Greetings from the editor
In the fall, nature goes through a “grand derangement”. It starts with bird migration waterfowl begin a long voyage to the south. You can’t miss them as they fly over our heads in a V formation in a harmonious concert with high notes vocalisations on a discrete soft wing flapping in the wind in the background.
In the forest, animals are making fat reserves, eating as much vegetation as possible; wise squirrels are hiding nuts for the winter, others are spotting possible caches and trying to sneak in your cottage.
Hunters are gearing up for the hunting season which starts around September, depending on the region, the species and the type of weapon used. Fishing is still good on Lac Heney and Lac Sainte-Marie.
In this edition, we will tell you about the impact of forest fires on the quality of lake waters, the importance of maintaining your septic system in good heath, which is timely as the municipalities are busy doing the pump out. We will introduce you to the Agence Bassin Versant des 7 (ABV – 7) an organisation that works very hard at promoting the protection of the quality of our lake waters in the hydrographic region of the 7 great rivers that run through the Gatineau Valley and we will close with a review of the highlights of our summer.
Thank you to Michael Wolfson for his contribution. Two new writers have joined the editorial team: Karen Richardson and Liz Stirling will bring you a fresh look at what is going on around our lake.
Forest Fires and Lake Water Quality
By Karen Richardson
Over the past years, wildfires have been increasing in size, severity, and frequency in many areas of Canada as well as in other parts of the world. Warmer and drier weather raises the risk of wildfires as vegetation is more flammable under these conditions. According to Canadian wildfire statistics, as of Sept 2023, fires had burned about 5% of the entire forest area across Canada with British Columbia, Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia being particularly hardest hit during this season.
So, what does this mean for the water quality of lakes?
Forest fires can have a significant impact on the water quality of Canadian lakes and waters. An intense fire can burn through vegetation and soil that serve to absorb and more evenly distribute precipitation or melting snow, and naturally filter sediment and toxins before the water even reaches lakes and other water sources. After a wildfire, loss of vegetation and changes to soil properties reduces this “sponge effect” of the forest. This can result in more water flowing over the land surface during rainstorms, leading to flooding, erosion, and contamination of water with sediment, ash, phosphorus, nitrogen and organic carbon. This can result in decreased water quality (Water Institute, University of Waterloo).
Does the use of aerial fire retardants impact water quality?
Aerial fire retardants are substances that are dropped from aircraft outside the fire perimeter to help stop or slow the spread of fire. They are essentially an industrial strength fertilizer with colouring (which is often red so fire fighters can see where was applied).
Fire retardants contain ammonium salts which react with fire to release water and carbon dioxide that cools and suffocates the fire (Government of Northwest Territories).
Although, pilots try to avoid applying retardants near waterways, fertilizer-like components may lead to growth of algae (eutrophication) in watersheds if applied nearby (Alberta Health Services).
Septic systems
By Michael Wolfson & Christine Ouellet
Septic systems are critical for maintaining the water quality in Lac Heney and its tributary lakes. A poorly working septic system will leak phosphorus into Lac Heney and its tributary lakes.
Massively excessive phosphorus was the problem caused by the fish farm, and residents and cottagers in BVLH must remain vigilant in limiting as much as possible any further additions of phosphorus to the lakes. As more phosphorus gets into the lakes, it contributes to the growth of algae and generally reduces water quality.
In September, Lac Sainte-Marie and Gracefield municipalities go to properties to empty septic tanks on site. Municipalities have taken on themselves to ensure that the pump out is done regularly, every 2 years to 4 years.
Septic systems are only as performant as their regular maintenance. Proper maintenance is the number one issue that will determine if your septic system is functioning properly. For it to work well, year after year, scum must be removed periodically, and it must be fed with good bacteria that will do their job.
Most homeowners mess up their septic systems because they use corrosive and harmful products. A good concrete tank can last around 40 years, if properly maintained and fed with material that will not destroy it. Corrosive and harmful products, not only damage the lining of the tank, but will also kill the helpful bacteria. Routine pumping can prevent expensive failures such as a clogged drain field or sewage backing up into the home. Don’t be nose blind to the odor problem. Your septic system, if it works properly, should not emit any odors and the leaching bed area should not be spongy or look too green.
Meet Lynn Robitaille
For the past 20 years, Lynne Robitaille has been driving a big red truck nicknamed the “honey wagon” to empty your septic tanks for the Gracefield Municipality. She used to do the run by herself, but for the past 3 years she now has an assistant. A strong woman who loves to chat with her clients, and this is the best part of the job.
I asked her what the biggest problems were for her. She says: “When people don’t clear enough area around the openings of the tank, it makes things difficult for her to move the pipe around. Sometimes people don’t realize that the cisterna is quite high and low branches are a problem for the truck, I appreciate when people clear their driveway of branches and debris to make space to move the truck around.
With regards to the maintenance of your tank, she says she always leave a few inches in the bottom of the tank to keep some good bacteria which are essential to digest the sludge. Lynn adds, “there is another important element that most people are unaware of: On new tanks, there is a filter which is located under the second lid. It collects solid that won’t dissolve and it must be cleaned every year. If the filter gets plugged up, it doesn’t prevent solids from getting in your septic field. And when that happens, everything will back up in your cottage plumbing. You can detect if your septic field is not functioning properly when it emits fouls odors and when the ground gets spongy.”
