CBE 4030 - Kushog Lake Report (1)

2015 Analyzing Water Quality Parameters to Assess Lake Health on Kushog Lake, Ontario.

Community Based Research in

Geography 4030Y

Trent University in partnership with U-‐Links Haliburton.

2014-‐2015

Prepared for:

Kushog Lake Property Owners Association

Township of Algonquin Highlands

Halliburton Ontario

Prepared by:

Caitlyn Bondy and Emily McDonald

Trent University

Peterborough, Ontario

K9J 7B8

Kushog Lake Monitoring Assessment 1

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................3

Contact List………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4

1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 1.1 Project Overview and Scope………………………………………………………………………………….5-‐6 1.2 Research Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………….6-‐7 1.3 Framing Research and Defining Lake Health …………………………………………………………7-‐9

2.0 Background………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..10

2.1 Location and Physical Characteristics of Kushog Lake……………………………………………..10 2.2 Hydrology and Watershed Characteristics………………………………………………………………10

2.2.1 Gull River Watershed………………………………………………………………………………..10-‐13 2.2.2 Kushog Lake Watershed ………………………………………………………………………………..14

2.3 Climate and Precipitation………………………………………………………………………………….14-‐17 2.4 Residential and Recreational Uses of Kushog Lake…………………………………………….17-‐19 2.5 Fisheries…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19-‐20

3.0 Current State of Knowledge on Lake Ecosystems ……………………………………………………………...21

3.1 The Lake Environment…………………………………………………………………………………………….21 3.1.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….21 3.1.2 Lake Thermal Structure……………………………………………………………………21-‐22 3.1.3 Lake Habitats and Food Chains…………………………………………………………23-‐24

3.2 Nutrient Dynamics………………………………………………………………………………………………….24 3.2.1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….24 3.2.2 Phosphorous……………………………………………………………………………………24-‐26 3.2.3 Nitrogen……………………………………………………………………………………………….26 3.2.4 Calcium…………………………………………………………………………………………….26-‐27 3.2.5 Dissolved Organic Carbon and Wetlands………………………………………....27-‐28

4.0 Lake Health and Water Quality Assessment……………………………………………………………………….28

4.1 Synthesis of Kushog Research………………………………………………………………………………..28 4.1.1 Reports…………………………………………………………………………………………….29-‐31 4.1.2 Data Collection…………………………………………………………………………………31-‐33 4.1.3 Summary Table………………………………………………………………………………..34-‐35

4.2 Regional Comparison of Lake Water Quality Parameters………………………………………..35 4.2.1 Gull River Watershed……………………………………………………………………….35-‐42


4.3 Water Quality Guidelines Comparison……………………………………………………………………42 4.3.1 Recreational…………………………………………………………………………………….42-‐44 4.3.2 Protection for Aquatic Life ………………………………………………………………44-‐45 4.3.3 Drinking Water Standards ……………………………………………………………….46-‐47

4.4 Benthic Invertebrates and Biological Indicators………………………………………………...48-‐51

5.0 Interpretation and Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………………....51 5.1 Interpretation of Lake Water Quality Parameters……………………………………………..51-‐53 5.2 Water Quality Guidelines Interpretation……..……………………………………………………......53

6.0 Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………………………………..54-‐55

References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....56-‐58


Acknowledgements

The authors of this report would like to thank Norma Goodger and Dagmar Boettcher for

proposing this project and allowing us to put our best efforts into the assignment, as it has

proven to be an excellent experience for both of us. We would also like to thank the entire U-‐

Links team that has essentially made this all happen, with a special thanks to Emma Horrigan

who has provided support throughout the project. Lastly, we would like to thank the Trent

University Geography staff, particularly Professor Cheryl McKenna-‐Neuman and Catherine

Eimers who’s expertise and encouragement was highly valuable for the completion of this

work. It is our hope that this research will help the Kushog Lake Properties Owners Association

continue the excellent stewardship of their lake environment.


Contact List

Host Organization:

Dagmar Boettcher

Kushog Lake Property Owners Association.

[email protected]

705-‐457-‐5968

Norma Goodger

Kushog Lake Property Owners Association.

[email protected]

705-‐489-‐2966

U-‐Links Host:

Emma Horrigan.

Box 655 Minden, Ontario

[email protected]

1-‐877-‐527-‐2411; 705-‐286-‐2411

Trent Faculty:

Cheryl McKenna-‐Neuman.

Department of Geography at Trent University.

[email protected]

Catherine Eimers

Department of Geography at Trent University

[email protected]

Benthic Monitoring Scientist:

Chris Jones

Dorset Environmental Science Centre.

[email protected]

705 766 1724


1.0 Introduction

In fulfillment of the requirements for a course based project (GEOG 4030Y) at Trent University,

Emily McDonald and Caitlyn Bondy in partnership with the Haliburton Center for Community

Based Research, were retained by the Kushog Lake Property Owners Association (KLOPA) to

conduct a review, summarization, consolidation and interpretation of various water quality

monitoring programs and the data produced by them for Kushog Lake. KLOPA expressed a

desire to understand what the monitoring data indicate in terms of the health of their lake.

The key sources of Kushog data in this project include those from the Lake Partnership

Program, in addition to supplementary data and reports from the Ministry of Environment,

Glenside Ecological Services and KLOPA. The documents and data sources which have been

produced specifically for Kushog and which serve as the foundation for this project, are

outlined in full within section 4.0 of this report.

The KLOPA expressed interest in this work as part of their mandate to be responsible stewards

of their lake environment and to ensure the continued sustainability of the environment for

generations to come. They have expressed concerns over potential impacts related to shoreline

development, water level fluctuations and regional water quality trends. In addition to

interpreting the current monitoring data and geographic reports available, KLOPA was

interested in receiving recommendations for prioritizing future water quality monitoring

efforts.

1.1 Project Scope and Overview

This report aims to address the following key research questions:

• What do existing water quality data for Kushog Lake suggest in terms of current lake

health? How do we define lake health?


• Is there any evidence in the existing water quality data for Kushog Lake that would

suggest (1) an overall pattern or trend leading to decline in lake health, or (2) a current

issue with lake health?

• Using peer-‐reviewed literature, government documents/established guidelines, can we

identify any upcoming concerns for which it would be prudent to include or establish

new water quality parameters to monitor?

• What water quality parameters or indicators should be prioritized for continued

monitoring on Kushog Lake to ensure the conservation and preservation of the natural

lake environment?

To focus the analysis of Kushog Lake water quality data, a methodology was designed to explain

and answer the aforementioned research questions in the context of background information

about Kushog Lake, general lake ecology and water quality.

This report does not directly address the issue of water level draw-‐downs and fluctuations. It is

likely that this should be an area of further research, using if possible the foundation

established by this report. There is additional information related to sediment profiles for the

lake, which are not covered in detail in this report, but have been discussed in other

documents.

1.2 Research Goals and Deliverables

The research goals and deliverables for this project:

• Conduct a review, summarization, consolidation and interpretation of existing water

quality monitoring data on Kushog Lake as related to lake health

• Create a ‘Lake Fact Sheets’ which aid in interpreting the water quality data and serve as

a communication tool to inform KLOPA on the status of lake health.


• Provide recommendations for the prioritization of future monitoring efforts aimed at

ensuring the conservation and preservation of the natural lake environment.

1.3 Framing Research and Defining Lake Health

Since there is no singular definition of what ‘lake health’ or a healthy lake is, a methodological

approach which allowed for qualitative interpretation of the monitoring data in terms of ‘lake

health’ was established. A visual conceptualization of this methodological approach is

presented in Figure 4. This establishes Kushog within its geographical context and serves as a

basis for comparison of what is typical or ‘normal’ for Ontario Precambrian lakes. Key elements

include:

• Comparing average values of chemical and physical water quality parameters for Kushog

Lake to other lakes within the Gull River Watershed in order to determine if differences

exist or if the water quality of Kushog is typical for the watershed.

• Comparing average values of chemical and physical water quality parameters for Kushog

Lake with Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines (EQGs) including the Recreational

Water Quality Guidelines and Aesthetics, Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the

Protection of Aquatic Life and Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

These EQGs are nationally endorsed, science-‐based goals for aquatic ecosystems which

are intended to aid in the protection, sustainability and enhancement of the quality of

the environment. They are numerical values for chemical and physical parameters in

ambient water (CCME, 2001). By comparing the numerical values of water quality

parameters of Kushog Lake to these protective guidelines, we can establish if any

exceedences occur, which may indicate if there is impairment of lake health. Conversely,

if no exceedences occur we can attest there is no impairment of lake health relative to

the guideline


• Creating a Kushog Lake ‘Fact Sheet’ which presents and interprets key water quality

parameters including; phosphorus concentrations through time relative to the trophic

status it represents; secchi depth and dissolved oxygen/temperature profile. It also

includes key geographic descriptors such as lake depth, shape, size, % wetlands and

watershed area.

• Creating a ‘Kushog Lake’ which presents information about the use of benthic

invertebrates as biological indicators, including a description of the general

methodology

• All water quality parameters are also interpreted in the context of current peer

reviewed literature and related to lake health.


Figure 4. Visual conceptualization of project scope and methodological approach with regard to defining and assessing lake health

Section 4.1 serves as summarization and a consolidation of the known available reports and

data specific to Kushog Lake. These reports and data are the foundation for our assessment of

the water quality and lake health. Additional resources which were obtained that are applicable

to, but not directly derived from Kushog lake are also described in this section.


