Postcard to Loughborough Lake - Wishing We Were There

Postcard to Loughborough Lake

One thing is true - everything changes; and nothing stays the same.

For over 33 years, Loughborough Lake has given us so much. Sadly, that changed in 2020.

My grandfather fished the lake back in the 1940’s and his signature can still be found in the historic Loughborough Inn guest register. That’s how we, New Yorkers, discovered the lake that would add so much enjoyment to our lives. Every Spring we couldn’t wait to open the cottage, put the curtains up, attach the swim ladder, bring out the dock chairs and gaze at our beautiful lake. Summer would bring hot days, cool swims, boat rides and twilight dinners in the screened gazebo atop the boat house surrounded by the lake. At night, a full moon would shine on the water lighting its ripples made by the fish and beavers. Just as we were about to fall asleep the Whippoorwill, hiding in the nearby woods, would make sure that we would have to wait a bit longer.

Photo provided by Christine Galvin, Loughborough Lake

For so long, our friends and family found refuge at our cottage on the lake; fishing, reading, napping, or swimming and picknicking on Papoose Island. If we needed a bit of excitement, we could be in Kingston in no time, sampling the restaurants, picking up supplies, visiting shops or enjoying a festival.

Who would have thought that one day in March 2020, the border between our two countries would close… shut tight. But close it did, as COVID-19 began to lay claim to our “normal” lives and health. Little did we know that our cottage would be sadly, unwillingly, deserted for the entire summer, and for the rest of the year. What we miss most is the water, its sense of calm and freedom; its beauty. There is something magical about the way it restores the soul.

From time to time, we remotely visited the lake through photos thoughtfully shared by our kind neighbours. During the Loughborough Lake Association Annual General meeting, via Zoom, we learned that the boaters went crazy last summer and that North Shore Road was finally repaired and driveable. Now, looking to the future, even though hope springs eternal, our return this summer is hanging in the balance. All we can do is wait. If you see the flower boxes are planted at the green boathouse on the east end, you’ll know that we’re back. And if not, we’ll return as soon as the door opens.

Until then, enjoy the lake,

Christine Galvin, Loughborough Lake Association member, since 1988

Loughborough Lake Trout Stocking

For those of you who don’t know, the Battersea Loughborough Lake Association has forged a partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and the White Lake Fish Culture Station near Sharbot Lake to release Manitou Lake Trout fingerlings into Loughborough Lake yearly. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our dedicated volunteers were unable to take part in the project both last spring and this year. The staff from the fish culture station, who released the fish last year from a location in the west basin, did so again this year during the week of April 12th when the receiving temperatures of the lake would have been optimal. Fortunately, they were able to secure a site on the north shore of the west basin. In both cases, 15,000 yearlings were placed into the water. While not as ideal as when volunteers put the fish in designated deep-water locations in the west basin, we are pleased that MNRF and the fish culture program have continued to include our lake in their yearly plans.

Records from MNRF indicate that trout yearlings from the fish culture facility have been put into our lake since at least 1974. For those of you interested in stats, some highlights include:

• The number of fish released range from a low of 1,300 in 1974 to a high of 112,682 thirty years later.

• From 1990 until 2003, approximately 35,000 to 40,000 trout were released yearly.

• No trout were released in 2005 and 2011.

• Since 2015, a total of 15,000 lake trout have been placed in the west basin each year.

Until 2014, MNRF and hatchery staff worked together to put the lake trout in the west basin of Loughborough, sometimes with the assistance of one or two volunteers. In 2015 the Storrington Guides Association - whose interests overlap in many ways with that of the BLLA - set up a meeting with the MNRF and the Lake Association. The discussion led to confirmation of a netting project on our lake and a commitment from the Lake Association to assist with the yearly trout stocking project. Volunteers are recruited to meet with their boats, a cooler filled with cold lake water and a net at a location in the west basin in the early spring. The fingerlings are transferred by the fish hatchery staff from a large, refrigerated tanker filled with cold water to the waiting boats at the shore. Once the boat coolers are filled, the fish are driven to specific locations in the west basin where they are gently placed into the deep, cold water using nets. The project has expanded to include two or three boats from the Queen’s University Biology Department Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Lab filled with students. All of the dedicated volunteers and staff enthusiastically participate in the project which is designed to increase the trout population for those who fish the lake.

