by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — Shoreline property owners can ensure they are keeping the waterway they are on healthy with seven ideas.
These seven ideas are 1) maintain/improve a buffer; 2) care for lawns naturally; 3) soften retaining wall; 4) use environmentally friendly docks; 5) maintain septic systems; 6) contour and curve pathways and 7) create/maintain wildlife habitat.
Terri-Lee Reid, a freshwater conservation researcher with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, spoke about these seven ideas Saturday morning during the annual general meeting of the Muskrat Watershed Council at the Cobden Agricultural Hall. While the focus was on Muskrat Lake and its tributaries, they can actually be used anywhere along a shoreline.
Speaking before a crowd of less than 20 people, Ms. Reid noted lake environments are facing many challenges, which include increasing development pressures; increasing population density; increasing resource usage; decreasing wildlife habitat and degrading water quality.
“Healthy shorelines provide a huge source of enjoyment,” she said. “They create a strong eco-system that improves water quality overall.”
Ms. Reid noted people can participate in a Love Your Lake program. This program offers a shoreline and stewardship assessment program; works with regional partners and lake associations; and encourages stewardship action for healthier shorelines.
Each shoreline property owner should receive a spring property report letter providing them information to look up their property and review a shoreline property report which provides recommendations for voluntary actions; additional local resources. Love your Lake is non-regulatory, she said.
Ms. Reid provided a power-point presentation regarding waters and shorelines.
She noted that an estimated 90 percent of aquatic life uses the land-water interfaces for shelter, food, breeding and rearing areas.
Healthy shorelines provide food and habitat; filters chemicals and sediment; reduces soil erosion and reduces the impacts of flooding.
“A healthy shoreline creates a resilient ecosystem with improved water quality,” Ms. Reid stated
By looking at shoreline, it’s not too difficult to determine if its healthy or not, she said.
A healthy shoreline will have an abundance of native vegetation; varying levels of vegetation; dead snags and stones and birds, fish and other wildlife. However, she said, an unhealthy shoreline will be cleaned of all vegetation, a lawn will be extended to the water’s edge; the shoreline will be hard and there will be poor water quality.
The impacts of an unhealthy shoreline include accelerated run-off; an increase in erosion; and excessive nutrients entering the water which can lead to algae blooms, decreased oxygen levels and polluted water, Ms. Reid explained.
Putting in a buffer will intercept contaminants from entering the water; reduce erosion and improve wildlife habitat, she said.
Pathways from a building to the water should also be considered, Ms. Reid said. A pathway should be curved, which would stop run-off. A pathway can also be used instead of stairs, but if that’s just not possible, the stairs should have an open back, which would allow for vegetation to grow, she explained.
Eaves on a building are also important, as they help control rainwater from the roof to the water which can have nutrients in it which could pollute the lake, Ms. Reid added.
If you have only one canoe or boat on your property, there’s not a real concern, she said. However, if there are more, use a boat rack so that vegetation can grow. Docks should also be taken out for the colder months, she added.
Ms. Reid noted there are varying wildlife habitats, which include terrestrial logs, aquatic logs and overhanging vegetations.
“If we all take action to improve shorelines’ health, we really all benefit,” she said.
The rest of the annual general meeting included various reports.
While there was to be an election of officers, Karen Coulas, who co-chairs the MWC with her husband Rene, said it was agreed the executive would remain the same.
While she was disappointed with the turnout of less than 20 people, Ms. Coulas said she knows people care, but it could be they just don’t want to come to a meeting.
For more information on the MWC, please go to muskratwatershedcouncil.com.