2.0 Kushog Lake Geographical Background

2.1 Location and Physical Characteristics of Kushog Lake

Kushog Lake is situated within the Precambrian Shield at N 45 °5’, W 78° 47’ at an elevation of

332.8 meters above sea level. By car, it is situated approximately 1hr 45 min NW of

Peterborough ON, 45 min SW of Algonquin Provincial Park, E of Haliburton, ON and N of

Minden, ON. Kushog Lake lies on right on the border between Haliburton and Muskoka

countries and the townships of Minden Hills and Algonquin Highlands. It is a long and narrow

water body, oriented north to south with a mean depth of 9.1 m and maximum of 38.1 m. The

lake spans 17.2 km with a maximum width of 1.6 km. The water surface area of Kushog Lake is

approximately 600 hectares with a shoreline perimeter that spans approximately 38.2 to 40.6

km. For reference, see Figures 1a and 1b. The lake holds a total volume of 63 200 000 m³ (MOE,

2003; Heaven and Brady, 2011). Table 1 provides a summary of this information.

Table 1. Summary of physical characteristics of Kushog Lake.

Physical Characteristics of Kushog Lake

Lake Surface Area 679 ha Shoreline Perimeter 38.3 to 40.6 km Maximum Depth 38.1 m Mean Depth 9.1 m

North to South Length

17.2 km

Maximum Width 1.6 km Elevation 332.8 mASL

Total Volume 63 200 000 m³

2.2 Hydrology and Watershed Characteristics

2.2.1 Gull River Watershed

The Gull River Watershed (Figure 2) is situated at the most northern part of the Trent River

basin, lying to the west of the Black River Watershed and east of the Burnt River Watershed.


Altogether, there are 17 lakes within the Gull River Watershed that contain 21 dams operated

by the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW). Of the 17 lakes, Kushog resides in middle of the

watershed. Kushog is managed as a headwater for the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW), which is

an important economic, environmental and recreational resource that consists of

interconnected series of lakes, as well as artificial canal cuts stretching for 386 km (Parks

Canada, 2014). This subjects Kushog to water level fluctuations, which are managed seasonally

to accommodate Lake Trout spawning activity.

Sherborne Lake resides directly north of the Kushog Watershed and connects Lake St. Nora to

Kushog Lake. The most northern lakes within the Gull River Watershed are: Sherborne, Red

Pine Lake, Kennisis Lake, Redstone Lake, and Percy Lake (Map 1). All five of these lakes

sequentially flow southwards into the remaining lakes. Moore Lake is the most southern lake

within the watershed, which flows directly into the Kawartha Lake watershed.

Of particular interest to this report are the lakes: Big Hawk Lake, Eagle Lake, Halls Lake, Twelve

Miles Lake, and Gull Lake. These lakes will be analyzed in conjunction with Kushog Lake to

distinguish any differences or consolidate any similarities.


Figure 1. Aerial Photograph Image of Kushog Lake. Retrieved from Scholars GeoPortal


Figure 2. Gull River Watershed; consists of 21 large named lakes connected by the Gull River. Source: adopted from www.redstonelake.com. Retrieved April 1st, 2015.


2.2.2 Kushog Lake Watershed

Nested within the Gull River Watershed, as delineated by Glenside Ecological Services (GES)

G.I.S. analysis, is Kushog Lake’s own drainage basin or watershed. The total watershed area,

including the water bodies of St. Nora and Kushog is approximately 8,656 hectares (ha). Lake St.

Nora has an area of 276 ha and Kushog Lake has an area of 679 ha. Other important

waterbodies within the watershed include Margaret Lake, Kabakwa, and Plastic Lake. The

watershed is further divided into terrestrial sub-‐watersheds representing land units draining

separately into Kushog (Map 3). There are 46-‐subwatersheds which range from approximately 9

hectares to 475 hectares. Collectively these sub watersheds have an area of 7701 ha excluding

the area of Kushog and Lake St Nora. From these sub-‐watersheds there are approximately 34

streams identified in the watershed, as well as 12 culverts. The areas of each sub-‐watershed are

summarized in detail in the GES document ‘Kushog Lake Watershed: Wetland and Stream

Desktop Analysis, Final Report, 2011’.

There is an existing body of research (e.g. Adkinson et al.,2008, Eimers et al., 2008, Watmough

and Dillion, 2003), which has been carried out by Trent University researchers on Plastic Lake

involving legacy effects of acidification and recovery quantification, dissolved organic carbon

and nutrient dynamics, calcium weathering, metal release from wetlands and phosphorus

budgets. We mention this since Plastic Lake resides within Kushog’s catchment. Plastic lake is a

sustainably smaller lake (32 ha) and its catchment area represents only 257 ha or 3.5 % of the

terrestrial catchment of Kushog.

2.3 Climate and Precipitation

Precipitation events and temperature fluctuations contribute to variable water quality.

Frequent precipitation events can lead to greater runoff flowing into the lake, which may carry

a multitude of contaminants ranging from agricultural nutrients or pesticides to road salts. Over

the past several decades, road salts have been a major concern as they have had an adverse

effect on freshwater organisms as well as the chemical composition of lakes. As more highways

are constructed in relatively undeveloped regions, particularly on the Canadian Shield, and rural


ecosystems become incorporated within the urban region, aquatic ecosystems located near

these roadways may be adversely impacted. In particular, species shift may occur and some

lakes can become chemically stratified. These salts naturally enter surface waters through

pathways of the water cycle, which include precipitation, stream inflow, overland runoff, and

groundwater inputs (Evans et al., 2001). The same processes apply to the transportation of

agricultural nutrients or pesticides. Runoff water associated with storm events can cause a flush

or ‘pulse’ of contaminants to enter aquatic systems (Richards et al., 1992). Furthermore,

agricultural runoff can carry sources of phosphorus and contribute to the eutrophication of

freshwaters. Although, most freshwater lakes are phosphorus limited, continued inputs of

fertilizer and manure in excess of crop requirements have led to soil phosphorus levels that are

of environmental concern and can threaten water quality (Sharpley et al., 1994).

There are several actions that have been suggested within relevant research to reduce the

transport of road salt and agricultural runoff input into aquatic ecosystems. These actions

include modifying application rates, improving operation of road salt storage depots, using safe

waste-‐snow removal methods, and incorporating buffer strips, riparian zones and terracing

surrounding the lake (Evans et al., 2002; Sharpley et al, 2001).

Temperature fluctuation also has profound effects on lake health, as a warmer climate can

increase lake temperatures and exert major influence on biological activity. Freshwater fish are

directly affected by the temperature of their surrounding environment and can be grouped into

three thermal guilds: 1) warm-‐water (E.g., smallmouth bass); 2) cool-‐water (e.g., northern pike,

walleye, yellow perch); and 3) cold-‐water (e.g. brook trout, lake trout, lake whitefish). Fish

species that spawn at low temperature generate larvae that do best at low temperatures and

fish species that spawn at high temperatures generate larvae that do best at high temperatures

(Chetkiewicz et al., 2012). It is also imperative to be aware of the fact that increasing

concentrations of greenhouse gases are expected to increase surface temperatures, lower pH,

and cause changes to vertical mixing, upwelling, precipitation, and evaporation rates. The

potential consequences of these changes can lead to harmful algae blooms (Moore et al, 2008).

A study performed by Winter et al. (1994) revealed that most of the increase in the number of


cyanobacteria bloom reports was associated with lakes on the Canadian Shield. Winter et al

attributed these trends to (1) increased nutrient inputs that promote algae growth, (2) factors

associated with climate change that exacerbate bloom conditions; and (3) an increase in public

awareness of algal issues. Irrefutably, climate change correlates with increased temperatures

and algae bloom growth and is an important factor to consider when discussing a lakes overall

health.

Figure 3 displays the 30-‐year climate normal for the Haliburton region with both precipitation

and temperature averages. “Climate normal” refers to the arithmetic calculations based on

observed climate values in a given region over a specific time, usually 30 years (Government of

Canada, 2015). The climograph displays monthly averages for precipitation (mm) and daily

temperatures, with maximum and minimum daily temperatures in Haliburton for the years

1981 to 2010.

Kushog Lake is located within the Haliburton region, which has a temperate continental climate.

A temperate continental climate is usually characteristic of short and warm summers and

winters that are long and cold, which is exhibited in Figure 3. This figure displays that the

highest daily average temperature is in the month of July with 18 °C. The lowest average

temperature occurs in January at approximately – 11 °C. For this climate period, precipitation is

at its highest level in the month of November with approximately 116 mm. Throughout

November, the most common form of precipitation is light to moderate snow and rain. The

precipitation amount is lowest in February with 73 mm and is predominately in the form of

snow.


Figure 3. Monthly averages for precipitation (mm) and daily temperatures (°C), with daily maximum and minimum temperatures in Haliburton for the years 1981 to 2010. Source: Government of Canada: Canadian Climate Normal for 1971-‐2000 Station data.

2.4 Residential and Recreational Uses of Kushog Lake

Kushog’s property and shoreline development primarily consists of seasonal and permanent

residences. A total of 576 residential, commercial and government properties are established

on the lake, in addition to crown land. The Kushog Lake Spring Newsletter of 2011 summarizes

the approximate percentage that each development occupies on the shoreline. Residential

properties total 543, where 73 or 13% are permanent and 438 or 78% are seasonal; however, in

terms of frontage 65% or 26.6 km belong to the permanent residential properties and only 3.8

km or 10% of total frontage belongs to the 438 seasonal residences, with another 5% or 1.9 km

of vacant lots. Additionally another 17% or 7.2 km is considered Crown Land.

This has important management implications; the 7.2 km of Crown Land, 1.9 km of vacant lots

and 26.6km of permanent residents make up 35.7 km of 40.6 km or 88% of the total frontage


on Kushog. Crown Land is generally undeveloped and may remain in relative pristine condition

compared to residential properties, and thus, can be considered to have a nominal or positive

contribution to the lake environment. Vacant lots currently not occupied by humans do not

have active anthropogenic contributions, but depending on the legacy of individual sites, may

have an historical influence. They can be considered as neutral sites, undergoing possible

succession or natural restoration. Since 65% of the shoreline is occupied by permanent

residences, focusing on best management practices (e.g. proper septic and lawn maintence)

and stewardship efforts (restoration, naturalization, monitoring) within these properties could

have a highly effective outcome.

