Agriculture and Industry
The lake was built for irrigation of farmland. In 2000, the lake had 250,000 acre feet (310,000,000 m3) of reserves and was at 85% of maximum capacity. This is enough water to provide almost 200 square miles (500 km2) with a typical 24 inches (610 mm) of watering. Most of the irrigation cropland is alfalfa and clover for hay, with canola, corn, and specialty crops also supplied. The land up to the full supply level of the reservoir is Crown, or government-controlled land - plus the Crown also owns about 30% of the land above the full supply level, most of which is leased for grazing.
Since at least 1938, McGregor Lake was fished commercially for northern pike. The lake has been fished commercially for lake whitefish since about 1948. During the 1980s,, the mean annual commercial catch was a total annual average of 85,964.3 kg of lake whitefish and northern pike fish. This is 200,000 pounds worth close to a million dollars. A 1982 investigation of pesticide and PCB levels in McGregor Lake fish found that concentrations were low and well below safe consumption limits.
The area around McGregor Lake has significant oil and gas discoveries with many large resource companies active, including Husky, Encana, and Total. On June 13, 2007 a day-long session for observing water-born spill mitigation was held at the south end of McGregor Lake. Alberta Energy and Utilities Board required all companies operating in the area to attend. About one hundred workers watched from behind a roped-off area as crews laid out yellow containment booms and demonstrated methods of containing potential lake spills.
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