One final note … In order to date the fish, staff at the White Lake Fish Culture Station have clipped one fin on each fish following a five-year rotating cycle – RP (Right Pectoral), RV (Right Ventral), AD (Adipose), LV (Left Ventral), LP (Left Pectoral).

The fish on the top has its adipose fin clipped.

(Photo supplied by MNRF, Peterborough District – Kingston office)

Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, 2020 was the last time the fins were clipped.

You can use the edited chart below supplied by the MNRF Peterborough-Kingston office to help date the many large lake trout you’ll be catching this summer!

Phragmites: How the Mighty has Spread

You have probably seen this perennial grass along roadsides as a huge area of tall, lush silvery green flower heads waving in the wind. Yes, this is an invasive plant. It was introduced to North America in the 1800s and in 2005 was recognized as Canada’s worst invasive plant by Agriculture Canada. Dense stands of this grass have spread throughout Ontario threatening the habitats of the Great Lakes and inland lakes.

Invasive Phragmites, with as many as 200 stems per square metre, outcompete native plants by releasing toxins into the soil, change lake habitats for wildlife and decrease recreational activities. They can grow on shorelines, in wetlands, watercourses and roadside ditches. Despite preferring areas of standing water, the roots, which can grow up to 4 metres long, allow it to survive in drier areas. Reaching a height of 5 metres, or 15 feet, the flower heads turn brown in the fall atop brown, rough, ridged stems.

Phragmites.

A native subspecies of Phragmites exists in Ontario too. Generally, the native version does not grow as dense, is frequently mixed with other plants and has more reddish-brown stems, yellow-green leaves and sparser seed heads.

What can you do if you think the Phragmites on your property are the invasive version? Your Lake Association has applied for a grant to help us develop a program of identification and advice in eradication. More news on that soon, we hope. A good website to consult is Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program at www.invadingspecies.com. Once Phragmites have been identified there are several methods of management. On dry land a herbicide can be used, although there is no herbicide permitted for use in or around water in Ontario. Another method on land involves using a spade to cut the roots, pulling up as much as possible then disposing of the plant material, in a safe manner. You can burn it once it is dry or place it in black plastic garbage bags in the sun until it is well rotted, after which it can be sent to the landfill. On wet sites selective cutting beneath the waterline can drown the plant by cutting off oxygen to the lower stems and roots. The new shoots then cannot reach the surface to get oxygen. This can be done using hand tools or amphibious cutting tools. Again, you bag the plants and leave them to decay before sending them to the landfill. Never attempt to compost invasive Phragmites as they can survive and grow in the compost. If you have been working with the plant, brush off your clothing and tools so you don’t transfer seeds to other sites.

Hopefully, you do not have this invasive grass on your property but if you find some you will be more informed on how to deal with it.

NOTE: On June 29th, FOCA will present a Phragmites webinar. Members of the BLLA are automatically members of FOCA and have access to this webinar should you wish to attend. Register by clicking here.

Goat Island - A Treasure Worth our Care

My first experience at Goat Island was in 2008. I had been invited on the annual Father and Son(s) Camping Trip put on by the Goat Island Men’s Association. Now, a place is only as good as the company and the men of the Goat Island Men’s Association have become very good friends of mine. This being said, Goat Island has made the top five on a list of my favourite places on earth.

Surrounded by water provided by beautiful Loughborough Lake on the far north east side, Goat Island is perfectly located. Each of the three camp sites provide their own unique experience and view of the lake. It’s far enough away from Perth Road and Battersea Road that there is no noise from cars and trucks. The cliff behind the island has the North Shore Road located on top of it, and I’ve rarely heard any noise from it. The cliff also provides protection from prevailing winds. Other than the odd fisherman, the only sounds are that of loons, a group of boys having some fun, or my friends having a good conversation.