Other impacts, such as recreational uses including boating and overfishing, combined with

sewage disposal and alteration of natural landscape, can effectually harm the lake (Kushog Lake

Newsletter, 2011). Research on the effects from recreational activities have acknowledged that

activities such as boating can result in a decrease in water quality through fuel spills, and

thereby damage lake ecology, as well as introduce invasive or non-‐native species. Additionally,

boat-‐generated waves act to simplify aquatic communities through a reduction in the diversity

of habitat types, ultimately reducing species diversity (Hall et al, 2014).

The duration over which people occupy the shoreline (seasonal vs. permanent) directly

increases the amount of sewage being disposed of annually. As residential occupancy increases,

the potential amount of phosphorus that leaches into the lake will also increase (Kushog Lake

Newsletter, 2011). There is a relationship between unmaintained septic systems and

phosphorus accumulation; it has been demonstrated that phosphorus accumulation occurs

within sediment zones that are very close to infiltration pipes and this is observed to be a

common occurrence around septic systems (Zanini et al, 1998). These relationships, however,

are highly dependant on the types of soils present and the pH of the surrounding environment.

In watersheds where the pH is: 1) lowered by historical acidification through acid rain, and/or 2)

naturally low because of soil or vegetation type, the phosphorus will more readily combine with

aluminum, iron or manganese forming insoluble salts contained within the soils. In these

catchments, phosphorus in runoff is reduced (Jansson et al., 1986). This is likely the situation


present on Kushog Lake owing to its location within the shallow acidic soils of the Precambrain

Shield which are calcium limited (Jeziorski et al., 2008; Wetzel, 2001). Conversely, phosphorus is

most bioavailable and readily leeched from soils at pH values between 6 to 7. It is always

advisable to follow best management practices, including the proper and continual monitoring

of aging septic tanks. This is an important practice to implement on Kushog Lake cottages in

order to prevent the potential release of phosphorus into the lake. Another consideration is to

manage and mitigate the possible erosion of soils laden with phosphorus salts into the

waterbody, preventing loading in this manner.

The destruction of fish habitats from environmental abuses mentioned above is further

augmented by inappropriate fishing practices. It is imperative that lake managers enforce time

periods on when it is appropriate to fish certain species; otherwise, overfishing can result in

declining populations. Research has suggested that lake trout can tolerate substantial losses in

spawning habitat, but natural populations, especially in small lakes, must be protected from

excessive exploitation. (Gunn et al, 2000)

2.5 Fisheries

Kushog supports recreational fishing, where a majority of the fish are caught and consumed

locally. The Glenside Ecological Services Desktop Analysis Report recognizes 16 fish species in

the Kushog Lake Watershed that were identified in 1975. These consist of: bluntnose minnow

(Pimephales), brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans), brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis

fontinalis), brown bullhead (Ameiurus Nebulosus), burbot (Lota lota), creek chub (semotilus

atromaculatus), golden shiner (notemigonus crysoleucas), lake trout (salvelinus namaycush),

largemouth bass (micropterus salmoides), northern pike (esox lucius), pumpkinseed (lepomis

gibbosus), rainbow smelt (osmerus mordax), rock bass (ambloplites rupestris), smallmouthbass

(micropterus dolomieu), white sucker (catostomuc commersoni), and yellow perch (perca

flavescens) Heaven and Brady,2011)

In contrast a current document developed by the Ministry of the Environment in 2003,

identified 12 out of the 16 fish species in both the north and south end of Kushog that are

classified in the Desktop Analysis Report. Therefore, 4 species are either missing from the most


current fish species data or they are no longer present in Kushog Lake. These fish include: the

bluntnose minnow (pimephales notatus), brook strickleback (culaea inconstans), creek chub

(semotilus atromaculatus) and golden shiner (notemigonus crysoleucas). Furthermore, the

Ministry of Environment 2003 document identifies three additional fish that were not listed in

the Desktop Analysis Report. These fish include: cisco (coregonus artedi), muskellunge (esox

masquinongy) and bluegill (lepomis macrochirus) (MOE, 2003). It is important to recognize

these changes in the ecology of the lake, as fish species are an excellent biological indicator of

lake health.

Kushog Lake is managed as a cold-‐water fishery with a lake trout population. Lake trout are

favourable biological indicators of cold-‐water lake health, because they tend to be vulnerable

to factors such as warmer temperatures and/or oxygen depletion. Research has shown that

lake trout have a more fixed physiology limit and cannot tolerate warmer temperatures,

whereas other species are more tolerant of temperature increase (Chetkiewicz et al., 2012). In

fact, the suitability of the lake trout as a biological indicator has been researched and used for

oligotrophic waters of the Great Lakes. The lake trout was selected as an exemplary organism

for the detection of a healthy system for the Great Lakes because the species occupies a

sensitive and integrative part at the top trophic level of the system. Additionally, the lake trout

acts as a major controlling factor over the remainder of the cold-‐water community because it

plays a vital role as a terminal predator (Edwards et al, 1990). Overall, the lake trout represents

a vital component to northern, cold-‐water lake systems. There continued presence can be

understood as an indication of health and well being of Kushog Lake. Conversely, if a fisheries

assessment indicates that numbers decline or they were to be extirpated from the lake, this

would indicate a change in the health and well being of Kushog Lake.


3.0 Current State of Knowledge on Lake Ecosystems

3.1 The Lake Environment

3.1.1 Introduction

It is important to understand a lake as a dynamic environment. There are a multitude of

interactions between the physical, chemical and biological properties of the waters and

surrounding environment. Therefore, it is necessary to view a lake as it own ecosystem, with

consideration of relationships between organisms, and changes in organism populations in

response to variable physical, chemical and biological conditions. Elements of a lake

environment may act in synergistic, additive or reductive ways with one another. One modality

for engaging this thinking is considering how the watershed, and all the activities contained

within, determines the metabolism (i.e. productivity through time) of a lake through nutrient

inputs. The lake ecosystem does not just represent the water held within the lake, but rather it

extends into its littoral banks and wetlands, up the inflow streams and associated riparian

zones, and into the entire terrestrial landscape which drains into the lake. Therefore, if a

specific concern is identified within a lake, consideration of both the cause and interactions

between these compartments must be investigated in order to devise a management response.

The intent of these next sections is to highlight some of these properties and interactions which

occur within lakes, to inform and interpret the nature of Kushog Lake.

3.1.2 Lake Thermal Structure

Temperate deep lakes thermally stratify during the winter and summer and mix during the

spring and fall. During summer, increased insolation and associated energy increases the

temperature of water at the surface, while deeper cooler and thus denser water do not receive

as much light and are not warmed to the same extent. The orientation of a lake in relation to

prevailing winds changes the fetch and wave action occurring on the lake. This in turn, changes

the depth to which wave action mixes the upper layer and the depth of the warmed layer


termed the ‘epilimnion’. In the winter, however, water which is directly beneath an iced

surface is cooled to 0°C and deeper waters are warmer and denser at 4°C.

In the summer stratification below the hypolimnion, often there is a rapid temperature drop or

themocline. This zone can have variable temperatures at depth and is a transition zone to the

‘hypolimnion’. The hypolimnion is the densest and coolest section of the lake with water

temperatures around 4 ͦC and provides critical habitat for cold water fishes. Essentially, it is the

seasonal differences in water temperature and the associated density changes which cause

these layers to form. In the spring and fall as temperatures warm and cool respectively, the

difference in temperature between the surface layer and deeper layers is significantly reduced

which results in a turn over or mixing event.

The summer thermal stratification separates the water of the lake into distinct parts; a zone

where relatively high levels of solar illumination give rise to warm waters where phytoplankton

add to primary productivity through photosynthesis and a deep dark and cold environment,

where decomposition takes place. The winter season is also generally marked by increased

rates of decomposition relative to production; anoxic conditions can manifest if large amounts

of organic matter are generated in the previous summer, which will impact deep water species

such as Lake Trout.

This thermal stratification and the associated mixing events are important features of lakes

with implications for nutrient dynamics and habitat selection by aquatic organisms, as well as

for potential for algal blooms and the speciation of them (see section 3.1.3). For example, it is

best to sample a lake for phosphorus immediately after the spring turn over event to get a

homogenous representative sample. The lake at this point is well mixed and can give the best

indication of the phosphorus concentration of the water and its associated trophic status. In the

summer, stratification can lead to thermally isolated or induced algal production which is not

representative of the whole lake.


3.1.3 Lake Habitats and Food Chains

Within the lake environment itself there are a number of different habitats including the pelagic

(open water), littoral (lake margin) and profundal (bottom water and sediment) zones. Each

zone has its own set of unique inhabitants, structures, interactions and processes. This leads to

complex interfaces of energy exchange.

The pelagic zone is where most of the primary production is generated through the

photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton. This acts as the base of a food web within a lake

ecosystem, resulting in a transfer of energy up through trophic levels. Phytoplankton and

cyanobacteria are limited to zones in which they can carry out photosynthetic activity and

mixing within the epilimnion through wind generated wave action, will generally keep them

suspended. However, cyanobacteria responsible for so called ‘blue-‐green’ algae blooms have

the ability to ascend and descend within the water column to adjust to variable light and

nutrient conditions. Small and unicellular phytoplankton and bacteria are in turn consumed by

zooplankton. Species of Daphnia, an abundant type of zooplankton, are generalist filter feeders

which can ingest most algae encountered, but prefer nutrient dense types over less nutritious

types like cyanobacteria. Zooplankton is then consumed by invertebrate species and

planktivorous fish, which are then consumed by piscivorous fish, which cap the top of the food

chain within the lake. Of course, these fish can then be removed and consumed by birds, bears,

foxes or humans, to name a few.

The littoral zones of lakes are also quite productive; however productivity here is dominated by

macrophytes (rooted plants), which provide structure for colonization of attached submerged

algae species. This habitat is then well suited for invertebrates and benthic invertebrates which

feed by scraping or grazing, and fish species which prefer sheltered habitats for foraging, cover

and breeding. The littoral zone is also an important interface between the upland terrestrial

communities and the open water; it will often capture chemical or organic matter laden

sediment or runoff from the watershed. Transformation of these materials are of paramount

importance to maintaining open water ecosystem integrity.


