Water Testing
Please note ~ Secchi Disk water testing and Recreational water testing were cancelled for the 2020 year, because laboratory, office facilities and required contacts were deemed unsafe due to COVID 19 virus transmission.
Secchi Disk
Lake Partners’ Programme (MOE) Secchi Disc (water clarity/turbidity)
The goal of the Lake Partner Program is to protect the quality of Ontario’s inland lakes by involving citizens in a volunteer-based water quality monitoring program. The Lake Partner Program is a province-wide, volunteer-based, water-quality monitoring program. Volunteers collect total phosphorus samples and make monthly water clarity observations on their lakes. This information will allow the early detection of changes in the nutrient status and/or the water clarity of the lake due to the impacts of shoreline development, climate change and other stresses.
Volunteer involvement requires the collection of one water sample for total phosphorus in May for lakes on the Canadian Shield. These samples are returned postage paid to the Dorset Environmental Science Centre for analysis. In addition, volunteers are asked to make a minimum of 6 (monthly) water clarity observations using a Secchi disk. These observations are mailed to Dorset at the end of the summer.
Recreational Water Quality
In the spring of 2007, the Association committed to testing ten sites on Fairy Lake for bacteria. For several years, this program was carried out by a number of dedicated volunteers from around the lake. Their reports indicated that all ten sites had acceptable levels of both Total Coliform and Ecoli and were declared safe for swimming throughout the summer.
It should be noted that heavy rain events can result in higher levels of Ecoli in our swimming areas through stormwater run-off. Muskoka Stormwater Management Strategy can be viewed at www.muskoka.on.ca or www.muskokawatershed.org
Currently, our water testing program is being conducted by graduate and post graduate students from the University of Waterloo.
The Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment (Huntsville) serves as an extension of the University of Waterloo main campus. It is a research, teaching and community centre that the University hopes to establish as a high profile research centre for ecology, climate change, tourism, land-use planning and local economic development. The University of Waterloo is quite keen on establishing partnerships with the local community and lake associations, such as the Fairy Lake Association.
Make a donation.
These efforts to preserve our beautiful lake can only be made possible through our members, donations, and volunteers. Please donate online or by cheque via mail to the following address:
51 King William Street, Box 30006 Huntsville, Ontario P1H 0B5