Climate Change – How to Build Resiliency in our Lakes

The 11th Annual Lake Links workshop will be held on Saturday October 20, 2012
at the Perth Civitan Hall.

Are you wondering what changes we will see in Eastern Ontario lakes in response to climate change? Are you interested in learning how we as a community can build resiliency in our lakes as our climate continues to change? 

Objective of the Day: Provide a general discussion of climate change trends in Ontario focusing on 4 themes

1.      Social

2.      Environmental

3.      Recreational/Economical

4.      What can we do about it

Topics that will be discussed include: provincial perspective on dealing with climate change and the adaptation strategy, invasive species, shift in vegetation communities, weather events, general changes on the landscape, water levels, water quality and how we can take action.

Expert speakers will discuss relevant decision-making tools and attendees will gain in-depth information at panel Q & A sessions.  You will have the opportunity to network with community members and representatives from neighboring lake groups, municipalities, conservation authorities, stewardship councils, government and non-government organizations. 

We will explore how we can adapt on a practical individual and local level. 

Who will be Interested?

Lake Association Members, Lake Stewards, Municipal Staff and Politician, Scientists and Local Government and Non-Government Organizations

More information is available here.

2012 Annual General Meeting

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Snug Harbour Resort                   10:30 am

Thanks to the hospitality of the Canvin family we will be holding our annual meeting and potluck lunch once again at Snug Harbour.

Bring chairs and a contribution to the lunch – beverages will be provided.

If you have any South Frontenac garbage tags that you will not be using, bring them along to the meeting.  They will help the Canvins in dealing with the garbage from Snug Harbour residents

AGENDA

Welcome
Approval of Agenda
Approval of minutes of AGM 2011
Matters arising from minutes
Treasurer’s report – Mary Lapeer
Auditor’s report
President’s report – Angus Ross
Motion to amend the by-laws*
Election of New Executive
New Business           Lake Management Plan
                                 Association of Lake Associations                                

                                Youth Summer Activities

* In view of the difficulty in getting written response from members it is proposed that section 5(b) of By-Law 1 regarding permission from members for expenditures from the legal fund be amended as follows: 5 (b) a majority vote of the mailed in or emailed and recorded ballots after all full members have been notified and given a reasonable time to vote.

For Desert Lake Kids

FOR DESERT LAKE KIDS

SPONSORED BY

THE DESERT LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATION

Saturday August 4, 2012 from 10:00am to 11:30am

Led by Anne Robertson of the Kingston Junior Field Naturalists, participants will roam the fields, woods, ponds  and shore of a Mitchell Creek property in search of tiny life.

It's an opportunity to meet your neighbours while making new seasonal and year-round friends. There is no fee for the experience and membership in the association is not required. If you live on the lake come and have some fun

and Kids, you can even bring a parent!

For further information and to register please call

Kathleen Laird at 613-634-0425 evenings

or kathleen.ruth.laird@gmail.com

Be Septic Savvy

Water Quality and Fish Survey

Water Quality and Fish Survey

The Ministry of Natural Resources has published a report on their work done in 2009. You can view or print it here. More about this in the newsletter, coming out in early July.

2012 Ecoadventure Camp 

Queen’s University is running an eco-adventure day camp for kids 10 – 14 years old www.ecoadventurecamp.ca .

The camp is run at the University’s Elbow Lake facility, just off Division St near Loughborough Lake.  There are six one week sessions, starting July 3rd, and there is a discount if you provide transportation for your own campers.  See the details in the attached files – brochures will be available at the Snug Harbour Campground Office.  To connect with camp staff, contact Kait Paisic, camp Director, or Lauren Johns, Associated Director, at qubsecoadventure@gmail.com

More on Drinking Water Policies

Earlier this month I posted a note about work going on in the Mississippi-Rideau region to develop a plan for protecting rivers and groundwater. A similar activity is going on in our area. Find out more about how it might affect us by going here.

Drinking Water Policies

Here is an announcement about what is going on north of here on developing policies for protecting groundwater. Although this does not affect us directly, it raises issues that we will also have to deal with in our area.

Comment on Draft Drinking Water Policies

Draft policies have been developed to help keep contaminants out of rivers and groundwater where they are a source of municipal drinking water. Such preventative measures will help make municipal drinking water even safer. Review the draft policies and submit comments by May 4, 2012.

Policies can be found in the draft Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan. This Plan contains a series of voluntary and mandatory policies that encourage good stewardship, require additional oversight or risk reduction measures where necessary and prohibit certain activities from being established in the future. Funding is also available until December 1, 2012 to help property owners proactively address activities on their property that may be subject to these policies in the future.

View the Draft Plan

· Online at www.mrsourcewater.ca

· At our Conservation Authority Offices:

o Mississippi Valley Conservation – 4175 Highway 511, Lanark

o Rideau Valley Conservation Authority – 3889 Rideau Valley Dr, Manotick

· At our open houses (details below)

· Request a DVD copy (contact information below)

Attend an Open House (all open houses are 4 pm to 8 pm)

· April 19 – Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (3889 Rideau Valley Drive, Manotick)

· April 24 – Carleton Place Arena (75 Neelin Street, Carleton Place)

· April 26 – Smiths Falls Memorial Centre (75 Cornelia Street, Smiths Falls)

Where Policies Would Apply

There are 11 locations in the Mississippi-Rideau region where rivers or groundwater are a source of municipal drinking water – these are the areas where policies will apply and funding is available:

· Almonte · Carleton Place · Carp · Kemptville

· Merrickville · Munster · Perth · Richmond

· Smiths Falls · Urban Ottawa · Westport

What Activities Policies Would Address

The following types of activities could be subject to policies in the areas listed above. These are activities that must be carefully managed near sources of drinking water to prevent contamination.

· Waste disposal sites · Municipal sewage works · Septic systems · Pesticides · Commercial fertilizer

· Nutrients (manure, biosolids, livestock) · Heating oil (furnace tanks) · Liquid fuel (gas stations, yard tanks) · Road salt and snow storage · Chemicals (DNAPLs and organic solvents)

More information: Sommer Casgrain-Robertson
Co-Project Manager, Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region
613-692-3571 or 1-800-267-3504
ext 1147

sommer.robertson@mrsourcewater.ca
www.mrsourcewater.ca