Site Information
Learning Intention
To learn more about the investigation site, its historical and current use to assist with planning the Geographical investigation.
Inquiry Questions:
What are the features of Lake Albert Catchment and Lake?
What are the fieldwork sites that will be investigated?
How has the area, and its use by people, changed over time?
Explore Lake Albert by Google My Maps
Lake Albert My Maps tour
Using Google My Maps you can take a tour of the key sites for the Lake Albert Virtual excursion.
Google My Maps contains dropped pins that provide an overview of some of the key locations in the Lake Albert Catchment.
Using Google My Maps can you locate:
- Where Lake Albert is?
- Where the origin of Crooked Creek is?
- Where the origin of Stringybark Creek is?
- What creek does Coxs Creek join into?
- Where is your local community located and is it part of the Lake Albert Catchment?
- Where is you house and school located on the Google My Maps? Where is it in relation to the Lake Albert Catchment?
Lake Albert catchment maps
The image carousel contains images of maps sourced from SIXMAPS.
The four maps show:
- Catchment aerial view terrain
- Catchment aerial view background
- Catchment aerial combined
- Catchment aerial water flow direction
Scroll through the carousel to observe a range of different map images obtained from the SIXMAPS GIS.
Explore Lake Albert by drone imagery
Lake Albert Panosphere
View Lake Albert from above using the 360 degree panosphere. Drone imagery has been processed to give you an interactive perspective from above the Lake, Crooked Creek and Stringybark Creek. Use the functionality of the panosphere to zoom in for as much detail as you require.
To open the panosphere in another tab to enjoy full screen funtionality click here: Lake Albert Panosphere
Summary Facts about Lake Albert
Describe the physical environment and land uses of the area.
Traditional Lake Albert was a natural shallow swamp ( depth of 30 - 60cm) area used by the local Wiradjuri people as a source of food, water, stories and natural resources. The surrounding ecosystem was best described as a Box Gum Grassy Woodland with active summer perennial grasses. The yearly rainfall is 580 mm per year and falling, with a winter maximum. Summer thunderstorms are the major contributing factor to soil erosion as native pastures have been replaced by winter crops. Steep slopes in upper catchment and highly erodible soils.
Lake Albert Catchment
A catchment is an area of land which catches rainfall which then flows to the lowest point, the lake. We use the natural resources of the catchment, (soil, water, plants, animals and land) and in doing so create problems which need to be managed for sustainable use.
The Lake Albert catchment is 7700 hectares while Lake Albert is 121 hectares in total area. The water collects pollutants and eroded soil and transports them to the lake which becomes a collection basin. The health of the lake indicates the health of the catchment.
Facts
The lake was created when Crooked Creek was diverted into what was a swamp in 1902. Stringybark Creek was diverted into the lake in 1977.
The average water depth of Lake Albert is 3.2 metres. The total water capacity of Lake Albert is 4000 megalitres.
The volume of water lost per year to evaporation is 2000 megalitres and rising.
Problems
Low water levels combined increasing salinity and nutrient levels. Competing user groups all want different things from the Wagga Wagga Council.
* Boat Club * Golf Club * Fishing * Local Residents * Farmers * Recreational Users
Catchment sediment (eroded soil) entering the lake each year is estimated over 20000 m3 per year. Over the lifetime of the Lake it is estimated that over 1 Million m3 has been deposited.
Stringybark Creeks estimated sediment per year is 230 tonnes per km2 of catchment Crooked Creek: 25 tonnes per km2 of catchment
In 1985 some reports said the lake will be unusable for recreation (boating) within 40 years. Some 35 years on and boats are frequently unable to use Lake Albert due to low water and high blue-green algae levels.
Information also located on page 2 of Student Fieldwork Booklet
Lake Albert through the Last 150 Years
Historic Images
Learn how Lake Albert has transformed over the last 150 years from a natural wetland to the current recreational precinct through a journey via the historical page of the Wagga Wagga Sailing Club
https://www.waggawaggasailingclub.com.au/about/history-of-lake-albert/ .
Wagga Wagga City Council
Wagga Wagga City Council are the agency responsible for the management of Lake Albert and its catchment area.
Below are key links to information on their website regarding the management of Lake Albert