Candle Lake Provincial Park Public Beach at Sandy Bay Campground

Managed by North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper

Sandy Bay public beach is rated one of the top inland beaches in Canada! It features fine light sand and very clear water. The lake bottom is also soft and sandy with no evidence of weeds. Some reeds do wash up along stretches of shoreline, but in small amounts. The shoreline across from and surrounding the beach is very natural and features dense forest giving the lake a natural feel. Wildlife (particularly waterfowl) are abundant and you can both see and hear them while relaxing on the beach. Candle Lake Provincial Park is split into two sections – highway 120 leads to the eastern half and highway 265 leads to the western side. These highways are connected by Main Street (which is unpaved). Sandy Bay is located in the western part of the park. There is a paved parking lot and you can easily access the beach from the lot via a small wooden boardwalk or a short paved pathway.

The depth of the water drops off after a few meters but the bottom remains sandy. The beach is over 1km long and runs along the length of the bay. This location helps protect the beach from wave and boat activity, making it a more quiet and calm destination. There is a designated swimming area marked by buoys, and all swimming is unsupervised. No pets on the beach.

The beach opens up to a grassy park that features outhouses, trash and recycling facilities, drinking water, as well as basketball and volleyball courts. There is a bike rack and several walking trails in the area. Behind the park, there is a small wetland that is home to many local and migratory birds. Further down the beach there is a public boat launch and dock. The campground (a short walk from the beach) features more washroom and shower facilities. There are several day use sites near the beach and wildlife in the park is plentiful. Angling restrictions apply to Candle Lake so check the provincial regulations before fishing!

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WATER QUALITY

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MONITORING FREQUENCY

SOURCE INFORMATION

Beaches are monitored at varying frequencies for E. Coli and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) from the end of June to the end of August. There are weekly reports on the beaches’ recreational water quality results posted on the Healthy Beach Program website from July to early September.

Water quality is monitored in accordance with the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality under Saskatchewan’s Healthy Beach Program.

The levels of E. coli are measured using the most probable number methodology. High levels of E. coli can indicate faecal contamination, which poses human health risks for gastrointestinal illnesses, as well as ear, nose, and throat infections. In accordance with the guidelines, a beach is marked green when a single sample result is less than 400 E. coli organisms in 100 milliliters of water or the geometric mean of five samples is less than or equal to 200 E. coli per 100 milliliters of water. A beach is marked red when a single sample results has greater than 400 E. coli per 100 ml of water.

The Government of Saskatchewan advises to avoid swimming and in-water activities during water quality advisories. There will be warning signs at the beaches with poor water quality results until the risk to public health is resolved.

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