Signs of improvement in Lake Simcoe - LSRCA
by Michelle Minnoch

For the first time in a while, the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) is seeing signs of improvement in Lake Simcoe.

"Phosphorus is down and dissolved oxygen is on the rise," said Gayle Wood, CAO of the LSRCA. Wood and Mike Walters, Director of Watershed Management for the Authority, made a presentation to council Wednesday night regarding the Assimilative capacity Study (ACS).

Wood said the fish are actually starting to reproduce in Lake Simcoe and are showing signs of life beyond one year.

Walters gave an outline of the ACS, which is the amount of pollution a lake or stream can handle without damaging water quality. The LSRCA studies the ACS of Lake Simcoe to set up targets so changes to the landscape and watershed do not impact its health.

Walters said the ACS cost $1.5 million to complete and the big problem of phosphorus still remains in the lake. Other water quality concerns regarding Lake Simcoe include suspended solids and total nitrogen.

Wood stated the ACS work done by the Authority has not been done anywhere else in Canada. Regarding work for phosphorus loading, Wood said the Authority consulted models all over the world, and there was nothing in place; the LSRCA took the lead.

Walters outlines that phosphorus and sediment loads in the Nottawasaga River and Lake Simcoe "often exceed the Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO)". Currently, the worst area is the East Holland River, in which the LSRCA and Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation (LSCF) are in the process undertaking of cleaning up. They are undertaking a $17 million campaign and they have spent $2.5 million of the $17 in the past four years.

Walters also noted phosphorus levels in Barrie are "quite high".

The LSRCA have gone through a Growth Scenario Assessment for the Lake Simcoe watershed and the scenario results show an increase in the total phosphorus load to Lake Simcoe is significant.

He said the target for phosphorus loading in the Lake is 75 metric tonnes per year, and currently 67 metric tonnes per year are entering the Lake.

Regarding the future development in the area, Walters said targets are achievable if Best Management Practices (BMPs) are used. The report stated "the Lake Simcoe watershed does have the capacity for additional growth but only if all BMPs to control existing sources of phosphorus are implemented."

"If we do the work needed that we identified in the watershed, we can achieve the targets," he said

Walters also pointed out that Lake Simcoe is a $200 million per year recreational resource, and it would take $163 million to clean up the Lake.

"The price tag is not cheap. Without a healthy Lake, there will not be a healthy economy."

He said the LSRCA did not support the options recommended by IGAP (Intergovernmental Action Plan). He said it was a growth centered plan and the Authority would like to see a more balanced approach to growth in the area. The LSRCA recommends IGAP accept the objectives as established over the past 16 years and they want to ensure the objectives of LSEMS (Lake Simcoe Environmental Management Strategy) are met.

The Authority wants to work with the province, and although they do not want massive legislature restricting their work, Walters said some guidelines would be nice. Municipalities already pay through the Lake Simcoe Water Quality Assurance program.

The position of the LSRCA is that they should take the lead in creating funding models and options for the initiation of BMPs.

Deputy Mayor Gord Wauchope asked if all municipalities in the Lake Simcoe watershed were members of the LSRCA. Wood stated the City of Orillia has not officially joined the Authority, but do work hand in hand with them.

Councilor Paul Wardlaw inquired about the phosphorus loads, and the statistics regarding urban versus agricultural run-off.

"The urban area constitutes about 12 to 17 tonnes," he said. "Not quite one third, but close to it."

Regarding the Zebra Mussels in the Lake, Walters said they were spotted in 1995 and they can filter a lake in four to five days. "If there are 10,000 zebra mussels in one square mile, they can filter up to one litre a day."

He said with the improvement of technology over the past few years, treatment plants are helping to reduce the phosphorus loading.

Councilor Bill Pring inquired about the effectiveness of storm water ponds. Walters stated the ponds constructed now do an excellent job in helping to control phosphorus. He noted that the storm water ponds constructed in Newmarket prior to 1995 outlet to the Holland River, which is part of the restoration project.

Councilor Dan Davidson asked about PCP's, and pharmaceuticals in the Lake. "I'm concerned about antibiotics showing up in the food chain and the water," he said. "Will this create a problem down the road?"

Walters said this was an emerging issue and the Authority is doing toxicology reports. "It is something that is on the radar screen. It's something we have to monitor now."

He said Kempenfelt Bay is the most important fish habitat for Lake Trout and Whitefish, as they go there to survive. With the oxygen depleting due to increased phosphorus, they are moving to where the bigger fish are. "We are very concerned with the state of Kempenfelt Bay and the reduction of the fish life cycle."

Mayor Brian Jackson inquired about funding for the Authority, and if the federal and provincial governments are coming forward.

Wood said they are starting to see signs of their participation, including the $12 million funding announcement for Lake Simcoe last March. She said the province paid for 100 per cent of the work for ACS and for SWP (Source Water Protection).

The LSEMS project the Authority has undertaken has been extended for one more year.

"We told the province we needed money and they gave us $160,000," said Wood. She noted with the election coming up, they are putting a lot of pressure on the provincial government.