The profundal zone is the sediment-‐ water interface at the bottom of the lake. The key

processes occurring here are variations in reduction and oxidation reactions (redox) involving

the transformation of key nutrients and trace elements. The pH and oxygenation of the water

within these zones will govern the type and scope of process that occur here, a complete

discussion of which are beyond the scope of this paper. A crucial point however is that when

the oxygen demand of bacteria dwelling within sediments is greater than that which is present

in the water, dissolved oxygen is depleted, thereby forming hypoxic or anoxic conditions which

can have deleterious effects on sensitive fish species such as lake trout.

3.2 Nutrient Dynamics

3.2.1 Introduction

This following section reviews a selection of papers and general information which may provide

insight into some of the water quality conditions on Kushog Lake, aid in interpretation of

existing data, and be utilized in consideration of future monitoring efforts.

3.2.2 Phosphorous

Phosphorus is the limiting nutrient within a freshwater system, due to relative scarcity in

bioavailable forms when compared to nitrogen and carbon (Schindler et al., 1974). The only

natural source of phosphorous from the watershed is in the form of the phosphate ion, which

has poor water solubility. Phosphorus has a strong affinity for soils and sediments. This means

that under ‘natural’ conditions, the bioavailability of phosphorus in lakes is quite low and any

available amount will be rapidly up taken by phytoplankton (Currie and Kalff, 1984).

Additionally, when waters are well oxygenated and contain of certain iron species, phosphate

can combine with these elements to form insoluble salts which precipitate out of the water

column and sink to the bottom sediments, further limiting availability. If however, anoxic

conditions are initiated there can be a release of the phosphorus back into the water column;

these are termed ‘internal loading events’. This can then in turn stimulate algal blooms through


mixing events. In terms of management considerations for fresh water lakes, there is a general

consensus that preventing anthropogenic inputs of this limiting nutrient is essential to

preventing excessive algal blooms.

Phosphorus Characterization in Sediments Impacted by Septic Effluent at Four Sites in Central Canada (Zanini, Robertson, Ptacek, Schiff and Mayer, 1998).

A relevant article that pertains to perceived phosphorus issues on Kushog is the 1998 article by

Zanini et al. The article serves to explain how phosphorus content in sediments is impacted by

septic outflows. They look at four particular sites in central Canada, one area being Muskoka.

This article has significant relevance to Kushog Lake specifically, because a majority of the

cottages located on the perimeter of the lake have septic systems. Moreover, there is concern

over whether the cottage owners are maintaining these systems regularly. The authors

conclude that phosphorus accumulation occurs within sediment zones that are very close to

infiltration pipes. This is observed to be a common occurrence at septic system sites (Zanini et

al, 1998). The authors cite an example in Australia, where enriched Phosphorus concentrations

were observed to occur within 14 cm of the infiltration pipes at a 29 year old septic system.

Furthermore, the findings suggest that the physical and chemical characteristics of the

sediments will affect phosphorus attenuation. The quantity of phosphorus that is immobilized is

likely to be controlled by a number of specific factors, including the composition of the effluent,

particularly speciation of iron, nitrogen, and alkalinity; the amount of reductive dissolution of

iron that occurs in the sub tile sediments prior to oxidation; and the degree of oxidation of the

effluent and the buffering capacity of the sediments (Zanini et al, 1998).

The important point here, is that phosphorus has a strong affinity for the soil and is fairly

immobile in this form. Preventing phosphorus laden sediments from entering waters should be

prioritized. Another key point is that accumulation of phosphorous seems to occur in the

immediate vicinity of infiltration pipes; this suggests that phosphorus is not leaching into

sediments meters or tens of meters away from the infiltration pipes. We want to stress

however, that best practices management and the maintence of septic systems should still be


prioritized to ensure raw or partially treated sewage is not entering the lake, which would

contribute to elevated phosphorous/ nitrogen concentration and bacterial counts.

3.2.3 Nitrogen

Nitrogen is often naturally available in higher quantities in lakes, and present in both organic

and inorganic forms, in both dissolved and particulate forms. It is often not the limiting nutrient

to primary production in healthy lakes. Nitrogen can become a limiting nutrient when

phosphorus levels are high; that is, when the ratio of phosphorus to nitrogen is high, but in

healthy lakes this will not occur. Algal cells require nitrogen to synthesize proteins and take up

this nutrient in the form of ammonia ions (NH4+) or NO3

-‐ (nitrate). Cyanobacteria have a

competitive advantage in that they can fix N2 (nitrogen gas) from the air-‐water interface, so that

in possible nitrogen limited situations, they are still able to obtain the nutrient. Again, nutrient

limitation by nitrogen is generally not a common observance, but it can occur when phosphorus

levels far exceed nitrogen levels.

3.2.4 Calcium

Calcium concentrations in surface waters on the Precambrian Shield are determined by the

supply of calcium originating from the terrestrial pool and to a lesser extent atmospheric

deposition. The supply is contingent on the calcium-‐weathering rate in soils and extractions of

calcium from the catchment through activities such as timber harvesting (Watmough and

Aherne, 2008). A number of mass balance studies of forest ecosystems have indicated that

calcium losses are exceeding the inputs (i.e. weathering rates)( Likens et al., 1998; Watmough

and Dillion 2003, 2004). Additionally, the acid sensitive soils of this region have likely suffered

calcium losses from historical acid deposition, which caused extensive leeching of the already

naturally limited pool. This has resulted in a corresponding decline in the calcium concentration

of surface waters within these catchments, raising concerns that Calcium limitation will pose a

threat to aquatic biota. Calcium is a nutrient which is required by all lake dwelling organisms


and is particular concern for the calcium rich zooplankton, Daphia sp. Dr. Norman Yan (now

retired) and colleagues at York University demonstrated that most lake dwelling Daphnia

species suffer reproductive stress with lake calcium levels below concentrations of 1.5 mg/L.

A large proportion of the Canadian Shield lakes that have been examined have calcium

concentrations approaching or below the threshold at which Daphnia populations suffer

reduced survival and fertility (Jeziorski et al, 2008). Watmough and Aherne also elaborate on

this current issue; they predict that calcium concentrations in individual lakes will decline by

10% -‐ 40 % as compared to current values.

3.2.5 Dissolved Organic Carbon and Wetlands

Effect of Landscape form on Export of Dissolved Organic Carbon, Iron and Phosphorus from Forested Stream Catchments. (Dillon and Molots, 1997).

Dillon and Molot (1997) present dissolved carbon (DOC), total phosphorus (TP), and iron (Fe)

export data for 20 undisturbed forested catchments draining into seven lakes in central

Ontario. They provide regression models of the chemical export as functions of landscape

composition. The chemical composition of surface waters depends upon in situ processes, the

external supply of substances, their loss rate from the lake or stream, and the modifying effects

of factors such as climate. Furthermore, the flux of metals, nutrients and DOC from a catchment

significantly affects water chemistry. These factors determine the chemical composition of

waters in Ontario and can be related back to the water quality of Kushog Lake. DOC plays a vital

role in lake chemistry because it complexes many metals and nutrients. DOC often controls

transparency; the organic acids that comprise a portion of DOC affect pH and alkalinity. Iron is

also an important factor to consider in the chemistry of lakes and rivers. Iron is important

because it enhances phosphorus complexity with DOC, reduces DOC export from podzolic soils,

and reduces TP export from mineral soils when oxidized (Dillon and Molot, 1997). Hence, DOC

and Fe are extremely important factors to consider in regard to surface water quality because

they influence biological productivity in phosphorus-‐limited waters. Consequently, it is


important to take these parameters in account when analyzing the current data pertaining to

Kushog Lake.

4.0 Lake Health and Water Quality Assessment 4.1 Synthesis of Kushog Monitoring

The intent of this section is review, summarize and consolidate of the data sources and

literature that are either 1) derived directly from Kushog Lake, including data collected from

field work and reports created therein, or 2) directly applicable to Kushog including water

quality guideline documents and alternate data sources we retrieved to use in the Lake Health

and Water Quality Assessment.

It should be noted that while the Kushog research we are aware of is summarized and

consolidated here, not all of it pertains to or is used in the Lake Health and Water Quality

Assessment. The majority of this information can be considered as grey literature including

personal communications, government/NGO reports and data, student produced reports and

data, consultant’s reports and maps, and community/KLOPA produced documents.

We believe that by having these documents summarized and consolidated in one location, it

will be more accessible for possible future projects. In each section, the relevant titles are listed

along with a brief summary of the content and/or data type contained within. Also provided are

the citations where appropriate for the Kushog related reports. We have also provided a USB

with this report which contains all known research and data for Kushog Lake.


4.1.1 Reports and Documents

Christie, A. E. Ministry of Environment, Waste Management in Ontario: Water Resources

Commission (1968). Nutrient-‐phytoplankton relationships in eight southern Ontario

lakes (No. 23. ). Toronto, Ontario: Queen's Printer for Ontario.

Published in 1968 this is the earliest consolidated report and data available for Kushog Lake. It

was produced by A. E. Christie in partnership with MOE and the Water Resources Commission

of Waste Management in Ontario. This study evaluated the relationships between the nutrient

availability and the algal production of eight shield lakes which reside within the Trent River

Basin. It appears this study was initially undertaken as a mode to understand controls on algal

growth in the interest of preventing excessive algal growth. There was interest in these aspects

with regard to problems of filter clogging, taste and odours, and recreational impairment,

which was and still is fundamental to proper water management.

This is a lake sampling study for which a number of chemical variables were determined and

relationships explored. The most valuable part of this report is the water chemistry and

chlorophyll data it contains. The data provide the earliest known record of water quality data

on Kushog Lake and other lakes within its physiographic region.

Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (2003). Water data for Kushog lake.