Goat Island is Crown Land. I’m pleased to share that the Goat Island Men’s Association has been humbly caring for this land for over 20 years. This group has been an example to me that there are times in life where the right thing to do is step up and take responsibility for land - Crown Land being no exception. There are two primary events that happen before our camping trip where this action takes place. One or two people will go out three weeks prior to our trip to see what the Island needs and what equipment we need to bring (a reconnaissance). Then a team is assembled to complete the needed tasks two weeks prior to our event. This involves picking up garbage, cutting up fallen trees, and cleaning the three outdoor toilets. In recent years we have found the island to be kept in fairly good shape with less work needed than in previous years.

At the conclusion of our weekend we stress to the group that they need to take everything home that they brought. The last two or three that remain on the Island do a final check for garbage and unclaimed belongings. They then say farewell to the land, and start the planning process again the following late winter. Today we live in the reality of COVID-19. Last year's trip was canceled. This year's trip is in a holding pattern. We also live in a day of hope, that someday this pandemic will be behind us and we can enjoy large social outings again. My son is currently 2.5 years old and I hold on to the hope that I will be able to enjoy one of my favourite places on earth with him, Goat Island on Loughborough Lake.

Note: Registration to our event is open to fathers and son(s) from the community. If you're interested in further information about the annual camping trip email fredgrendel@gmail.com

Water Quality

In last year’s water quality article I mentioned that the COVID-19 virus had suspended the water quality testing in 2020 with an unknown future as to when it might restart. Discussion at that time related to concerns about how the volunteers at the lakes and the government testing staff at Dorset, Ontario could be kept safe. At this point, there is still no resolution but there seems to be an expectation that the program will resume in 2021. Stay tuned for further developments.

While there are no testing results for 2020, water quality on Loughborough Lake is still good and reasonably stable. We have had no outbreaks of blue green algae but we do have infestations of zebra mussels and Eurasian milfoil. These invasive species have established themselves in the lake although they seem to come and go in cycles.

The picture below, of Milburn Bay on Dog Lake, shows blue green algae in 2019. Dog Lake is one lake downstream from Loughborough Lake and it has struggled with blue green algae; the levels of total phosphate (that is the fertilizer for algae growth) in their waters is two or three times what is in Loughborough Lake. Milburn Bay is at the southern end of Dog Lake just down from the village of Battersea; Milburn Creek, which drains into the bay, gets some of its water from the East Basin outflow at Battersea.

Figure 1 - Screen grab from the Shirley French presentation - https://youtu.be/riOyyBnVwBs

There are no ready solutions for algae growth; harvesting of weeds is not an answer. Removing the weeds can add more sunlight to the algae and actually promote growth. The need is to remove total phosphorous from the water. One approach is to reduce shoreline drainage into the lake – leaving the shoreline in a natural state to catch the runoff – and reduce the sources of phosphates by not using fertilizers and cleaning up malfunctioning septic tanks and sewage waste. Another thing being considered on Dog Lake is using floating treatment wetlands. These are floating man-made platforms into which cattails, blue flag iris, swamp milkweed and willow species are planted. The roots from these plants dangle in the water, absorbing the total phosphorous components as they grow. The plants can be harvested and then composted on land, effectively removing the phosphorous from the water. To be successful, there have to be a number of these platforms – one scenario being considered for this bay is to use 10 platforms over several years. They are not inexpensive (in the order of $600+ per platform) to make but they are subject to wind, waves and ice damage. It will require much effort from the volunteers to maintain these platforms to be effective.

