Seba Beach on Wabamun Lake

Seba Beach, Alberta
Managed by North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper
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This beach in the summer village of Seba Beach is one of north central Alberta’s oldest and most popular resort areas. The beach is approximately 60 feet in length, and runs between 9th and 3rd Street. It is particularly busy on the August long weekend for the Regatta celebrations. The name was apparently chosen by postal officials, and it may have been taken after Seba, son of Cush from Genesis 10:7. The beach is long and sandy and has day use amenities nearby. The water is shallow and usually clear on the west side of this large recreational lake. The swimming area for the public beach is nestled between 2 public docks. Seba has an excellent fireworks display and silly parade on the August long weekend. Parking is the near the large pier and most of the public beach is sandwiched between cottages on either side. Wabamun was the site of a CN Train derailment close to the Town of Wabamun on the Northeastern side of the lake. Toxic chemicals were spilled into the lake but recent water quality monitoring has revealed the lake is safe for swimming and recreation. The water levels of the lake have stayed consistent because of an agreement with the nearby power generation companies and Alberta Government to pump water back into the lake.

Get directions to this beach
COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is still essential. Only go to the beach if you are able to keep 6 feet or 2 meters away from others. Follow the instructions provided by your local health authorities. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter our efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

Water Quality
  • No data available

  • Current Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on September 7th, 2016. North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 7th, 2016 at 2:41 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
-13°C
Clear and sunny
  • Report Pollution
Monitoring Frequency

Seba Beach on Wabamun Lake is sampled from June 1st to September 1st.

Source Information

Alberta Health Services (AHS) monitors freshwater beaches across the province of Alberta. Water samples at this beach are collected by AHS staff and processed by Alberta Public Laboratories.

Beaches are sampled on varying frequencies for Enterococcus and for cyanobacteria and microcystins (blue-green algae) during the summer months.

Water quality is monitored in accordance with the proposed Alberta Safe Beach Protocol, using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recreational Water Quality Criteria.

Enterococcus is measured using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) based molecular method of testing recreational water. High Enterococcus levels can indicate fecal contamination which poses human health risks. Guidelines recommend that a water quality advisory be posted when the tests demonstrate calibrator cell equivalents (cce) surpassing 1,280/100ml.

When a Water Quality Advisory is issued, a notice is erected at the beach indicating that the location is unfit for swimming or bathing. In addition, a Water Quality Advisory is issued through the AHS website, local media.
An advisory is rescinded once water quality meets the above standards.

In addition to Enterococcus, AHS monitors blue-green algae throughout the swimming season. Algal blooms are monitored through visual observation and through testing for cyanobacteria and microcystins (toxins produced by blue-green algae).

AHS issues a Blue-Green Algae Advisory when a bloom is identified. Advisories are posted online to https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/bga.aspx, circulated by local media. Appropriate signage is posted around the water body (public beaches, access points, campgrounds, etc). These advisories remain in place for the duration that the health risk persists.

Swim Guide posts all advisories (enterococcus and blue green algae) that are announced. However Swim Guide is not able to share monitoring data for Alberta beaches on an ongoing basis as AHS does not share water quality test results with the public. Therefore, the swim icon will appear grey for monitored beaches due to a lack of public access to AHS recreational water quality data. Advisories will appear on the beach page as a special status red, with an ad.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

Seba Beach on Wabamun Lake

Seba Beach, Alberta
Managed by North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper
COVID-19

Keep your distance from other people.

Practicing social distancing is still essential. Only go to the beach if you are able to keep 6 feet or 2 meters away from others. Follow the instructions provided by your local health authorities. If your community has asked that you remain indoors and away from others, do so. Spending a day in any crowded place is the worst thing we can do for our most vulnerable right now and will counter our efforts to curb the virus’s spread.

Water Quality
  • No data available
  • Current Status
  • This status is based on the latest sample, taken on September 7th, 2016. North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper updates the status of this beach as soon as test results become available. These results were posted to Swim Guide on September 7th, 2016 at 2:41 PM.
For water quality icon legend, click:  
Current Weather
-13°C
Clear and sunny
Swim Guide connects millions of people to water. Donate to help us keep this free service going.

This beach in the summer village of Seba Beach is one of north central Alberta’s oldest and most popular resort areas. The beach is approximately 60 feet in length, and runs between 9th and 3rd Street. It is particularly busy on the August long weekend for the Regatta celebrations. The name was apparently chosen by postal officials, and it may have been taken after Seba, son of Cush from Genesis 10:7. The beach is long and sandy and has day use amenities nearby. The water is shallow and usually clear on the west side of this large recreational lake. The swimming area for the public beach is nestled between 2 public docks. Seba has an excellent fireworks display and silly parade on the August long weekend. Parking is the near the large pier and most of the public beach is sandwiched between cottages on either side. Wabamun was the site of a CN Train derailment close to the Town of Wabamun on the Northeastern side of the lake. Toxic chemicals were spilled into the lake but recent water quality monitoring has revealed the lake is safe for swimming and recreation. The water levels of the lake have stayed consistent because of an agreement with the nearby power generation companies and Alberta Government to pump water back into the lake.

Get directions to this beach
  • Report Pollution
Monitoring Frequency

Seba Beach on Wabamun Lake is sampled from June 1st to September 1st.

Source Information

Alberta Health Services (AHS) monitors freshwater beaches across the province of Alberta. Water samples at this beach are collected by AHS staff and processed by Alberta Public Laboratories.

Beaches are sampled on varying frequencies for Enterococcus and for cyanobacteria and microcystins (blue-green algae) during the summer months.

Water quality is monitored in accordance with the proposed Alberta Safe Beach Protocol, using the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recreational Water Quality Criteria.

Enterococcus is measured using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) based molecular method of testing recreational water. High Enterococcus levels can indicate fecal contamination which poses human health risks. Guidelines recommend that a water quality advisory be posted when the tests demonstrate calibrator cell equivalents (cce) surpassing 1,280/100ml.

When a Water Quality Advisory is issued, a notice is erected at the beach indicating that the location is unfit for swimming or bathing. In addition, a Water Quality Advisory is issued through the AHS website, local media.
An advisory is rescinded once water quality meets the above standards.

In addition to Enterococcus, AHS monitors blue-green algae throughout the swimming season. Algal blooms are monitored through visual observation and through testing for cyanobacteria and microcystins (toxins produced by blue-green algae).

AHS issues a Blue-Green Algae Advisory when a bloom is identified. Advisories are posted online to https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/bga.aspx, circulated by local media. Appropriate signage is posted around the water body (public beaches, access points, campgrounds, etc). These advisories remain in place for the duration that the health risk persists.

Swim Guide posts all advisories (enterococcus and blue green algae) that are announced. However Swim Guide is not able to share monitoring data for Alberta beaches on an ongoing basis as AHS does not share water quality test results with the public. Therefore, the swim icon will appear grey for monitored beaches due to a lack of public access to AHS recreational water quality data. Advisories will appear on the beach page as a special status red, with an ad.

Read more
Water Quality Graph

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