Yoho National Park Aquatic Resources Inventory

During 1973-74 extensive limnological investigations were conducted on 22 lakes and 30 stream sites in Yoho National Park. Field and laboratory investigations included: benthic samples, shoreline survey, shore trawl, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macrophytes, fish, fish parasites, sounding, primary production, water chemistry, water temperature, pH, conductivity, and light penetration. In addition to the sites visited during the present study, data available on 20 other lakes were analysed.

The physical and chemical limnology of Park waters is described and discussed. Lakes, ponds, and streams in the Park were found to exhibit a wide diversity of morphological types.
The taxonomy, species composition, numbers, and distribution of benthic, shoreline, phytoplankton, and zooplankton communities are described and discussed. Lakes and ponds in the Park are classified on the basis of thermal properties, trophic levels, phytoplankton communities, zooplankton communities, and potential fish production.

The biotic communities of the Park were generally found to be relatively sparse and the lakes oligotrophic, although a fairly wide range of habitat types was observed. General levels of productivity were comparable to those characteristic of many arctic lakes. Slow growth rates and long generation times characterize such oligotrophic waters.

Download original data paper document from 1975:
https://waternet.ca/fileserver/T-2026-10-02-01u02uAvhWCU2ae3XflOtlSw/Yoho_NP_Lake_Rept_1975.pdf