Produced in 2003 it is a summary of water quality data for 2002 and 2003. It includes

measurements for “North, Middle and South” basins for the variables of Secchi Depth (m), Total

Dissolved Phosphorus(reactive), Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, Dissolved

Organic Carbon, Dissolved Inorganic Carbon, pH, Total Alkalinity and Conductivity. Other key

aspects include dissolved oxygen and temperature at depth, as well as a summary of fisheries in

the lake (no population level data, only occurrence of species).

Heaven, P., & Brady, C. (2011). Kushog lake watershed: stream and desktop analysis final

report. In Project Number: 11019. Minden, Ontario: Glenside Ecological Services Limited


This report was produced by the ecological and GIS consulting company Glenside Ecological

Services Limited at the request of KLOPA to better understand the lake’s watershed and

hydrological characteristics. The report presents a delineation of lake watershed and the

nested sub-‐watersheds obtained through ArcGIS. Within the sub-‐watersheds, wetland

complexes (including, area and type) and streams (inflows) were also delineated and mapped.

Using information based on the size of the wetlands, this report also provides

recommendations for the prioritization of wetlands for further investigation, as possible

provincially significant wetlands or Species At Risk habitat. The report also contains a review of

the Ministry of Natural Resources lake management files, Aquatic Habitat Inventory studies,

and 1970’s fish species surveys. Finally, report provides recommendations for the further

investigation of streams (inflows), and that early spring field investigations be conducted to

confirm the findings of the GIS analysis. See page 35 of the report for a full outline of their

recommendations.

Goutos, D., Hawkins, A., Jansen, K., & O’Halloran,L. (2012). Kushog lake subwatersheds 1-‐10:

Ground truthing inflows and establishing long-‐term monitoring sites final report. In L. O

(Ed.),Credit for Product, Ecosystem Management Technology . Lindsay, Ontario: Fleming

College

Burns, R., Ciancio, M., Gavrilova, M., & Keegan, M. (2013). Ground truthing inflows in

subwatersheds 1, 10-‐14, 26-‐31: Phase 2, north of the ox narrows. In Credit for Product,

Ecosystem Management Technology . Lindsay, Ontario: Fleming College

In response to the Heaven and Brady report listed above, a partnership between KLOPA and the

indentified Fleming College Credit for Product program was developed to “ground truth” the

inflows that were delineated by the GIS analysis. They also recorded using GPS the location of

culverts and streams which did not appear in the maps produced by Heaven and Brady (2011).

At inflows where there was significant flow, a measurement of the flow rate was obtained as

well as measurements of the conductivity, pH, alkalinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen.

Additionally, at select inflows, rapid bioassessment of benthic invertebrates was completed

following the Ontario Benthic Biomonitoring Network protocols. The report contains a


description of the methodology, as well as interpretations of the results concerning the benthic

data.

KLOPA. (2010). Kushog lake plan summary. The Kushog Lake Property Owners Association

This document, which is a summary of the larger 200+ page Kushog Lake Plan document, was

created with the intention to be widely distributed to Kushog Lake residents. Components of it

regularly appear in KLOPAs newsletters. It is a comprehensive document containing information

on the general geography of the lake, historical development, social elements, natural history/

heritage, physical elements, and land use, as well as an agenda for adaptive management. It

gives good insight into how KLOPA perceives the status of the lake’s health and what their

priorities and concerns are for its maintence. It should be noted that it was created from the

contributions of numerous individuals, and it is not always clear where the information

contained within the document originates from.

Collection of Miscellaneous Memos

This was provided to us by KLOPA in an email; it is a pdf document containing a number of

emails. They are mostly centered around the discussion and interpretation of data and

environmental conditions on the lake, including secchi and phosphorous concentrations. It

gives insight into how these results have been interpreted by the host, and those

organizations/individuals they have partnered with such as the MOE and representatives from

the Dorset Environmental Center. There is also a pdf that was provided in one memo, which

outlines a record of MOE involvement in 1988. It provides a record of low pH from the legacy of

the acid rain era, and acknowledges the positive impact that reductions of bathing and dumping

of had on phosphorus concentrations within the lake.


4.1.2 Data Collection

Lake Partnership Program (LPP). Ministry of Environment, Dorset Environmental Science Center

(DESC). (2014). Ontario lake partner program: Monitoring data

The Lake Partner Program is a volunteer based water quality monitoring program. It is

coordinated by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment through the Dorset Environmental

Center. The program was initiated in 1996. Volunteers from the partner lakes collect water

samples, which are evaluated for total phosphorus concentrations, and perform secchi depth

measurements. The data are available in an online repository which can be accessed through

the Dorset environmental center website or at the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE)

website (http://desc.ca/programs/lpp and http://www.ontario.ca/data/ontario-‐lake-‐partner).

The quality and resolution of these data varies by lake. Phosphorus and secchi data can be

retrieved by using an interactive map or by searching the lake of interest. Data are returned to

the investigator in either Excel spread sheets from the MOE or a combination of Excel and pdf

files from DESC. This data are available from 2002-‐2013 and in future as new data are provided.

Also available from the DESC website are pre-‐2002 data for LPP lakes. The concentration of

calcium was added to the monitoring program in 2008, in acknowledgement of its critical

importance in the metabolism of lakes and trends that suggest it may be in decline. Kushog has

participated in all of these sampling initiatives and has good temporal and spatial coverage.

Sampling has occurred in the Northern, Middle and Southern basins of the lake. There is

variability in the timing of the samples were taken, however, early May samples are always

taken.

Goutos, D., Hawkins, A., Jansen, K., & O’Halloran,L. (2012). Kushog lake subwatersheds 1-‐

10:ground truthing inflows and establishing long-‐term monitoring sites final report. In L.

O (Ed.),Credit for Product, Ecosystem Management Technology . Lindsay, Ontario:

Fleming College


Burns, R., Ciancio, M., Gavrilova, M., & Keegan, M. (2013). Ground truthing inflows in

subwatersheds 1, 10-‐14, 26-‐31: Phase 2, north of the ox narrows. In Credit for Product,

Ecosystem Management Technology . Lindsay, Ontario: Fleming College

Raw 2014 data provided to us in Excel/Word format from Emma Horrigan at U-‐links Haliburton

The field component of these reports involved the collection of water chemistry and benthic

invertebrate data at inflows to Kushog Lake. The water chemistry measurements consist of

conductivity, pH, alkalinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen, consistent with what is required

for the OBBM protocols. Benthic invertebrate data are available for Hindon or ‘Lost Creek’

(2012), Fleming (2012), Bennett (renamed in 2014)(2013, 2014), Harrison(2013,2014), Margaret

(2013,2014), Kanawa (2013), Kabakwa (2014) inflows. The sampling was performed to the

coarse 27 group level, consistent with OBBM protocols for streams.

Sediment Data for Kushog Lake 2013 & 2014

Sediment core data were collected by Fleming students under the guidance of Dr. Eric Sager for

the analysis of metallic ions; with a total of 19 analyses evaluated. These data were received

from Dr. Eric Sager. Sampling locations are consistent with other monitoring programs that

have been carried out in the lake, in locations that include North, Middle and South basins of

Kushog. It should be noted that there were also student reports created, and one in particular

by a Mr. Sean Whitten, which provides an excellent dissemination and interpretation of these

data. He also compared the 2014 data to the Canadian Environmental Quality Guideline (EQG),

and Sediment Quality Guideline for the Protection of Aquatic Life.


4.1.3 Summary Table

Table 2. Summary of known data sources and reports specific to Kushog Lake as of September 2014

Document Title, Year

Source/Author Type Brief Summary of Content/Data Type and Usage

Total Phosphorus, 2013 (excel)

Ontario Lake Partner Program(LPP)

Volunteer sampled monitoring data

-‐total phosphorus data from 2002-‐2013 sampled at 4 locations in the lake, in Spring, Summer and Fall.

Phosphorus Pre 2002 Averages (excel)

Dorset Environmental Center

Unverified -‐presents the pre 2002 annual means of total phosphorous data for entire lake.

Water Clarity (secchi), 2013 (excel)

Ontario Lake Partner Program(LPP)


-‐secchi depth data from 2002-‐2013 sampled at 4 locations in the lake

Calcium, 2013 (excel/pdf)

Ontario Lake Partner Program


-‐calcium data from 2008-‐2012 samples at 4 locations in the lake

Sediment Data 2013 & 2014 (pdfs)

Fleming College Students and Prof. Eric Sager

Credit for Product Field, Lab and Reports

-‐sediment core sampling and analysis of 19 metallic ions at depths of 0-‐15 cm and 15-‐30 cm into sediment. -‐also students reports which provided a comparison of data values to EQG sediment quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life.

Nutrient Phytoplankton Relationships in Eight Ontario Lakes 1968

Waste Management in Ontario, Water Resources Commission, A.E. Christie

Government Report, data

-‐provides oldest record of study on Kushog Lake in comparison to other lakes. -‐has historical total active phosphorus data, which differs from the LPP measurement of total phosphorus.

