The familiar signs of fall are arriving on Chestermere Lake, with the annual lowering of the water level scheduled to begin Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The Western Irrigation District will begin drawing down the lake to its winter operating level following the end of the 2026 irrigation season.
Residents are being asked to remove boats and other personal property from the water before the lake level begins to fall.
The drawdown is part of the lake’s regular seasonal cycle. WID’s annual water season runs from May 1 through Sept. 30, when water diverted from the Bow River travels through the Western Headworks Canal into Chestermere Reservoir before continuing east through the irrigation system.
WID confirmed that diversion from the Bow River ended Sept. 30 for the 2026 season. The district says Chestermere Reservoir is typically lowered to its winter level after the Thanksgiving long weekend.
Water levels are raised again in the spring as WID prepares its system for the next irrigation season.
Residents with boats, docks or other property affected by changing lake levels should make their fall preparations before Oct. 13.
Additional information on reservoir operations is available from the Western Irrigation District.