Navigating Treacherous Waters

Loughborough Lake can be difficult to navigate, especially for guests that are new to the lake. All too often, what was supposed to be a fun day on the water, especially in the East Basin, can end up with a broken propellor or worse. Last summer saw an influx of guests new to the lake, who have experienced first hand the west basin is the road better travelled. We often hear people asking: “Why are there no buoys indicating the shoals?” Well, there are lots of reasons, not the least of which is our liability if we start taking responsibility for this. Shoals can change with the seasons as the lake levels change, and rock formations that were once navigable can become unnavigable. Us placing a marker on such formations would pose a legal liability. The second reason is that all these markers need to be removed and put back in place every season, for otherwise they would be carried by the ice floes. Finally, we would like to keep the lake as natural as possible. This not only means that guests should clean up after visiting an island to enjoy the pristine nature on this lake, but also refrain from marking shoals on their own as this could lead other boaters to falsely assume all shoals are marked. So, what to do when you are out and about on the lake?

Navionics app with a view of shoals along the beach of Loughborough.

There is a simple answer for this question, and that is bring your cellphone (handy in case you run out of gas, anyway) and run the Navionics app for Android or iPhone. It has a map of the entire region, which is helpful if you want to explore other lakes in the region, Prince Edward County, or the St Lawrence River. Just go to the iPhone App Store and download the Boating Marine and Lakes app, also on Google Play. Be sure to download the map prior to heading out into unknown territory, and be sure to clean your boat of possible invasive species prior to putting it in the water. All the rock shoals are marked in the app, but do yourself a favour and buy some polaroid sunglasses that allow you to peek through the surface in times of low lake levels. Be sure not to speed as, especially in the East Basin, it can be all too easy to ruin your brand new propellor, or worse. Happy boating!

Extractigator: A Solution to a Thorny Problem

You may have Buckthorn trees on your property and you may not even know they are there.  It is a small shrub or tree that came to North America in the 1880s to be used as an ornamental shrub or as a windbreak around homes and fields.  Buckthorn is invasive, spreads aggressively and tolerates many habitats.  In our region around Loughborough Lake they can form dense thickets that crowd and shade out native plants.  Buckthorn seeds are profuse and are carried by birds to germinate widely.  

How can you identify it? Buckthorn is usually the first tree to leaf out and the last to drop its leaves.  Trees grow from two to six meters (6-18 feet) tall with leaves that are egg-shaped and finely toothed.  The leaves are arranged in opposing pairs along the stem.  Most branches older than one year end in a short, sharp thorn.  In the fall clusters of purplish black berries are produced.  

How can you remove Buckthorn? The Lake Association was fortunate to get a grant from Watersheds Canada and the Gottlieb Foundation to purchase 2 Extractigators, which is a plant pulling tool used to remove Buckthorn trees, roots and all! It is a Canadian invention that uses the operator’s weight and leverage to uproot the tree.  It is effective, easy to use, and quite remarkable in action. 

The Lake Association will be lending out the Extractigators to any lake homeowner  to remove this invasive tree, whether they are a member or not.  There are two models to choose from, the Big Daddy at 18.5 lbs is for larger trees and the Classic at 12.5 lbs for trees up to 5cm (2inches) in diameter or when working on a slope.

We will be offering on the ground instruction as needed throughout the spring and summer to those who want to remove Buckthorn from their properties.  Removing Buckthorn from our properties is a big win for our lake's birds, animals and native plants. Contact us if you would like to borrow one, or both, of these amazing tools.

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Mr. Big: Action Brings Hope for Turtles

Mr. Big is big alright, and we are thankful and very lucky to still have him around. It was great fortune and great thrill for the lake association to share in Turtles Kingston’s release of this 18 kg, 80-something male Snapping Turtle last September. Mr. Big is back plying Loughborough Lake waters, after trauma treatment and rehabilitation at Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre (SPWC). He was likely wounded from a propeller injury after being struck by a motorboat, and was suffering from infected lesions to his head and neck when he was found.

