Village of Sturgeon Point, ON, Canada
Kawaratha Conservation completed two water quality studies this past summer on Sturgeon, Balsam, Cameron, and Pigeon Lakes: Near Shore Monitoring and Starry Stonewort.
The results are in and Sturgeon Lake’s results came back quite good.
Read the results of the Near Shore Monitoring study:
See all the confirm sightings of Starry Stonewort in the City of Kawartha Lakes: https://www.eddmaps.org/county.cfm?sub=74386&id=3516
As you may or may not know, the Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect that has been recently confirmed in the Kawartha Lakes. One of the speakers at our Environment Meeting this summer discussed these very damaging pests and we should all be aware of the threat they pose to our forest. They attack only Ash trees but they have a 100% kill rate.
You can tell if you have them by looking for D shaped holes in the bark (where they exit once larvae have matured) and new branches growing near the bottom of the trunk. The trees can not be saved as they do not recover from the damage done by the larvae eating the wood under the bark.
In order to manage them as well as possible, moving Ash products (fire wood, chips, etc,) is forbidden, and once you find a tree on your property that is affected, it must be cut down and all of the wood burned.
Please click on the links below to educate yourselves further and check your property for Ash trees with signs of infestation.
Notification from CoKL that EAB has been confirmed in our area
Information about the EAB problem
Images of the Emerald Ash Borers
Further information about the EAB problem
Saturday July 20nd 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon Sturgeon Point Church
SPA is hosting the third annual Environment Information Session to present topics we think will be of interest to the residents of Sturgeon Point. The Kawartha Lakes has a diverse environment from the Canadian Shield to the St Lawrence Lowlands, “The Land Between”, and the quality of this environment is of major importance to us all. This session will feature the following guest speakers and topics
Mr David Pridham Kawartha Lakes Conservation Up-date on the Sturgeon Lake Management Plan
This is a very ambitious program to document the lake and near-shore characteristics and to develop recommendations that will guide land-use planning in the area.
Ms Samantha Burke Graduate student Trent University Benthic macro invertebrates as indicators of water quality plus a brief introduction to the Kawartha Lakes Steward Association document ‘The Algae of the Kawartha Lakes’
Copies of the ‘The Algae of the Kawartha Lakes’ will be available at the Session.
Samantha will describe how studying the critters in the water tells us a lot about the health of the lake. There will be a quiz at the end to see how many know what Benthic macro invertebrates are. Hint GOOGLE it
Chris Appleton Treasurer of Kawartha Lakes Steward Association and Resident of Sturgeon Point Outline of the Objectives and Activities of the Kawartha Lakes Steward Association (KLSA)
KLSA is involved in many interesting environmental studies and programs, such as the Sturgeon Lake Management Plan and is a valuable source of information on the issues and health of our local environment.
Lucas Tyukodi Invasive Species Community Outreach Liaison – Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Discussion of invasive animals and plants: Rusty Crayfish, Round Goby, Garlic Mustard and Emerald Ash Borer.
The article below was published by The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit:
GET TO KNOW ITS TRUE COLOURS
– Season For Blue-Green Algae Arrives, Bringing Reminder to Beware – and Be Aware – of Potential Risks to Public Health –
People who swim, drink and use water from area lakes are being reminded to be on the lookout for blue-green algae (BGA), and to change their habits accordingly if they detect it.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is encouraging residents, cottagers and visitors who use area lakes and waterways to educate themselves about BGA to reduce their potential health risk. In the past few summers, BGA has surfaced in local lakes, particularly in shallow, still water and during extremely warm temperatures.
“Reports of blue-green algae in our region have been more common in the summer months, so it is important to beware of the risks associated with BGA and be aware of what to look for in the water,” says Richard Ovcharovich, Manager of Environmental Health with the HKPR District Health Unit.
BGA, also known as cyanobacteria, are primitive microscopic organisms that occur naturally in lakes, bays and inlets around the world. Normally, the algae are barely visible, but during warm weather the algae can rapidly increase in shallow, still waters to form a large mass called a bloom. Dense blue-green algae blooms can make the water look like a bluish-green pea soup, or a shiny paint slick. Most algae blooms are short-lived and will break down in a few days or weeks.
While many forms of blue-green algae are harmless, some forms produce toxins that can be harmful to humans and animals. This means that any exposure to the water, be it drinking, swimming, bathing, cooking or washing, can lead to health problems. The extent of how sick people can get depends on the type of BGA and how long they are exposed to the toxins, Ovcharovich says.
“If you see or detect serious signs of blue-green algae in a lake or local waterway, avoid using the water at all costs,” he says. “Boiling the water won’t help either, as this kills the algae resulting in the release of more toxins into the water.”
The Health Unit is helping raise awareness about BGA through an information campaign called Blue-Green Algae: Get to Know Its True Colours. The goal is to help people who use area lakes recognize BGA and take appropriate precautions.