Kushog Lake Watershed: Wetland and Stream Desktop Analysis, 2011

Glenside Ecological Consultants Inc. (Heaven & Brady)

Consultant Report/ GIS desktop analysis and final report

-‐provides maps of Kushog Lake Watershed and Kushog Lake, wetland complexes, inflows -‐%/hectares of wetland, watershed area, % wetland by type -‐delineated inflows and wetland complexes on Kushog Lake -‐provided summary of fisheries, species level

Ground-‐truthing Inflows, 2012 &2013

Fleming College Students

Credit for Product -‐Field work and Reports

-‐in response to the Glenside desktop analysis, ground-‐truthing of the inflow data was performed by two groups of students in 2012 and 2013. -‐they recorded GPS location, and water chemistry data where possible (pH, temperature, alkalinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen)

Benthic Invertebrate Sampling (excel-‐data, Reports-‐pdf)

Fleming College Students

Credit for Product-‐ Reports and data

-‐students performed rapid bioassay of benthic invertebrates at streams on Kushog Lake (Fleming) (2012), Hindon (2012), Kanawa (2013), Bennet (2013 & 2014), Harrison (2013 & 2014), Margaret (2013 & 2014), Kabakawa(2014)


-‐ recorded coarse 27 group OBBN level data

Water Quality for Kushog Lake, 2003

Ministry of the Environment

Government report and data

-‐basic geographic information, lake morphology, bathymetry map, shoreline development -‐average secchi, total phosphorus, nitrogen, DOC, DIC, pH, alkalinity and conductivity values for 2002 & 2003 -‐lake temperature and dissolved oxygen depth profiles for 2002 & 2003 -‐fisheries summary, species level, spawning locations

Kushog Lake Plan, 2010

KLOPA, various

Summary report, community organization

-‐includes how KLOPA currently perceives status of their lake health, what their priorities and concerns are -‐ cultural and historical overview of the lake -‐recreation uses and population/residence data -‐ overview of physical geography

‘Misc Memos’ Various Email discourse provided by host/data

-‐provides insight into the history of water quality monitoring and reporting on Kushog and how KLOPA has responded to interpretation of the data

Kushog Hears from MOE, 1988

Unknown KLOPA representative

Excerpt from newsletter, historical

-‐record of MOE attention in 1988, outlines low pH from acid rain era, acknowledgement of reductions of bathing and dumping in the lake in response to phosphorous being identified as nutrient of concern.

4.2 Regional Comparison

This section will present the results, as well as methodology behind the data analysis completed

for total phosphorus and secchi depth for Kushog Lake, in comparison to 5 other lakes within

the Gull River Watershed. Phosphorus and secchi depth are analyzed specifically because of the

long record provided by the Lake Partner Program. Furthermore, this section will compare

temperature and dissolved oxygen graphs provided by the Ministry of the Environment. Lastly,

it will serve to review the relative concentrations of total phosphorus, nitrate, chloride and

suspended solid between 2002 and 2003 within the Gull River, which is the main tributary for

the watershed.

4.2.1 Gull River Watershed

To put Kushog into context within the larger Gull River Watershed, a regional comparison is

made with reference to total phosphorus concentrations (µg/L). Kushog Lake is compared with

5 other lakes; Boshkung, Twelve Mile, Big Hawk, Eagle, and Gull lake, which are all situated

within the Gull River Watershed (Fig. 8). These lakes are selected out of 17 lakes because they


each have consistent amount of data over 20 years, from 1993-‐2013. The data were retrieved

from the Dorset Environmental Science Centre, Lake Partner Program.

The trophic status of the lake is indicated by the two lines shown in Fig. 8. Trophic status is a

measure of a lakes productivity and sensitivity in terms of nutrient input. There are a total of

three trophic categories with respect to nutrient status. Lakes with less than 10 µg/L total

phosphorus are considered oligotrophic. These lakes are unproductive and rarely experience

algal blooms. Lakes with total phosphorus between 10 and 20 µg/L are termed mesotrophic

and can be either clear and unproductive or susceptible to moderate algal blooms. Lakes over

20 µg/L are classified as eutrophic and may exhibit nuisance algal blooms (DESC, 2013). The

bottom blue line on the graph symbolizes the threshold below a given lake is considered an

oligotrophic. The region in between the blue and black line indicates the range for a

mesotrophic lake, and anything above the top black line indicates a eutrophic lake.

Figure 8. Twenty year (1993-‐2013) average phosphorus concentration (µg/L) for Kushog Lake in comparison to other lakes within Gull River Watershed

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

Kushog Boshkung Twelve Mile Big Hawk Eagle Gull

Total Pho

spho

rus (µg

/L)

Oligotrophic

Mesotrophic

Eutrophic


It is evident that each sample lake, including Kushog, falls within the range representing

oligotrophic (≤10 µg/L) conditions. It can be seen that Eagle Lake has the highest value at

approximately 8 µg/L and Big Hawk has the lowest value at 4 µg/L. Kushog falls in between both

of these lakes at approximately 5 µg/L.

To further the analysis, Fig. 9 was created to segregate total phosphorus averages between

1994 – 2001 and 2001 – 2013 for all 6 lakes in order to observe if there is any significant change

in concentration between the two time periods. The significance for the subdivision between

the two time periods is in order to identify any short-‐term trends and detect if there is evidence

for a decline or increase over time.

Figure 9. Average total phosphorus (µg/L) displayed as approximate ten year time periods for Kushog Lake and 5 other lakes Within the Gull River Watershed. Presented as approximate decades to display that little change has occurred over the 20 year time span, with only marginal decreases, with the exception of Big Hawk.

5.9 5.2

7.0 6.8 7.0

5.8

4.3 5.0

8.1 7.7 7.6

6.6

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

1994-‐2001 average

2002-‐2013 average

Total Pho

spho

rus (µg

/L)

Kushog Boshkung Twelve Mile Big Hawk Eagle Gull


It is evident, that there is not a substantial difference between the two time periods for each

lake with the exception of Big Hawk. However, it can be seen that there is a slight drop in total

phosphorus concentrations between the 1994 – 2001 time period and the 2002-‐2013 time

period. Kushog for example, dropped from 5.9 µg/L to 5.2 µg/L. This verifies the fact that

Kushog Lake, as well as Boshkung, Twelve mile, Big Hawk, Eagle and Gull lake are well within

the oligotrophic region of low nutrient productivity (≤10 µg/L) and show no trends that would

indicate an increase of total phosphorus.

The next trend that was evaluated pertains to Kushog Lake exclusively. Fig. 10 displays the total

phosphorus average for each year between 1993 and 2013. The dotted line represents the

division between oligotrophic and mesotrophic. Generally, there is no dramatic increase or

decrease in the trend, as the data tends to remain steady within the oligotrophic range.

However there are several inconsistencies within the graph that will be addressed later in the

interpretation section. These inconsistencies include: the two anomalous data points within the

graph, specifically between the time periods of 1999 and 2001 as well as the absence of total

phosphorus data for the time period of 1988. Overall, the higher concentration of total

phosphorus in a lake directly influences algal growth and decreases the overall water clarity

(MOE, 2010). With that in mind, water clarity is another common method to measure trophic

status within the lake.


Figure 10. Mean annual average phosphorus concentrations (µg/L)for Kushog Lake, during the 20 year period of 1993 to 2013.

Water clarity is a sensitive indicator of long-‐term changes in trophic status. It has been shown

that Secchi disc measurements are less subject to within year variability than either chlorophyll

a or phosphorous measurements, and consequently, can provide a much better monitoring tool

for early trophic status. Water clarity readings nonetheless are valuable to track changes in the

lake that might be occurring and would otherwise not be noticed from monitoring total

phosphorus concentrations alone (DESC, 2013; MOE, 2010). Secchi depth is measured through

the process of lowering a pole with a disc mounted on it and recording the water depth at

which the disk is no longer visible.

Fig. 11 compares secchi depth measurements for Kushog Lake with 5 other lakes within the Gull

River Watershed. The data for this analysis were retrieved from the Dorset Environmental Lake

Partner Program covering a time period of 20 years (1992 – 2012). The average was obtained

for each 20 year period for every individual lake and then presented in the bar graph. Eagle

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Mean an

nual Total Pho

spho

urs (µg

/L)

Year

Oligotrophic


Lake has the highest secchi depth (clarity) of approximately 7 m while Gull Lake has the lowest

secchi depth of 3.5 m. The values for Kushog Lake fall in the middle between the two at 5 m.

Figure 11. 20-‐Year Average Secchi Depths (m) for Kushog Lake in Comparison with other Lakes within the Gull River Watershed

The relationship between secchi depth (m) and total phosphorus (µg/L) between 1993 and

2013 for Kushog Lake exclusively is displayed in Fig. 12. This graph combines phosphorus and

clarity data into a time series that can be easily compared. This is essential as the concentration

of nutrients within a lake, such as phosphorus, directly influences water clarity and sequentially

the lake’s trophic status. Total phosphorus is symbolized as the red trend line and secchi depth

is symbolized by the blue trend line. The dotted line that runs parallel with the 10 mg/L

indicates a tropic status of oligotrophic. In general there is good agreement between the two

time series. However, the one anomaly evident is that of total phosphorus around 1999 and

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Mean De

pth (m

)

Kushog Lake Boshkung Lake Twelve Mile Lake Eagle Lake Gull Lake


2001. It spikes from 2 µg/L to 8 µg/L within 2 years. There is no consistent temporal trend over

the time frame for either of the measurements.

Figure 12. Mean Secchi Depth with Total Phosphorus over 20-‐ year Average for Kushog Lake

The average calcium concentration for Kushog Lake in comparison with 9 other lakes within the

Gull River Watershed is depicted in Fig. 13. The averages were based on a four-‐year time

period, between 2009 and 2012. Kushog has an approximate average of 2.4 mg/L of calcium,

which is fairly low as compared to Gull, Horseshoe and Moore Lake. Gull Lake has

approximately 7.1 mg/L of calcium, the highest of all Lakes displayed; whereas Big Hawk Lake

has the lowest value of the 10 lakes, at approximately 1.7 mg/L. It is evident that there is

significant variation between the 10 lakes.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 Mean Dp

eth (m

) and

Total Pho

spho

rus (µg

/L )

Secchi Depth (m) TP(µg/L)

Oligotrophic


Figure 13: Average Calcium Concentration for Kushog Lake and 9 other lakes within the Gull River Watershed between 2009 and 2012. Dashed line indicates 1.5 mg/L threshold , beyond which Daphnia experience reproductive stress. Star indicates historical level as measured by A.E. Christie in 1968 at 5.0 mg/L.

4.3 Water Quality Guidelines Comparison

This section addresses and compares measurements for Kushog Lake (provided by the Ministry

of the Environment as well as the Lake Partner Program) with three standard Ontario water

quality guidelines. These guidelines include: recreational water quality, aquatic life and drinking

water quality standards. The parameters selected for the comparison include: water clarity, pH,

nitrite, nitrate and ammonia.