Action brings hope. Mr. Big simply would not be alive today, were it not for Colette Lacoursiere. A big thank you to this kind and gentle soul for tending to this stranded Snapper while on a lake outing, and immediately setting Turtles Kingston and SPWC in local-motion. Hope springs eternal from action like hers, and the everyday heroines behind Turtles Kingston (Mabyn Armstrong) and Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre (Sue Meech) and their network of volunteers.

The Lake Association had a taste of Mabyn’s tireless and passionate turtle advocacy last year. She was our guest speaker at our 2019 AGM. Turtles Kingston Facebook followers have grown to approximately 3,000 individuals, families, organizations with more than 1,000 new members last year alone. It means more people in our community are better informed about the plight of our turtles, and engaged in helping to protect our local turtle populations.

All eight of Ontario’s native turtle species are at risk. Snapping Turtles are listed as Special Concern under the Endangered Species Act. As with all species at risk, there is the general threat of habitat loss and degradation. But the low hatchling survival rate (<1%) of turtles and late age of maturity (15-20 years) make their populations very vulnerable to decline with any loss of an adult from seasonal run-ins with road vehicles and motorboats.

Mr. Big was one of 54 injured or dead turtles transported last year to SPWC through Turtles Kingston’s ‘Turtle Trauma Response Program’. Dead turtles are assessed for possible egg extraction and to confirm that they are deceased, saving them from a horrific slow death at the water’s edge or the side of the road. Turtles are ectothermic. They depend on external sources of body heat, which makes them capable of slowing down their breathing and heart rhythms. They can appear dead, but in fact may still be alive, and suffering greatly. Eggs are harvested for incubation from gravid female turtles that did not survive their injuries. SPWC incubated close to 800 turtle eggs last season which resulted in hundreds of hatchlings being released last fall.

The 'Turtle Trauma Response Program’ is a network of compassionate people and organizations in place, and ready to respond to a rescue call like the one that saved Mr. Big. There are veterinary clinics and the Kingston Humane Society who provide ‘Temporary Holding Stations.’ There are ‘Volunteer Transport Drivers’ who give of their time (and gas) to transport the wounded turtles. At the receiving end, there is SPWC working around the clock to rehabilitate not only turtles, but a myriad of other wildlife that otherwise would not have a chance of survival. As Mabyn so eloquently says, “A sincere thank you to SPWC. The stars in heaven shine brighter because of the selfless work they do.”

Thanks to Turtles Kingston we also have at hand the ‘Turtle Nest Protector Program.’ Turtle nesting season is now (end May to end September). A female Snapping Turtle will lay up to 60 eggs, preferably in sand or road side silt and gravel. But most of them will be gone come hatching time, generally mid-August. As for all turtles, spring is when adult females are most vulnerable to road mortality, and their eggs are most vulnerable to predation. Generally entire nests are robbed within the first 24 hours, since fresh nests emit a strong, attractive smell for predators. The biggest culprit is the masked bandit in all our backyards. Raccoons, but also skunks and foxes are ‘human-subsidized predators’ who spring feast on turtle eggs.

Last spring Turtles Kingston and Lee Valley Kingston announced the turtle nest protection program. It designed and sold more than 250 easy to build and easy to use ‘Nest Protectors’ at cost ($15.00- tax included along with the 4 galvanized spikes used to anchor the protectors, and educational ‘how-to’ pamphlets). They also organized a series of seminars where the public (children included) were invited to construct the Nest Protectors themselves. One of our members has donated a Nest Protector to the Lake Association, and several lake members purchased one of their own.

The BLLA is ready to spring into action, and we display our “I brake for Turtles” bumper stickers proudly.

“The protection we all can help provide the adult reproducing turtles is invaluable”, says an impassioned Mabyn. “Only three per cent of the world’s water is freshwater, and 20 per cent of that is in Canada. Turtles are integral to the freshwater systems, as they are the best water cleaners. Remove them, and the wetlands implode.” Mr. Big is a grand old wetland daddy, holding the secrets of our lake, reminding us of our how vulnerable its natural treasures are to human impact, and inspiring hope for all species at risk.