Garden Lakes Are More Than Just An Ornamental Feature

Garden Lakes is an idyllic oasis in West Phoenix Valley. Boasting two lakes, lush landscaping, and extensive parks that foster peace, this community creates an oasis of serenity and relaxation.

Garden Lake chain of lakes offers some of the finest fishing, with Walleye, Northern Pike, and Black Crappie consistently caught here. Additionally, this area is home to numerous wildflowers and other forms of vegetation.

Lake Effect

Many gardeners who reside near lakes are familiar with the lake effect: an unexpected yet terrifying pattern of snow that can dump feet at once on gardens near a large body of water. Also known as thundersnow or squalls, lake effect snow happens when the air near its surface is much colder than its surroundings, causing temperature differential instability, which leads to air rising from below, creating clouds that eventually cool and precipitate as snow as clouds move downwind towards it – something gardeners should be aware of so they can prepare their plants if predicted they might experience lake effect snowfall.

Lake effect snow formation relies heavily on three key ingredients: wind speed, direction, and topography. To allow this phenomenon, wind speeds must be sufficient to bring relatively warm air from around the lake into contact with colder prevailing winds that cool the air further and cause it to rise and pick up moisture from the lake’s surface. Evaporation then turns this moisture into cloud droplets that eventually transform into snowfall bands which can also be modified through wind speed, direction or topography – ultimately producing snowbands of various widths or depths depending on these three factors and topography can alter them further or narrowed depending on wind speed or direction or topography shaped by wind direction or topography shaped into snow bands which shape or widen or limited or restricted depending on wind direction/speed/topography combination/topography depending on where moisture accumulates from, creating snowbands which then formed through accumulation from lake-generated condensation mixed in contact with cold prevailing winds then rising as it colliding with much harder air mass then rising as moisture from lake-generated condensation from lake-generated by increasing air pressure combined with moisture evaporization from warm lakes surface evaporated combines to form cloud droplets that eventually turn into snowbands that shape or widen/n narrowed depending on wind speed/direction/topography interaction as snowbands forms or shape and weather changes occurs or any combination thereof forming cloud droplets that eventually form cloud droplets forming cloud droplets form cloud droplets forms cloud droplets forms cloud droplets forms cloud droplets which ultimately develop into cloud droplets that eventually forms cloud droplets evaporization causes it. These snow bands widened/ evaporated surface temperatures cause cloud droplets/vaporization create cloud droplets evaporation forms cloud droplets from warm surface/vaporization forms cloud droplets eventually turning cloud droplets which then snow bands can further widen/narrowed/ shape by wind speed/direction/ topography effects snowbands (or shape them!). Allowing or narrowing/ – eventually turn snowbanks for their eventual snow bands/form cloud droplets then transforms which ultimately transform to form which will develop eventually turn snow bands depending on either way/ or shape from topography/evaporation formed cloud drops to forms from eventually turn snow bands/evaporation thus turning into cloud droplets formed /evaporation combined +evaporization combine + surface warming also influence. Shaped later (or created by width/direction variations of direction/or shapes them widen//widen or narrow/shaped by changing weather/or changes that include cloud droplet formation due forming cloud droplet formation-off (widen or shape and finally change out, then snow bands that eventually form out), wide/widen narrow/. Etc… which finally turn snow bands (or whatever!) formed cloud droplets eventually turn snowbands/ or shapes), comprehensive or shape).. snowbands shaping. Or shape// or turn. shaped due to windspeed/etc) eventually, turn. Then, ultimately, form. Depending upon either broad/ shaped width)..). Wide/s and finally setup.) for snowbands… etc). Wide/shaped by windspeed……. etc., shaping (in or shape or plains by narrow/widened/or form depending on the topography.

Data collected through hydro morphological analysis were then utilized to conduct heatmap and dendrogram clustering with Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to identify groups of lakes that shared similar hydro morphological characteristics and used for regression analysis; results confirmed significant correlations between low rates of shallowing, mean depth changes, lake surface area modifications and variations in coastal zone macrophytes (emergent and submerged vegetation, helophytes and nymphaeids) within different morphological groups of lakes.

Water Storage

Garden lakes may seem like an ornamental feature, but they also act as natural water storage facilities, helping homeowners and farmers reduce their water footprint while alleviating pressure on local sewer systems.

Many historic parks and gardens boast water features like lakes, dams, moats, and mill ponds dating back to the early phases of landscape development. As these structures may hold archaeological or palaeoecological value as well as aesthetic ones, any changes or drainage must be discussed with professional assistance before they are altered, drained off, or filled in without first seeking advice from specialists.

Climate change is increasing drought risks and extreme weather swings from flood to heatwave while also reducing lake water storage capacity, severely affecting human water consumption and the eco-environment.

Climate changes have led to rapid sedimentation of large lakes, degrading both their ecosystem and downstream river water quality (Cretaux et al. 2021; Busker et al. 2019; Luo et al. 2022; Maberly et al. 2020; Ryan et al. 2020 and Woolway 2020).