4.3.1 Recreational Guidelines

Table 2 provided below displays Ontario standards for recreational water quality. The

document provides guidelines for the protection of public health and safety, and guidance for

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0 Ca

lcium (m

g/L)


the safety of recreational waters from a human health perspective (Health Canada, 2012). The

first parameter that was assessed is water clarity as indicated by secchi depth. Kushog’s secchi

depth value (4.77 m) was retrieved from the Lake Partner Program from a 20-‐year average. The

standard guideline proposes that water should be sufficiently clear so that a secchi disk is

visible at a minimum depth of 1.2 m. Therefore, the measurements for Kushog Lake are well

within this range and therefore water clarity is not of concern in this assessment.

The second parameter that was analyzed is pH. The pH values were retrieved from the Ministry

of the Environment for years 2002 and 2003. The measurements were split into north, middle

and south basins and were obtained both on the surface of the water as well as a meter from

lake bottom. The pH values range slightly between 6.58 and 6.88. The recreational water

quality standard advises that pH should remain within the range of 5.0 to 9.0 in waters used for

primary contact recreation. Kushog’s pH value falls well within the standard range and does not

pose any concern.


Table 2. Comparison between Water Clarity and Secchi Depth for Kushog Lake and Standards Provided

by the Recreational Water Quality Guideline.

Recreational Water Quality Guidelines Aesthetic Objectives

Standard

Description

Kushog Lake (1992 to 2013)

Water Clarity (Secchi Depth m)

Secchi Disc visible at 1.2 m or more

State or quality of being clear. Water

should be sufficiently clear

that a Secchi disc is visible at a

minimum depth of 1.2m

4.77 m

pH

5.0 -‐ 9.0

For waters used for primary contact

recreation

North

Middle

South

Surface

Meter off

bottom

Surface

Meter off

bottom

Surface

Meter Off bottom

6.79

6.69

6.88

6.62

6.88

6.58

4.3.2. Aquatic Life Guidelines

Table 3 provided below displays the Ontario standard guidelines for aquatic life in regard to

nitrate, nitrite and pH. These guidelines serve to provide recommendations on the ranges for

various parameters as required for the overall protection of aquatic life. These standards are

compared to Kushog’s values obtained from the Ministry of the Environment for 2002 and

2003. The data are separated into north, middle and south basins and then further divided

between samples retrieved from surface and samples retrieved one meter from the bottom.

The standard for nitrate is provided for both short term (550 mg/L) and long term (13 mg/L).


Kushog’s nitrate values range from 0.064 mg/L to 0.036 mg/L for the surface and 0.219 mg/L to

0.108 mg/L for one meter off bottom.

The other parameter that was measured was nitrite that has a regional standard of 60 000 NO2-‐

N. Kushog’s nitrate values range from 0.003 mg/L to 0.002 mg/L for the surface and meter from

bottom, 0.004 mg/L to 0.003 mg/L. The last parameter that was assessed was pH and it is the

only parameter which falls below the guideline. It is our opinion that the low pH is a feature of

the surrounding environment; the poorly weathered granite bedrock, lack of calcium

carbonate, and the pressure of acidic soils. In many of the shield lakes there is a legacy of acid

rain effects and we cannot discount that it is possible that this effect may be observed here.

Table 3. Comparison Nitrate, Nitrite and pH for Kushog Lake and Standards Provided by the Aquatic Life Water Quality Guideline.

Aquatic Life Water Quality Guidelines Chemical Name

Standard

Description (Chemical Groups)

Kushog Lake (2002/2003)

North Middle South

Surface (mg/L)

Meter Off Bottom (mg/L)

Surface (mg/L)

Meter Off

Bottom (mg/L)

Surface (mg/L)


Nitrate Short Term: >550 mg/L Long Term: >13 mg/L

Inorganic. Inorganic nitrogen compounds

0.064

0.108

0.036

0.153

0.058

0.219

Nitrite

>60 000 mg/L NO₂-‐N

Inorganic. Inorganic nitrogen compounds

0.0033

0.0033

0.003

0.004

0.002

0.002

pH

7.0 -‐ 8.7

Inorganic. Acidity, alkalinity, and pH

6.79

6.69

6.89

6.67

6.88

6.58


4.3.3. Drinking Water Standards

Table 4 provided below displays the Ontario Drinking Water Standards in regards to nitrate,

nitrite, pH, and ammonia. The Drinking Water Standards are established by the Federal-‐

Provincial-‐ Territorial Committee, published by Health Canada. The guidelines review the

known health effects associated with each contaminant, as well as exposure levels. These

standards are compared to Kushog’s values obtained from the Ministry of the Environment for

2002 and 2003. The data is separated into north, middle and south basins and then further

divided between samples retrieved from surface and samples retrieved from one meter off

bottom. The standard for Nitrate is 45 mg/L that is naturally occurring, leaching or is a result of

runoff from agriculture. Kushog’s nitrate values range from 0.036 mg/L to 0.219 mg/L, which

fall well under the limit. As for pH, the advised standard is between the range of 6.5 and 8.5.

Kushog’s pH ranges from 6.58 to 6.89, which resides within the acceptable range. The last

parameter assessed is ammonia, which does not require a standard value because it is

produced in the body and efficiently metabolized in healthy people. Furthermore, the guideline

states that there are no adverse effects at levels found in drinking water (Health Canada, 2012).

Kushog’s ammonia values are fairly low, ranging from 0.003 mg/l to 0.050 mg/L and would have

no impact on the quality of drinking water.


Table 4. Comparison between Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, and Ammonia for Kushog Lake and Standards Provided by the Recreational Water Quality Guideline.

Drinking Water Quality Guidelines Chemical Name

Standard

Description (Chemical Groups)

Kushog Lake (2002/2003)

North Middle South

Surface (mg/L)


Surface (mg/L)

Meter Off

Bottom (mg/L)

Surface (mg/L)


Nitrate >45 mg/L

Naturally occurring; leaching or runoff from agricultural use, may be produced from excess ammonia or microbial activity.

0.064

0.108

0.036

0.153

0.058

0.219

Nitrite

>3.2 mg/L

0.0033

0.0033

0.003

0.004

0.002

0.002

pH

6.5 – 8.5

Inorganic. Acidity, alkalinity, and pH

6.79

6.69

6.89

6.67

6.88

6.58

Ammonia

None Required

Guideline value not necessary as it is produced in the body and efficiently metabolized in healthy people. No adverse effects at levels found in drinking water

0.050

0.011

0.015

0.012

0.009

0.003


4.4 Benthic Invertebrates as Biological Indicators

Benthic invertebrates are used as indicators of river, stream and lake water quality through

analysis of their community structures. Benthic invertebrates are a common and diverse group

of organisms, they are relatively immobile, and have yearly life cycles which allows for the

changes in their diversity and abundance to be tracked through both space and time (Plafkin et

al., 1989; Reynoldson et al.,1997). It is possible to relate observed changes in community

structure in a stream, river or lake to anthropogenic influences or disturbances (Bailey et al.,

1998). This is accomplished in Ontario by following a detailed sampling and analysis protocol

outlined in the OBBM Protocol Manual (2007); this involves identifying a test site, sampling the

site and sub-‐sampling the benthos in the lab, sorting and identifying the benthos to at least a

coarse 27 taxonomic group level and using raw data to calculate indices based on known

tolerances of the benthos to disturbances of interest (e.g. agricultural runoff, organic pollution

or industrial effluent).

The indices or metrics, are numerical measures which attempt to characterize the community

of benthos. Some examples of these include; species richness, community composition

measures, tolerance/intolerance measures and functional feeding group measures. To

illustrate, an example of a community composition richness measure is the total number of the

taxa Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera present in the sample at a site. This may be

represented as a percentage or proportion of the sample. These taxa are known to be generally

sensitive to disturbance or water quality impairment, thus if their representativeness within the

sample is low, we can infer that some disturbance or impairment has occurred. However,

determining what the ‘natural’ or ‘normal’ proportion is (i.e. under unimpaired or pristine

conditions) in a stream, river or lake can be quite challenging, due to natural variation and so

ideally, this must be addressed in the sampling design and analysis.

Once that value of the index/metric has been established, a comparison can be made between

the test sites value and the control site* OR the Reference Site** to determine if differences


exist, if the control* or Reference Site** has been determined. There is a marked difference

between a control site* and a Reference Site **; simply, a control site is a point measurement

or singular site and a Reference Site** is non-‐point, multi measurement value (e.g. an average

of the values of multiple sites), which attempts to determine normalcy by accounting for the

natural and environmental variation.

As indicated in the OBBM Protocol Manual (2007), one of the principal questions this type of

biomonitoring seeks to answer is, is the benthos community observed at a test site normal

(Jones et al, 2005)? In order to determine normalcy, a methodology involving a Reference

Condition Approach (RCA) has been adopted by the OBBN. Reference Sites** are considered to

be ‘minimally impacted’ and serve as a control, against which the test site is compared

(Reynoldson et al., 1997). In this way, if the test site shows a significant difference from the

established Reference Site, the test site is not normal and considered to be impacted. Further,

the amount that a test site is outside the range of normalcy is indicative of the magnitude of

the degradation a disturbance has caused (Bailey et al, 1997).

On Kushog Lake, the approach to benthic sampling has been to survey inflows into the lake for

their communities using the Rapid Bioassessment Protocol as described in the OBBM protocol

manual (2007). The full findings of these surveys are described in the Fleming College student

reports, available on the USB appendix provided with this report. . The Benthic Fact Sheet

included within this report also provides a summary of typical indices and some possible

interpretations and a summary of the process.

