| Jul 14, 2011


Photo: Light green algae at the water's edge on Hawley Bay. The algae. although unpleasant, is not toxic, but it is an indicator.

A group of residents who live in the vicinity of Hawley Bay on the east basin of Sharbot Lake have noticed that the waters around their homes have been inundated with green algae.

The algae sits on the surface of the water for a short time, and then slips under the water, where it remains for a while before dropping to the bottom.

“There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of light green algae that is prevalent throughout the east basin,” said Hawley Bay resident Barb Driscoll in an email to the Sharbot Lake Property Owners' Association, “as you might be aware, this type of algae is a by-product of pollution caused by high phosphate levels as well as sewage seeping into the lake.”

John Earhart, who has been staying at Barb Driscoll's house while he builds a house on Eagle Lake, took a water sample from Hawley's Bay and had it tested at the Public Health Lab in Kingston. The sample came back with a total coliform count of 58 parts per million, well above the safe drinking water level of 5 parts per million.

Earhart said that a similar problem existed on Curls Bay at Eagle Lake for several years, until it was discovered that several septic systems were leaking in the bay.

“The problem was resolved when the septic tanks were identified and corrected,” he said.

Ken Waller, president of the Sharbot Lake Property Owners' Association (SLPOA), responded within hours to Barb Driscoll's email.

“Educating property owners about the need to reduce (eliminate) phosphates in their detergents and cleaning products and to ensure their septic system is working properly is an ongoing task,” he said in a return email. “ ... as you know, SLPOA has, for several years, been pushing for a septic re-inspection program from the township. It is on their agenda but the mayor has advised that they are awaiting the release of a provincial regulation on septic re-inspection before they proceed.”

The township has instituted a voluntary septic inspection program, which is being carried out by the Mississippi-Rideau Septic System office, a joint venture of the Mississippi and Rideau Valley Conservation Authorities.

Since Sharbot Lake is part of the Mississippi River watershed (Sharbot Lake is spring fed, draining into the Fall River which feeds into the Mississippi) water testing is carried out by Mississippi Valley Conservation (MVC) on an annual basis.

Every five years, comprehensive testing is done and a State of the Lake report is produced.

2011 is Sharbot Lake’s year for comprehensive testing, which will include total phosphorous levels, chlorophyll levels, dissolved oxygen, temperature profiles and water clarity.

According to Doug Nuttal, a water engineer with MVC, these tests give a greater indication of the health of the lake than coliform tests that are commonly used for drinking water.

“A single coliform reading could be the result of something that happened only at the location of the test, so it requires a lot more testing to get a true sense of the water quality,” he said, when interviewed early this week.

He also said that the light green algae that has been identified by Sharbot Lake residents is indeed an indicator of pollution caused by elevated phosphorous levels and/or septic system failures.

The last state of the lake report was completed in 2006, and at that time the level of chlorophyll (which indicates levels of algae) in the east basin was low to moderate. The phosphorous levels just below the surface were low and at the bottom of the lake they were elevated, suggesting that the level of phosphorous entering the lake in the 1970s and 80s had been high but had decreased over the previous 15 years.

Doug Nuttal said that the MVC will announce the results of the 2011 state of the lake survey as soon as they are compiled, which will be in the fall. The report should show whether the algae that is so prevalent this year near Hawley Bay is indeed an indicator of a major water problem in the east basin of Sharbot Lake.

 

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.