LAKE MANAGEMENT PLANS ENDORSED
Submitted by John Chambers
Kawartha Conservation’s Board of Directors unanimously supported and endorsed two lake management plans during a recent Board meeting. The Shadow Lake and Silver Lake Management Plan as well as the Head Lake and Rush Lake Management Plan will now help guide future decision-making and actions on the lakes.
“These plans have been put together through a lot of time, effort, consultation and feedback from a broad cross section of residents, science and technical backgrounds, local shoreline and watershed residents and other stakeholders,” said Kawartha Conservation Board Chair Ted Smith. “We are proud of the work that has gone into these plans and the community-focused approach to ensuring the long-term health of these lakes.”
Shadow Lake and Silver Lake are small-to-medium sized lakes within the City of Kawartha Lakes. They are connected and exist along the Gull River system, and are highly valued by local residents and other users for their excellent water quality and natural scenery, while Head Lake and Rush Lake are small peaceful lakes that offer excellent water quality and natural scenery.
“The completion of these plans, and subsequent endorsement by our Board of Directors, represents a significant milestone in helping to provide several suggested actions for local individuals and groups to undertake to maintain, and wherever possible enhance, lake health,” explained Emma Collyer, Director, Integrated Watershed Management at Kawartha Conservation. “These actions support the guiding principal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of these lakes to maintain a peaceful and natural setting for living, boating, swimming, fishing, and access to water for household uses.”
The plans would not have been possible without the tremendous support and contributions of a number of individuals and organizations.
“These approved and endorsed plans are the culmination of a lot of consultation, science, communication and back and forth between a number of contributors,” said Brett Tregunno, Aquatic Biologist with Kawartha Conservation. “These plans were facilitated by Kawartha Conservation and developed with significant input from local communities, stakeholders, and agencies, including: local shoreline and watershed residents, members of the Shadow Lakes Association, members of the Science and Technical Committee, the Head Lake Stewardship and members of the Community Advisory Panel.”
"Lake Management Plans are a guiding document for the future of our lakes and the wide-range of plan recommendations and implementation opportunities give all stakeholders an opportunity to contribute to their long-term health of the lakes," said Community Advisory Panel Chair Doug Erlandson. "I am proud to acknowledge the many, many voices, backgrounds, interests and expertise that went into these documents. They are a true representation of the best intentions of all lake users and community residents."
“These plans will be a tremendous asset for Kawartha Conservation and all of the lake residents and users for years to come,” said Chair Smith. “They will provide a great resource for benchmarking the current state of the lakes, while providing tangible actions to help protect and enhance water quality for all users.”
To learn more about the endorsed lake management plans, or any other completed lake management plans go to http://kawarthaconservation.com/watershed/management-plans.