by Connie Tabbert
Editor
COBDEN — The Muskrat Watershed Council needs $50,000 to move onto the next steps in helping to promote healthy water and help Muskrat Lake become cleaner.
Three MWC (Muskrat Lake Watershed Council) representatives, Brian Whitehead, Rosalie Burton and Doug Skeggs, recently made a presentation at a Whitewater Region Township committee-of-council meeting. Since the council is almost made up of new members, they began with an overview of the council and why it was created.
Ms. Burton noted the Muskrat Lake Watershed covers 500 square kilometres of land and water. Properties in five municipalities affect the water in Muskrat Lake, whether directly or indirectly, she said. There are numerous organizations, ministries and municipalities that are working towards a healthier Muskrat Lake.
With a low flush rate, the water in Muskrat Lake is slow to turn over, which also means it doesn’t have the ability to help itself remain clean due to the water that drains into it, either from area rivers, streams and creeks, as well as the drainage from the surrounding lands, she explained.
Completing the review, Ms. Burton said there are various reasons to move forward to a healthier Muskrat Lake and why Whitewater township is being approached to include the MWC as a line-item in the 2015 budget.
“Whitewater has the most waterfront development in the watershed,” she said, noting “Waterfront development is the key element of the economic growth in the municipality.”
While only 20 per cent of the watershed is in Whitewater, it’s this township that feels the most impact, she added.
During various meetings and workshops, the number of people who have attended show the community supports creating a healthier Muskrat Lake, she said.
The MWC initiatives will help facilitate the implementation of the Muskrat Lake policies of the new Official Plan, she said. She noted the relationship developed between the MWC and its supporters, means with a single e-mail, more than 500 people can be reached in a moment’s notice.
The biggest problem with Muskrat Lake is an excess of nutrients in the lakes, rivers and streams.
People rely on the water for drinking, fishing and swimming, but those are not always possible for various reasons, including algal blooms, which are increasing in frequency and severity and the blue-green algae, which is a public health issue. There is degraded aquatic ecosystems as well as a reduced quality of life for residents, tourists and recreation, Ms. Burton said. There is reduced property values and business is impacted due to less tourism and development, she added.
The strategy created by MWC is no blame, we all share in the responsible approach to clean up the watershed, she said.
“We aren’t going to look at decisions made before but will move forward,” she said.
The MWC structure is such that, while it is community-led, there are plenty of experts who will help with the clean-up and promotion of healthier water, Ms. Burton said.
“We are working at getting all the players engaged because the health of the water is very complex,” she said, adding, “Everyone wants future generations to enjoy the water.”
The MWC has a vision, which is the end state and the mission is what will be accomplished over the next three to five years.
She stressed that it’s important that science-based knowledge be used, not just what people think.
As for the future of the MWC, there are eight items on a list to be accomplished, she said. These include getting charitable status, identification of Best Management Practices (BMPs), continued water quality monitoring, science-based solutions/recommendations, continued outreach and communication, shoreline stewardship, lobbying government and fundraising for sustainability.
Critical funding is required for 2015, Ms. Burton said. This funding includes $30,000 to continue water quality sampling, which began last year; $5,000 for the cost of analysis and report on the 2014 water quality sampling and $15,000, which is for capacity building and operating funds for the watershed council for 2015.
There are currently 28 water sampling sites that should be continued so that an idea of what is happening in Muskrat Lake can be achieved, she said.
The MWC will benefit with an endorsement by the council via funding, she said.
“We want to encourage public support and partner with other municipalities,” Ms. Burton said. “You are our first stop. We would like to say we have your support in moving forward.”
Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons noted there is $1,000 set aside from last year that was not used.
Councillor Dave Mackay wanted to know what is hampering the lake.
Mr. Whitehead said warm, hot summers with not wind means the symptoms are much worse, which are the algal and blue-green algae blooms.
“The aeration of the water depends on the water and wind,” he said.
When questioned about how long sampling has been ongoing in Muskrat Lake, Mr. Whitehead said the Ministry of Environment (MOE) samples at least once a year. He noted in 2005 the MOE did four samples and since then the phosphates have been getting progressively higher.
Mr. Whitehead added that the township’s landfill is continusouly monitoring and due to the poor water quality in Muskrat Lake, there should be continuous monitoring as well.
Last year was the first for comprehensive sampling, he noted. There are many things that affect the lake health, including climate and crop changes. Continuing to monitor Muskrat Lake is currently the highest priroity of the MWC, Mr. Whitehead stressed.
Following up on questions regarding solutions for the problem by Councillor Chris Olmstead, Mr. Whitehead said, “That’s the million dollar question.”
There is enough knowledge to know there is a high concentration of phosphate loading from agriculture, septic systems and the wastewater plant in Cobden, he said.
Mr. Skeggs added, more detail about the large amount of phosphate needs to be worked on.
“With detailed data, we can see where we are making the most difference,” he said. “By continuous sampling, we can get a picture of the hot spots of concentration.”
MWC is currently looking at the best place to install biochords, which will capture exactly what is happening in Muskrat Lake, Ms. Burotn added.
Councillor Cathy Regier complimented the council on the work it has done in 18 months and questioned how much money it would like from the township.
A base fund of $15,000 is required, Mr. Skeggs said.
The provincial government has several agencies with governance of the lake, including Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Foods and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the MOE. However, Mr. Skeggs said, “There is no agency to walk in and solve the problems.
“If we leave this alone, Muskrat Lake will get worse and people will get hurt,” he said.
It was suggested provincial and federal politicians be shamed into stepping up to the plate and provide some financial assistance.
He noted it would be great if the township supported the MWC with $15,000 and it wouldn’t have to worry about getting more funding, however, that’s not going to happen, so it will approach other municipalities for support. The problem is, other municipalities don’t feel they “own the impact” because the lake is in Whitewater township, he explained.
“It’s hard to convince them to pony up some cash,” he said. “This municipality has to be on board.”
Funding for the MWC will be discussed during budget deliberations.
