Spring 2019 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER

Welcome to spring (we hope it’s really here when you get this) from the BLLA Board. If you have your Fall newsletter handy and compare the listings on page 2, you will see we have a new President, Evonne Potts, and a new Director, Heather Gregg. However, Nada Beamish and Joe Pater will be stepping down after the AGM. We appreciate their years of service to the Association and to this newsletter. As the “Come on Down” announcement later in the newsletter says, volunteers to sit on the Board are definitely welcome.

We hope you find the announcements and articles in this newsletter useful and interesting. We are already stockpiling articles for Fall and thinking about new ways to communicate with Lake Association members and the public (see Get Connected! page 3). Encouraged by the success of our recent survey, we will be reaching out again to get your ideas on what role a newsletter of this type should play in the future.

Happy summer! – Your BLLA Board

Lake Trout Sensitive to Oxygen Levels in Loughborough Lake

Lake Trout is a rare species in Ontario and that means Lake Trout lakes are rare as well. Only about one percent of Ontario’s lakes contain Lake Trout, and this represents 20-25% of all Lake Trout lakes in the world (1). Loughborough Lake is lucky to have a healthy, naturally producing population in its West Basin. It is also stocked every year with cultured fingerlings through efforts of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, assisted side-by -side with members of our Lake Association. 

As a species, Lake Trout are very sensitive to environmental change. Changes in climate, temperature of the lake and the levels of nutrients, such as phosphorus run-off from agricultural and lawn fertilizers, dishwashers and septic fields surrounding the lake, may affect this species. This is because high levels of nutrients lead to algae growths that use up the available oxygen in the water. Lake Trout need about 6-7 mg of oxygen per litre of water to remain healthy and reproduce. Unhealthy habitat with algae blooms can be found just south of us in Dog Lake. While Dog Lake is too shallow to have Lake Trout, we need to avoid this kind of contamination in our lake to maintain healthy levels of fish stock. Shoreline development and agricultural practices are important determining factors in this delicate equation. 

To find out the historical levels of oxygen in Loughborough Lake for comparison with present-day levels, a recent undergraduate thesis by Hillary Quinn-Austin examined the oxygenation of Loughborough Lake over the past 200 years (2). From a core taken by researchers from the lake bottom at 38 metres, the deepest point of the West Basin, Quinn-Austin counted deposits of Lake Fly larvae exoskeletons in the lake’s sediments. These are the parts of the larvae that are shed when they emerge as flies. From those exoskeletons, Quinn-Austin then isolated samples of the Lake Fly larvae heads and mandibles, identifying specific species in the process. Counting the number of larvae heads per volume of sediment of a particular species provides an indication of the level of oxygenation of the lake at the time the larvae metamorphosed into a Lake Fly. The study also determined the amount of chlorophyll in the lake sediments through spectroscopy as an indication of algae production. 

Findings suggest Lake Flies of the genus Micropsectra (Midges) dominate the count. The high counts for this species indicate that oxygen levels have been relatively stable and high over the past 200 years, at between 6-7 mg of oxygen per litre of water. Because oxygen levels are negatively affected by nutrients from run-off and erosion, the presence of a healthy forest surrounding the lake is important. During periods of clear-cutting, especially in the mid-1800s, lake oxygen levels appeared to decline for a few decades. However, oxygen levels bounced back in the 1900s, enough to support a healthy population of Lake Trout. Between 1987 and 2009, there is evidence of a reduction in oxygen levels in the West Basin, a worrying finding that may, in time, put the population of Lake Trout at risk again. 

One of the causes of the decline of Lake Trout is the continued environmental pressures provided by development surrounding the lake. Impact from human activities such as leaching septic beds, increased fertilizer run-off, removal of trees, and clearing shorelines all negatively affect the delicate balance of oxygen in the water. 

To maintain our population of Lake Trout, Loughborough Lake’s West Basin has been identified as a “Highly Sensitive Trout Lake” and is considered to be “at capacity” for development due to concerns that additional nutrient loads may adversely affect water quality (3). It is only through awareness of the critical role humans play in affecting water quality, evidence-based development practices, and careful monitoring of scientific data that we can ensure Loughborough Lake remains a healthy habitat for Lake Trout and other environmentally sensitive species. 