Further, in these reports are descriptions and interpretation of the indices, relative to the

Kushog Lake inflows. In general, the conclusions of these reports have indicated that the water

of the inflows into Kushog Lake is of good quality. There are some indices that suggest that

there may be some organic pollution occurring; however without a comparison to what is

considered normal for the region, without repeated and consistent sample years, there can be

limited confidence in this assertion. An example of this is that while a metric may suggest that

‘organic pollution is possible’ its cause is difficult to determine, and that cause may be entirely


natural or anthropogenic. For example organic pollution could be increased due to a nearby

cottage property with less than intact riparian zones, but it is also just as possible that this

observation could be related to the proportion wetlands in the catchment of that inflow.

At this point in time, the monitoring and analysis on Kushog Lake is limited to creation of the

indices and their values, without a control site* or Reference Site** to compare them to, to

determine if the sites lie outside the range of what is considered ‘normal’. However, MOE

scientist Chris Jones at the Dorset Environmental Center, has recently completed compiling a

dataset of Reference Sites** for stream inflows into Shield Lakes in the Haliburton and

Muskoka regions. We have included in the USB appendix a dataset we retrieved from him of

these Reference sites. This dataset can be used as the basis of a future project to calculate

average indices/metrics for these References Sites. However, in order for Kushog data to have

meaningful comparisons to these Reference Site conditions, they must be from the same time

of the year. The OBBM manual states that while monitoring can occur at any point (spring,

summer, fall), when making comparisons between reference and test sites, the data must be

from the same time period. This is because the community structure changes throughout the

ice free season, and we can understand that the typical community present in the spring will be

different from the typical community present in the fall. To this end, the reference conditions

created by Chris Jones at the MOE are for spring conditions, and Kushog data is from the fall. In

order to remedy this and to make meaningful comparisons, Kushog data would need to be

collected from this point onward, in the spring season.

Another consideration which relates to the benthic invertebrate data, is the relative value of

stream inflow monitoring versus lake level monitoring. In Muskoka region, the emphasis for

benthic monitoring has been placed on lake monitoring, not stream inflows. The reference

conditions in Muskoka were first created for lakes through the Muskoka Waterweb, the Dorset

Environmental Center and the District of Muskoka. The reference conditions on these lakes are

based on 147 samples collected at 76 reference sites between 2004 and 2011. Reference sites

from 9 mesotrophic and 26 oligotrophic lakes throughout Muskoka were used. In reflection of

this information we began to consider that, given that it is long term lake health we are


interested in, that it might be a better approach to establish a lake level monitoring program, as

opposed to trying to monitor numerous inflows. In a personal communication with MOE

scientist Chris Jones in February of 2015, he confirmed that in his opinion, establishing a lake

level monitoring program would give better insight into the water quality and associated lake

health of Kushog than would monitoring of multiple inflow sites.

5.0 Interpretation and Discussion

5.1 Interpretation of Lake Water Quality Parameters

The main goals of the data presented within the regional comparison section were to

determine the state of water quality and assess changes in productivity within Kushog Lake in

comparison to other lakes within the Gull River Watershed. Trophic status thresholds were

used to classify each particular lake, as trophic status can be affected by changes in productivity

thereby making it a good indicator for potential impacts. Trophic status is commonly measured

or monitored using at least one of the three parameters: transparency (secchi depth),

chlorophyll a, and total phosphorus (TP) concentration (MOE, 2010). For this report, secchi

depth and total phosphorus concentration are used as the best representation of lake quality.

Furthermore, a 4-‐year average of calcium data was assessed for Kushog with 9 other lakes in

the Gull River watershed (Fig. 13). As mentioned within section 3.2.4, when calcium becomes

too low within a freshwater lake ecosystem, daphnia tends to decline because calcium is an

essential component for their survival. This species is important as it is a naturally occurring bio-‐

control agent, affecting algae growth (Jeziorski et al, 2008).

The first analysis (refer back to Fig. 8) represents 20 year phosphorus averages for Kushog Lake

in comparison to 5 other lakes within the Gull River Watershed. It can be established that all 5

lakes fall within the range, representing oligotrophic status (≤10 µg/L). Kushog has a total

phosphorus amount of 5 µg/L, which falls well under the 10 µg/L standard. This means that

Kushog Lake has low primary productivity, the result of low nutrient concentrations as well as

low algal production. This is true for all of the 5 lakes as they all fall within the same range.


Eagle Lake has the highest total phosphorus value at 7 µg/L. This may suggest that it is in an

early phase of transitioning from oligotrophic to mesotrophic.

Fig. 9 takes this analysis a step further by comparing total phosphorus for each of the 6 lakes

between the time periods of 1994 to 2001 and 2001 to 2013. All of the lakes in exception of Big

Hawk Lake, decline in total phosphorus between the two time periods. This decline ranges

within the values of 0.2 µg/L to 1.2 µg/L. Big Hawk, however, increased in total phosphorus by

about 0.7 µg/L. Overall, the common pattern demonstrated through this graph indicates that

there is a slight decline over the span of 19 years in total phosphorus. This occurrence holds

true to the fact that phosphorus is a limiting nutrient in northern freshwater lake systems and

there is no indication that it is increasing or will increase in the next several years.

Fig. 10 was produced for the intention to isolate Kushog Lake for the analysis of total

phosphorus between 1993 and 2013. The data points tend to be fairly consistent and stagnant

fluctuating within the range of 3 µg/L and 7 µg/L, none of the values exceed 10 µg/L. There are

two outliers between the time periods of 1999 and 2001 This could be attributed to sample

contamination within the field (particularly for the higher data point), for example if a single

zooplankton was present in the sampling container after rinsing with unfiltered surface water

(DESC, 2013). Otherwise, the outliers could be more likely attributed to seasonal anomalies,

such as high or low rainfall events. It is not uncommon to have outliers, and these data should

not be interpreted as an indication of temporal trend. Fig. 12 displays the same relationship

however simultaneously displayed with secchi depth between 1993 and 2013. The secchi depth

follows closely in unison with the total phosphorus data. It has been suggested by the MOE

that transparency observations may be influenced by other factors than those related to

trophic status and therefore should be interpreted together with total phosphorus especially

for between-‐lake comparisons. Therefore, it is evident that there is influence between the two

parameters within Kushog Lake as this is seen by how close the data trend align with one

another. Fig. 11 compares the average secchi depth for Kushog Lake and compares it with 4

other lakes. What can be taken from this particular graph is the fact that each lake falls well

within the recreational water quality guideline (refer to table. 2) stating that the secchi disc


should visible at 1.2 m or more. Each lake falls within the range of 4 m to 7 m, which is an

indication for fairly high transparency and does not reflect any sign of problems.

The last analysis that was conducted was to compare calcium averages between Kushog and 9

other lakes. The importance of this analysis was due to the fact that calcium is an essential

ingredient for bone growth in Daphnia and this species is important as it is a naturally occurring

bio-‐control agent, affecting algae growth. Therefore, The reason for such variation of calcium

between the 10 lakes could be attributed to the fact that Gull, Horseshoe, and Moore Lake have

regional differences in geology including bands of limestone, which would positively influence

the calcium concentrations of those waters.

5.2 Water Quality Guidelines Interpretation

Three standard Ontario water quality guidelines were used in comparison with data relevant to

Kushog Lake. These guidelines included: recreational water quality, aquatic life water quality

and drinking water quality. Secchi depth, nitrate, nitrite, pH and ammonia were some of the

available parameters for Kushog Lake, provided by the Ministry of the Environment (2003).

Comparing Kushog Lake with the standards provided by Health Canada was an effective way to

rationalize what is occurring within the lake as well as surrounding lakes to what is suggested to

be the norm for this particular region. Nonetheless, it must be considered that there are other

parameters that could be compared between with the guidelines, however secchi depth, pH,

nitrite, nitrate and ammonia were the only ones available to conduct the analysis. From what

was available, it was evident through the tables created that Kushog Lake fell well within the

standard guidelines for each respected parameter. Therefore, the analysis demonstrates that

there is no current concern or sign of potential concern of any threat to the quality of drinking

water, recreational activity or aquatic life present within the lake.


6.0 Recommendations v Continue excellent participation in Lake Partner Program for monitoring of total

phosphorus concentrations, secchi depth and perhaps most importantly, calcium

concentrations. Given the concerns over regional calcium depletion, establishing a

record of concentrations will be essential for determining whether or not changes occur

through time.

v Report any suspected blue green algal bloom activity to the MOE Spills Action center

and call local health unit. We believe it is unlikely that Kushog would suffer from the

development of this type of bloom. Further information on identifying blue green algae

blooms, precautions to be taken if bloom is suspected and how to report can be found

at http://www.ontario.ca/environment-‐and-‐energy/blue-‐green-‐algae. Usually the MOE

will send a representative to come and sample the bloom to determine its speciation.

v Establish Lake level benthic monitoring program. This is suggested as opposed to inflow

sites due to the high flushing rate of this lake and the relative small contribution of each

stream or inflow. A lake level benthic monitoring program will give an indication of the

current and perhaps typical benthic community, which through time, if changes in

community structure are observed, may be an indication of lake level changes.

Essentially, the high flushing rate combined with relatively immobility of lake benthic

invertebrates, will give a better indication of lake health. Further, these may the

compared to the established regional reference conditions to determine how Kushog

compares to these ‘pristine’ or typical sites.

v Additionally, it would be possible to establish lake level monitoring sites varying degrees

of shoreline development. For example, a possible design could include control sites

(e.g. crown land), low development (e.g. naturalized or restored shoreline), and high


development (e.g. natural riparian vegetation removed with lawn). Another idea is that

if there is suspected problem site (e.g. knowledge of historical pollution or suspect

septic system) sampling could be targeted to those areas.

v If there is a concern about dump effluent leaking into Margaret Creek (1) contact the

waste management facility to determine what type of control measures they have in

place to ensure leachate is contained (2) Consider a sampling study which would

investigate concentration or presence of contaminant of interest with increasing

proximity to dump site; that measures along a gradient from close proximity with

increasing distance downstream towards lake. Alternatively, determine if there is

change in benthic community with increasing distance from waste management site.

Appendix: USB Appendix provided to host KLOPA with submission of this report to Trent University Geography Department


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