame. pH units

Residue Filterable Gravimetric 1 0 5 C 112 mg /L

Conductance Specific Cond. Pleter Siebold 185 uS/cm

Nitrogen Kjel. Tot(N) Frnz. Dig. kut. Colnr 0. 09 mg /L

Nitrogen Total Calculated Result .::: 0. ? 1 mg / L

Nitrogen M03+N02 Dis - kroz. Aut. Cadmium Red 'n < '2.02 mg/L

Phosphorus Total Froz. Dig. Aut. Ascorbic Ac 0. 006 mg /L

08-0c t-85 MINISTRY O F ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY Report for form 00008549

Air Emiss. Mgmt. - Air Program ATTN: NORRIS J G - - - - -

'ite: E206411 ELIZABETH L A K E DEEP STATION 20m .............................................................................. From : 85/09/12: 0000 To : 85/09/12: 0000 0

Sample State Fresh Water Samp le €3500'3761 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Description Analytical Technique Result Units

pH p H Meter 7'

Result 7. 7, analyzed outside of optimai time frame. pH units

Residue Filterabls Gravimetric 105C 112 m y / L

Conductance Specific Cond. Meter Siebold 1 9 1 uS/r_rn

Nitrogen Kjel. Tot(N) Froz. Dig. Aut. Color 0. 4 1 mg/L

Nitrogen Total Calculated Hesuit 0 . 41 fng /L

Nitrogen N03+N02 D i s F ~ G z . Aut. Cadmium Red 'n ,,:: 0. 02 I ? I ~ / L

Phosphorus Total Froz. Dig. Aut. Ascorbic kc 0.021 mg /L

LAKE: El i zabeth

APPENDICES

APPENDIX B

BOTTOM SEDIMENT

CHEMISTRY REPORT

11-Mar-86 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY Report for form 00018664

Resource Qual. Sc tn. -Water Progra ATTN: MCKEAN C J P Sample 85011917 ...............................................................................

Site: E206411 ELIZABETH LAKE DEEP STATION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From : 85/09/12: 0000 To : 85/09/12: 0000 Depth Range : 21.0 21.0 Tide : Sample State: Soil Samp le Comment: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Description Result Units Analytical Technique

(Sparcode/Nedium/Pres'n) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sulfur Total 3480 u9 19 Sulfur Anal. Leco

(S--T0630/13/00)

Mercury

Aluminum

Arsenic

Barium

Cadmium

Cobalt

Chromium

Copper

Iron

Manganese

Molybdenum

0. 0 5 ~ 9 1 9 Air D&G: A. R. Dig: Man. CV-S (Hg-T0320/13/00)

14800 ~ 9 1 9 D%G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Al-T0190/13/00)

3. 6 u g / g D&G: N/P Dig: Hydr/ICP LL (As-T0194/13/00)

74 ~ 9 1 9 D&G: N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Ba-T0190/13/00)

14200 ~ 9 / 9 D&G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Ca-T0190/13/00)

C 1 ~ 9 1 9 D&G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal (Cd-T0190/13/00)

< 10 u9/9 D&G: N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Co-T0190/13/00)

22 u9 19 DLG: N/P Dig: ICP Anal (Cr-T0190/13/00)

24 ~ 9 1 9 D&G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (CU-T0190/13/00)

19000 ~ 9 1 9 DbG:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Fe-T0190/13/00)

14300 ~ 9 1 9 D&G: N/P Dig: ICP Anal (Mg-T0190/13/00)

163 u9/9 D&G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Nn-T0190/13/00)

u9/9 D&G: N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Mo-T0190/13/00)

11-Mar-ti6 MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL LABORATORY Report for form 00018664

Resource Qual. Sctn. -Water Progra ATTN: MCKEAN C J P Sample 85011917 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Site: E206411 ELIZABETH LAKE DEEP STATION

*------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From : 85/09/ 12: 0000 To : 85/09/12: 0000 Depth Range : 2 1 . 0 2 1 . 0 Tide : Sample State: Soil Samp le Comment: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parameter Description Result Units Analytical Technique

(Sparcode/Med ium/Pres 'n ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nickel 1 9 u!3/g DGG: N/P Dig: ICP Anal.

(Ni-T0190/13/00)

Lead

Selenium

Tin

Strontium

Nitrogen Kjel. Tot(N)

Phosphorus Total

Residue Tot. Volatile

Carbon Total Organic

Carbon Tot Inorganic

1 8 ug/g D%G: N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Pb-T0190/13/00)

1 4 U g / g DtG: N/P Dig: ICP Anal (Se-T0190/13/00)

< 5 ug/!3 D&G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Sn-T0190/13/00)

21 ug/g D%G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal (Sr-T0190/13/00)

148 ug/g D%G:N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (Zn-T0190/13/00)

10900 ug/g Block Digest/Auto. Color (01131361/13/00)

1410 ug/g DbG: N/P Dig: ICP Anal. (P--T0190/13/00)

147000 ug/g Calculated (0103CAL2/--/--I

6470 ug/g Ash on Leco (01240941/13/00)

Carbon Total 153000 ug/g D/G: Leco Carbon (C--T0790/13/00)

-, '- - \

, , /

/ /

/ -----/----, - - - - - - - -_______ - -__ NOTES. I @ Denofer BENCH MARK 2 Thls Ma0 Nal lnlended l o r Navlgallonal Ure -. . - - - - - .-.- uncharted Rockr and Shoalr May Erlrr.

SURVEYED BY. J G NORRlS DATE: SEPT. 12, 1985 Prarlnce of

I N S E T M A P sritish Columbia F l S H E R l E S B R A N C H

OUTLINE SOURCE, A. PHOTO BC 7 8 l 3 9 8 0 . AUG , 1918 @ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , ? n , I N V E N T O R Y O P E R A T I O N S

ELEVATION SURFACE AREA AREA ABOVE 6m. CONTOUR %: :::':: fl /ZABF Tff L AKE

3 5 9 203 cu m.

MEAN DEPTH 8 . 4 m. D E P T H S I N M E T E R S MAX. DEPTH 2 2 ". WATERSHED CODE: 35 - 5BW-050-IW 1 U.T.M. C-ORDINATE. 11 5945-56416

PERIMETER. MAIN SHORE 8 4 0 m. M.U. 4 -25 FAIR DWG: BAD REV. DATE: PERIMETER, ISLANDS - m. PLOTTING: O A J FAIR DWG. CHECK: J G N SCALE-

BENCH MARK HEIGHT ABOVE WATER LEVEL