References

1. Government of Ontario, Lake Trout Management for inland lakes, 2015. 

2. Hillary Quinn-Austin. A chironomid-inferred paleolimnological reconstruction of past hypolimnetic oxygen concentrations in Loughborough Lake, Ontario: Implications for the local Lake Trout habitat. Queen’s University, April 2017. 

3. South Frontenac Township’s Official Plan, Highly Sensitive Trout Lakes, Section 5.2.8a, March 2003.

Please Help Us Get Informed and Fill out the Survey!

The Battersea Loughborough Lake Association (BLLA) has prepared a short survey to gather feedback from you, our members and residents of the lake to learn about lake-related priorities and how the board can best fulfill its mandate to preserve and protect the area.

You can find the online survey here, and appreciate your time and effort!

Endangered Species Act Review Could Gut Wildlife Protections

From the David Suzuki Foundation website: “The Government of Ontario has set its sights on “improving” Ontario’s Endangered Species Act, posting a discussion paper on the Environmental Registry. However, the paper makes it clear that the province’s primary objective in revisiting the act is not to ensure efficient recovery for Ontario’s at-risk species but, rather, to find even more efficiencies for industries that want to operate where these animals and plants live.

The primary cause of wildlife decline in Ontario (and nationally, and globally) is habitat loss and degradation, for which limits need to be set, not greater efficiencies created. In 2013, the province passed an amendment that exempts a broad suite of industrial and development activities from the rules against harming endangered and threatened species and their habitats. In other words, the ESA is already failing to effectively safeguard the habitat wildlife needs to survive. We need to ensure that the province upholds a piece of legislation intended to change business-as-usual activities that drive wildlife decline, not pave the way for them.”

To help the many endangered species on our lake, please sign the Suzuki Foundation’s petition and the Ontario Nature petition and let your voice be heard.

Deer in Winter

It is bitter cold out in the Loughborough Wilderness in mid-winter. Deer are roaming outside their normal confines of the woods to get their hoofs on the last remaining patches of grass and roughage from last season, buried deep under the snow. They pillage the juniper bushes on the islands and lakeshore at night for a few remaining leafs, reducing some to stalks that will regenerate in spring. This is a dangerous time for the deer as they grow weaker and weaker, while their predators, which include wolves, cougars (reportedly) and coyotes in this area, are growing more hungry. Fortunately for them, their main predator, humans, are not allowed to hunt until next fall. If you do decide to help the deer out a little by feeding them, do take care to make your feed as woody and fibrous as their current diet: Their stomachs may not adjust to overly nutritious food sources at this time of year.

FOCA Membership Benefits to all our members

FOCA is the province-wide umbrella group for Ontario waterfront property owners, representing 50,000 member families in more than 500 lake and road associations.

Through the BLLA, FOCA offers discounts to our members. For login information please see their brochure.

CottageFirst—Get access to great coverage on your cottage, home, car & more. Exclusive to FOCA member families, via Cade Associates Insurance Brokers. Get your quote: 1-844-CADE-1ST

Coleman Canada—30% discount when you shop online and use the Code SAFEBOAT (all caps) at checkout!

Action First Aid—Get a FOCA discount of 18% off on a Philips Home Defibrillator, now $1,365 (+tax). Contact jon@actionfirstaid.ca

Audability Communications—Get a special offer: teleconference for only 2.5¢ a minute per participant. You must mention FOCA when you call 1-877-283-2253 or email sales@audability.com.

DockinaBox—Remember to ask for your 10% FOCA discount on a dock frame system OR a boat lift. See terms & conditions online.

InvisiRail—Claim a 7.5% FOCA discount on their glass rail systems for your home or cottage, using Code: FOCA7.5

Canadian Canoe Museum—Claim a one-time FREE 1-year Individual Membership to the Museum! ($40 value). Quote code: FOCA12 by phone 1-866-342-2663, or at the door, or by email: info@canoemuseum.ca

Cottage Life Magazine—Special discount on new subscriptions OR renewals: pay only $24.95 (for 1 year + 1 bonus issue; includes free digital access + Bonus calendar). Order online: www.cottagelife.com/foca

For more information, please see our brochure.

