Haliburton County Lakes
Stressors and Troubling Indicators
Terry Moore
Research Director
Two Imperatives
1. The health of Haliburton's environment and
its economy and property values are
connected and dependent on the reality, not
merely the image, of outstanding water
quality.
2. Water quality protection and maintenance
is "job one" for all of us
The Image
Haliburton is home to 600+ pristine lakes
Ignorance was Bliss
For years lake associations
• Did secchi disk and
phosphorous testing
• While not ideal there was not
a lot of change
• But indicators were
troubling
• Weed growth ↑
• Fish populations ↓
• Foul odours ↑
• Algal blooms ↑
Response
• Set out to learn & share more
– Numerous training courses
– Expert speakers
• Did more testing
–
–
–
–
Dissolved Oxygen
Calcium
Invasive species
Coliform & E Coli
• Investigated actions that could be taken to improve the
situation
Dr Norman Yan - MOE
Multiple Stressors
Phosphorous +
• Calcium declines
• Runoff ↓ 25%
• Invasive species ↑
• Open water season
length ↑
• Temperatures ↑
Phosphorus and Calcium Levels
Static Phosphorus levels are driving excessive nutrient loading;
Declining Calcium levels are threatening algae eating organisms
such as the Daphnia
Ca decline in 37 Muskoka/Haliburton lakes*
4.5
1:1
4.0
Median change = -12%
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
Ca (mg/L) in the 1980's
*Michelle Palmer’s PhD vs. old DESC data
3.5
4.0
4.5
The “little
living
lawnmower”
Daphnia*
It’s ~3% Ca
* Photo by D. Taylor, U of Buffalo
Algal blooms Are Increasing
50
other
golden-brown algae
green algae
40
blue-green algae
30
20
10
0
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
total, green & blue-green algae bloom reports from 1994-2012 (p < 0.001)
10
For more information see: Winter et al. (2011) Algal blooms in Ontario, Canada: Increases in
reports since 1994. Lakes & Reservoir Management, 27:105-112.
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Levels
The Trout are in Trouble
Trout = Aquatic Canaries in Coal Mines
• Trout are very sensitive to Dissolved Oxygen
(DO) Levels
• Cannot survive in an environment below
7mg/l of DO
• MOE and MNR test Cold Water Trout Lakes
(CWTL) for DO
• CWTL with DO levels below 7mg/l are
considered “at capacity” and new lot creation
is embargoed
Haliburton Trout Lakes “At Capacity”
Status
• Number of cold water trout lakes (CWTLs) in Haliburton
County (HC) = 105;
* number "at capacity" = 50 (or 48%);
* number "not at capacity" = 43 (or 41%);
* number not rated = 12 (or 11%)
• If you take out the 12 "not rated" lakes the following results:
* number of rated lakes at capacity = 50/93 or 54%;
* number of rated lakes "not at capacity" = 43/93 or 46%
Dead Zones in Haliburton Lakes
Timing, Size and Duration
All Affected by Human Activity
Global Warming is altering the rules of the game
Changes to the hydrological cycle across Eastern North
America
• Less precipitation as snow and smaller snow pack
• Earlier snow melt
• Later ice over and earlier ice out
• More rain in spring and fall
• Less rain in summer
• More extreme weather events including drought and
heavy precipitation
• More Challenges for the TSW
What is Causing Water Quality
Decline on our Lakes?
Best Answer = Combined Impact of Multiple
Stressors
• Septic Systems
• Shoreline De Naturalization and
• Climate Change
Who Will Look After Our Lakes?
• All levels and stripes of govt are cutting back
– MNR
– MOE
– Federal Government
• More and more will fall to underfunded and
under staffed Lake Associations
Key Factors Under Individual Control
• Septic Systems
– Every system pollutes
– 1 in 4 systems are not
working properly
• Un Natural Shorelines
Most Important Individual Actions
• Healthy Septic Systems
and Practices
Time and Bacteria
– Time by minimizing
water use ( 1 drop in = 1
drop out)
– Bacteria by eliminating
all bacteria killers +
• Tip sheet available
Shoreline Naturalization
• Replace this with next
slide
2 years
Encourage Collective Action
• Tell Political Leaders to get serious about
Climate Change and other Lake Stressors
• Support Mandatory Septic Re-Inspection and
Remedial Action
• Support Shoreline Protection and Restoration
Initiatives
• Support and Get Involved in Lake Association
Water Quality Initiatives
Questions???