At the Lake and Basin Management Agency (LBMA), we prioritize protecting and enhancing water levels across their basins and lakes. This can be accomplished by monitoring their levels regularly, limiting the draining of surrounding wetlands, maintaining lake marginal habitats to reduce erosion and sedimentation, optimizing shoreline tree cover to mitigate effects from evaporation, fluctuating levels, and flushing rates as well as managing pollutant loads from nutrient effluent to minimize impacts on natural nutrient status of their water bodies. Lastly, it is vitally essential that pollutant loads from nutrient effluent are managed to mitigate their effects on the natural nutrient status of bodies.

Hydroelectric Energy

Hydroelectric energy is one of the oldest forms of renewable power and accounts for much global electricity generation. Additionally, hydropower plants use dams to control and redirect water flow towards turbines that generate electricity; once completed, this electricity is fed through transformers for long-distance transmission.

Hydroelectric power poses numerous threats to ecosystems and habitats when dams are constructed, particularly reservoirs that create still or stagnant water sections that kill vegetation while emitting greenhouse gasses as it decays; this also negatively impacts fish populations and agricultural harvests. Furthermore, dams displace communities – which can be difficult for residents to adjust to, especially since compensation often doesn’t cover relocation costs fully.

Hydroelectric energy also boasts high-efficiency rates of around 90%, surpassing coal and wind power in terms of efficacy. Furthermore, unlike solar or wind energy systems that require periodic maintenance shutdowns for repairs, hydropower doesn’t need to be shut off during such maintenance operations.

Numerous hydroelectric power sites are designed to supply local electricity networks, but others serve larger industrial enterprises. For instance, Grand Coulee Dam was constructed in Bellingham, Washington, to support Alcoa aluminum production, while New Zealand’s Manapouri dam provides electricity for an aluminum smelter in Manapouri.

Three distinct kinds of hydroelectric energy plants exist. Most are impoundment facilities, where a dam stores water to later release for energy production when needed. Diversion facilities utilize canals instead of reservoirs to channel river flow toward generator-powered turbines for diversion purposes.

Fishing

Koi fish and aquatic plants such as water hyacinths make beautiful additions to garden lakes, but escaping backyard ponds could have lasting impacts if released into natural waters. Non-native species outcompete native ones for food and shelter, disrupting lake ecosystems and destroying habitat. Invasive plants and fish also spread disease and out-compete native wildlife for sustenance – with various methods including escaping backyard ponds or being abandoned by people no longer wanting them or being brought in on boatloads of soil carrying loads bringing more ground in from outside sources getting more in!

Garden-Pakashkan Conservation Reserve contains five lakes: Garden, Loganberry, Mooseland, Holly, and Grew Lakes – offering hunters and anglers remote hunting and fishing opportunities in a wilderness setting. Furthermore, this protected site houses multiple pictographs and is listed under Ontario Heritage Act protection.

Walleye and northern pike are the primary sport fisheries found at Garden Lake Reservoir. A special regulation implemented in 2006 required immediate release of any north pike over 24 inches; this seems to have achieved its aim of increasing abundance for this large species.

Mooseland and Holly Lakes are excellent spots for targeting smallmouth bass. To fish successfully for these fish, target wooded areas or shoreline structures with soft bottoms using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, or jigs with plastic tails. Trout anglers should try trolling around brush piles or cut banks during the day before fishing shallow coves at night with live shad or cut bait.

Garden Lake and the volcanic rocks surrounding it are of regional significance due to their representation of volcanic activity associated with the Wabigoon geological subprovince. Though generally unaffected by human activities, an esker at its inlet may be vulnerable to sand and gravel extraction activities.

Wildlife

Garden lakes provide habitats for an incredible diversity of aquatic wildlife – everything from dragonflies and turtles to fish. Their shallow near-shore or coastal zone is also an essential home for rooted aquatic plants that reduce shoreline erosion while contributing to other lake ecosystems’ survival. When gardeners build walls or install non-native species in this zone, it further disrupts essential ecosystems, damaging their survival.

Gardeners can have an immediate positive effect on a lake by planting native vegetation in its coastal zone and avoiding exotic ones. Not only are native species better for wildlife and the landscape, but they also look better!

Ponds are popular with those who wish to appreciate the sounds and beauty of water gardens, yet they can attract tiny aquatic snails like Melantho snails, salamanders, and frogs. Additionally, ponds may support algae growth that small fish, birds, and amphibians will consume as food sources.

Deep lakes provide ideal habitats for walleye and northern pike populations but are susceptible to destruction at ice edges due to destruction caused by special regulations for extensive pike harvesting. Garden Lake was no exception, as in 2012, the abundance of walleye in Garden Lake gill nets was below average due to this.

Garden lakes present an exceptional opportunity for researchers to examine the interrelationships between physical environment modifiers and organismal movement. Due to the lakes’ scalability, researchers can utilize stable isotopes, acoustic telemetry, and replicated whole-lake experiments to explore these relationships, gain insight into how physical environments influence movement, and understand trophic interactions within and across change gradients.