On Areas 1, 2 and 3, it was possible to make a more careful study over 
and above the comparison of ground and aerial methods and results. In these cases, 
the men involved spent the entire summer on these studies and records were kept 
of the shifting populations during the breeding season as well as the brooding season. 
Nesting studies were made and brood counts were kept throughout the summer. The 
effects of agricultural activities, the rising and falling water levels, predation, and 
weather on the production of waterfowl were also noted. Studies of this type have not 
been possible in Alberta in the past, therefore we have no comparative data. It has 
been of considerable value in interpreting events in the parklands where aerial obser- 
vations were weakest. 
On Areas 4 and 5, where observations were made by personnel of Ducks 
Unlimited (Canada), it was not possible for the investigators to spend all of their 
time on the study areas because of their other duties elsewhere in the Province. 
Therefore, their cooperative efforts were directed toward a study of the comparison 
of ground and aerial surveys of prairie waterfowl habitats. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Weather conditions were ideal during the past spring for a successful 
waterfowl breeding season. Above normal precipitation in 1951 had soaked the 
entire south and central portions of the Province. Water was plentiful on both the 
prairies and parklands, and water levels were high. April and May of 1952 were 
dry and warm. An early arrival of waterfowl following an early spring break-up 
caused nesting to begin throughout southern and central Alberta by mid-April. No 
rains fell until mid-May, and these came primarily to northern and central areas. 
By early June, the southern prairies received sufficient rainfall to end the threat of 
drought there and further precipitation in July caused a good hold-over of available 
brooding areas. The parklands suffered temporary precipitation deficiencies in May 
and early June but received very generous amounts by mid-June. Area 3 had the 
dubious honor of being located in the wettest portion of the Province this summer. 
Water levels there were higher by the end of June than they had been on May 1. As 
the summer was relatively cool, evaporation hardly kept pace with precipitation in 
many parkland areas. 
Water level readings were kept on Areas 1, 2 and 3 in order to measure 
the effects of evaporation and precipitation on the condition of A, B and C type areas, 
Rainfall was below normal on Areas 1 and 2 during May and early June. (5.98 inches 
of rain fell between May 1 and July 15.) Rapid evaporation and lowering water levels 
caused the disappearance of all C areas and many B areas. Nevertheless soil 
moisture content was high and the dry period had very little effect on the permanent 
areas, caused no hardships to broods and apparently did not affect production. 
Rainfall was above normal on Area 3 (13.16 inches from May 1 to July 17), 
a fact reflected in the condition of potholes by mid-summer. A permanent 100 acre 
shallow alkaline lake with a minimum of emergent and submergent vegetation, 
registered a loss of only 1-1/4 inches of water during the period of this study. A and 
B areas of sizes from 5 acres to 1/8 acre registered gains in water levels as great 
as 2-3/4 inches, and losses up to 9-5/8 inches. In small potholes, water conditions 
were dependent upon the degree of shading by surrounding vegetation and the density 
of emergent vegetation. 