Nature Conservancy: Gift to Preserve the 3rd Best Nature in Canada

Please choose to support the lake by designating a gift to a land purchase on Loughborough via our partner Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Nature Conservancy is very active in protecting the lands around our lake because they are so special. You might be surprised to learn that the Frontenac Arch that starts on North Shore of our lake is the third most biodiverse (read: best nature) area in Canada! So rather than accepting a material birthday gift this year, give the gift of nature.

Water Quality

When you get down to it, one of the major reasons why people come to Loughborough Lake is because of, well, the lake. The water is the basis for why people build cottages and homes here, buy boats and other toys and choose to come back and take their annual vacation or even spend their lives beside it. There are obviously many other reasons why we come to the lake but the water is probably key to why we are here. So it follows that lake water quality is really important to peoples’ enjoyment of the lake.

When the Lougborough Lake Association was researching the idea of preparing a "lake planning" study in 2009, water quality was the biggest or most important factor reported in other lake reports that we read. After considerable discussion, the association decided not to do a "lake planning" study; there were a number of reasons why we chose not to undertake it – cost, value for effort, and a lack of enthusiasm were amongst the reasons we did not go with it. However we all agreed as to the importance of water quality and that understanding has directed some of the association activities this year.

Recently, the lake association has increased the number of spots that water sampling is being taken. Up to this point, we had a couple of dedicated volunteers, each taking one sample, one in the West Basin and one in the East. We have increased the number of samples being taken to five – now three are being taken in the more complex East Basin and two are being done in the West Basin. The Ontario Government MOE has agreed to provide analysis of the samples that we take.

Another action that was taken was to enlist the help of a fellow Loughborough Lake resident and association member (he has even agreed to become an association director!) to interpret and explain what is happening to the water quality. Mike Hulley is a consulting engineer and associate professor with RMC and he has had much experience working on water quality problems. It was obvious that increasing the amount of water quality data being collected but not having anybody who could explain it was not going to work; we are grateful to have Mike’s help.

Recently, Mike and long-time Loughborough Lake resident Karl Montgomery got out on the West Basin and did some water temperature and dissolved oxygen tests. The following is what Mike noted:

"The deeper you go in the lake, the cooler that it becomes. Between 10 and 15 metres, there is a temperature drop or thermocline. There is also a reduction in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water at this same level. It is below 5 mg/L at the deeper levels.  Mike notes that the commonly accepted threshold for trout was 5 mg/L, and apparently this threshold has since been raised to 6 mg/L. Although there are still lake trout being caught, this finding would suggest that trout may not be thriving."

The cause of this is not known - it could be also related to deposition and decomposition of organic material. It could also be seasonal. Oxygen levels in the deeper parts of the lake should improve in the fall as the surface temperatures cool and the higher oxygen content surface waters can blend with the lower level waters. We also do not have a history of oxygen levels in the lake – we cannot compare this result with what has happened in the past. We hope to go out on the lake again later in the fall and do further tests. Experience and knowledge can help us better understand the lake we so enjoy.

Dishwasher Detergent & Phosphates
A recent article in Time magazine noted that in the Spokane River (in Idaho and Washington states) wastewater treatment plants, one third of the phosphates coming to it were from dishwasher detergents. The rest of the phosphates were coming from fertilizers and human waste. Although phosphates have been removed from liquid dishwashing detergents - the kind that you use in the sink - they still remain in dishwasher detergents because of their ability to remove dirt and keep it suspended in the water. Canada has a plan to legislate phosphates in dishwasher detergents to no more than 5% this year, but it looks like that will be deferred, pending more study. 

Phosphates are nutrients, encouraging plant and algae growth in the water. Decomposing plant and algae matter will lead to less oxygen content in the water. So - if you have a dishwasher and you are on Loughborough Lake, please consider using a low dose phosphate detergent. You can purchase 0% phosphate dishwasher detergents.