Peninsula Lake Causation Study

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Muskoka's residents and District Council care about water quality. This important topic impacts the environment, economy, and desirability of the District as both a place to call home and a destination. In an effort to enhance water quality and resident/visitor experience in Muskoka, the District is undertaking causation studies on lakes considered as vulnerable from a water quality perspective. The pilot causation study will be on Peninsula Lake.

Peninsula Lake is the first of nine lakes listed as vulnerable in Schedule E2 of the Muskoka Official Plan (MOP) to undergo a Causation Study. The lake flows west into Fairy Lake and then into the North Branch of the Muskoka River.

Peninsula Lake experienced a blue-green algae bloom in 2017 which led to the lake being classified as "vulnerable" in Schedule E2 of the MOP. As outlined in the MOP, when a lake is listed as vulnerable, a waterbody-wide causation study should be initiated to determine the causes and relative contributing factors which lead to the identified water quality indicator, as well as to produce recommendations and mitigative actions that can be taken by stakeholders, the District, and others to ensure water quality may be enhanced in the long-term.

In addition to experiencing a blue-green algae bloom, Peninsula Lake is a large lake located in two of Muskoka's area municipalities: the Town of Huntsville and the Township of Lake of Bays, with the potential to impact a wide variety of stakeholders. Peninsula Lake has high development potential, has received modest water quality initiative to date, and has a highly engaged Lake Association. For these reasons, District Council has selected Peninsula Lake to be the subject of the pilot causation study.

The District of Muskoka released a request for proposal to hire an environmental sciences consultant to undertake this project and Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd. (HESL) was the successful proponent.

STAY INFORMED:

To receive project updates and to stay informed of the outcomes specific to the Peninsula Lake Causation Study Project, enter your email address in the "Stay Informed" tool (located at the top right-hand corner of this page on your desktop or scroll down on your mobile device) and click the subscribe button.

Follow Other Causation Studies Pages:

Muskoka's residents and District Council care about water quality. This important topic impacts the environment, economy, and desirability of the District as both a place to call home and a destination. In an effort to enhance water quality and resident/visitor experience in Muskoka, the District is undertaking causation studies on lakes considered as vulnerable from a water quality perspective. The pilot causation study will be on Peninsula Lake.

Peninsula Lake is the first of nine lakes listed as vulnerable in Schedule E2 of the Muskoka Official Plan (MOP) to undergo a Causation Study. The lake flows west into Fairy Lake and then into the North Branch of the Muskoka River.

Peninsula Lake experienced a blue-green algae bloom in 2017 which led to the lake being classified as "vulnerable" in Schedule E2 of the MOP. As outlined in the MOP, when a lake is listed as vulnerable, a waterbody-wide causation study should be initiated to determine the causes and relative contributing factors which lead to the identified water quality indicator, as well as to produce recommendations and mitigative actions that can be taken by stakeholders, the District, and others to ensure water quality may be enhanced in the long-term.

In addition to experiencing a blue-green algae bloom, Peninsula Lake is a large lake located in two of Muskoka's area municipalities: the Town of Huntsville and the Township of Lake of Bays, with the potential to impact a wide variety of stakeholders. Peninsula Lake has high development potential, has received modest water quality initiative to date, and has a highly engaged Lake Association. For these reasons, District Council has selected Peninsula Lake to be the subject of the pilot causation study.

The District of Muskoka released a request for proposal to hire an environmental sciences consultant to undertake this project and Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Ltd. (HESL) was the successful proponent.

STAY INFORMED:

To receive project updates and to stay informed of the outcomes specific to the Peninsula Lake Causation Study Project, enter your email address in the "Stay Informed" tool (located at the top right-hand corner of this page on your desktop or scroll down on your mobile device) and click the subscribe button.

Follow Other Causation Studies Pages:

  • October 26th - Project Conclusion

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    Good Morning,

    At the September 24th, 2020 Community and Planning Services Committee Meeting, the Peninsula Lake Algae Bloom Causation Study Final Report was brought forward by Hutchison Environmental Sciences Ltd.

    The report was accepted by committee and is available at the following link: https://muskoka.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/36011?preview=36020

    Report Conclusion:

    Through examining the available information and field data, the final report concludes that the most likely cause of the 2017 bloom was a combination of climate factors including a period of prolonged high air temperature and low wind speed, creating ideal conditions for cyanobacteria (i.e. Gloeotrichia) dominance and rapid growth.

    Recommendations for further action can be viewed on page 3 of the staff report.

    This report concludes this study.

    On behalf of the District of Muskoka, thank you for your continued interest in lake system health in Muskoka and in particular, the Peninsula Lake Causation Study.

    Stay Tuned!

    Subscribe to Protecting Muskoka’s Most Vulnerable Lakes: Causation Studies project page to be notified via email of future causation studies being undertaken in Muskoka.

  • Upcoming Community and Planning Services Committee Meeting

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    Good Afternoon,

    As the causation study on Peninsula Lake is coming to a close, the final report by Hutchinson Environmental Sciences Limited is slated to be brought forward to the District of Muskoka Community and Planning Services Committee for their consideration on September 24th, 2020 at 1pm to recommend the Peninsula Lake Algae Bloom Causation Study Final Report be accepted. The agenda for this meeting is anticipated to be available Friday (i.e. tomorrow) and when posted, can be accessed by clicking the below link under the September electronic meeting file.

    https://muskoka.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/34977

    If you would like to watch the webcast of the committee meeting, please click the link below. A live broadcast of the meeting will be available in addition to the meeting being posted on the District website if you are unable to watch in real time.

    https://www.muskoka.on.ca/en/district-government/webcasts.aspx?_mid_=2313

    Thank you for your continued interest in the Peninsula Lake Causation Study.

    Emily Crowder

    Planner, The District Municipality of Muskoka

Page last updated: 26 Oct 2020, 09:31 AM