Taking care of this will save you repair cost, the inspector’s visit and a $10,000 for a new tank. Good maintenance and prevention will help you avoid problems and expensive repair and replacement costs.
The ABV des 7 plans for the long-term future of Lakes and Rivers
By Christine Ouellet
The ABV des 7 (The Agency) is responsible for the integrated and concerted management of a vast hydrometric region that includes the watersheds of the Blanche, Coulonge, Dumoine, Noire, Quyon. Gatineau rivers and part of the Outaouais River (residual basin). Its goal is to ensure the conservation of water and wetlands in the region.
The Agency is active fighting climate changes. It is recognized by the Ministry of Environment and its Water Master Plan has inter-ministerial approval. The Agency promotes projects such as aquatic habitat restoration, knowledge acquisition, and raising awareness among users about water issues.
The mandate of the ABV des 7 is to develop the Water Master Plan (WMP) based on consultation with water users and stakeholders, to support them, to develop projects that meet objectives, to disseminate knowledge about the 7 watersheds, and to measure the impact of actions taken by water users and
stakeholders.
The WMP is established for the long term and is reviewed and analyzed at least every 10 years. It involves a host of actors including ministries, municipal government agencies, indigenous communities. It is a mobilization tool for water actors such as civil society, lake associations, dam managers, forest and mining industries, agricultural producers, etc.
An Example of Cooperation – The Fight against Eurasian Watermilfoil
A good example of the work of the ABV des 7 took place recently in the region. The Blue Sea Lake Watershed Association (BSLWA) had noticed a problem with the Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive species, which spreads by fragmentation. Together with the ABV des 7, they undertook to eradicate it and the preparation of the beds began in 2018. Two main sites were chosen: the first in front of the public launch of Blue Sea, and the other in front of that of the municipality of Messine for a total of 5 beds.
The ABV des 7 oversaw the logistical and financial aspects including obtaining the necessary authorizations and permits from the various ministries, recruiting contractors, supervising and monitoring
at years 1, 3 and 5 and writing follow-up reports. Thus, the ABV des 7 oversaw operations and BSLWA was the client who provided volunteers to assist in carrying out the project, thus reducing costs.
To carry out this project, they spread 52 jute fabric sheets measuring 50 x 7 meters at selected strategic locations and used 2800 black polyethylene bags filled with gravel to sink and anchor the jute fabric sheets to the bottom of the lake. This covered an area of 5574 square meters of bed.
The President of the BSLWA, Mr. Francis LeBlanc, project manager, explained that to lay these huge jute fabric sheets, they needed to use 1 pontoon, 2 floating docks and several GPS kayaks. The operation required months of planning and coordination with volunteers and members of the BSLWA in addition to the participation of 9 certified divers.
It was hoped that covering the Eurasian watermilfoil in these beds would prevent its spread throughout the rest of Blue Sea Lake and in the rest of the other areas that were not contaminated and that it would help to reinstate the biodiversity of Blue Sea Lake.
The author of The Agency’s monitoring report in 2021, Mr. Pascal Samson (chief biologist) concluded that “The organization of the operation to remove anchor bags on sites treated with jute canvas at Blue Sea Lake proved to be a success as it allowed for the removal of all visible bags used to secure the canvases. The level of organization of the diving team and their professionalism ensured the success of the operation and good awareness of environmental standards helped minimize the impact of anchor bag removal. The excellent preparation of members of the BSLWA helped consolidate this success.”
Mr. LeBlanc also added that the fight against Eurasian watermilfoil invasion is relentless. Eurasian watermilfoil arrives in various ways, through boats coming from other lakes that are not washed, by waterfowl, currents.
- https://abv7.org/
- https://abv7.org/plan-directeur/plan-daction/
- https://abv7.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Rapport-Final-2021-Lac-Blue-Sea.pdf
- https://abv7.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Rapport_Myriophylle-a-epis-Blue-Sea-2020.pdf
- https://abv7.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Video_Pose-de-toile-de-jute-Blue-Sea.mp4
July AGM and BBQ a Big Success!
By Liz Stirling
On Sunday July 23, 2023 the Annual General Meeting of the Bassin Versant Lac Heney was held at the Lac Ste Marie municipal office site. It was a beautiful summer day and approximately 60 lake residents attended to hear about the activities of 2022-23. The Association for the Protection of Lac Heney Foundation AGM preceded this meeting and reported on financial statements.
Roger Larson, BVLH association President, provided an overview of the year including the publication of the first Summer Newsletter, a shoreline protection project and recruitment of new Board members Christine Ouellet and Karen Richardson.
Several bylaw changes were approved by the membership. Treasurer Ted Billey reported on the revenue and expenses for 2022-23 as well as some modifications to the previous years’ income statements. A
budget for 2023-24 was shared as well. The membership continues to increase.
Tom McKenna reported on the state of the lake. His volunteer work on water and sediment testing, with boat gas expenses paid for by the association, is critical to the ongoing analysis of phosphorus and oxygen content and is greatly appreciated. Results of the testing undertaken by Kilgour and Associates and paid for by the Foundation find that Lac Heney is stable. Lac Desormeaux is struggling with its high phosphorus content. Chantal Landry made a presentation about milkweed,
A BBQ for those in attendance was held immediately following the meeting. The BVLH Board meeting eight times per year and for 2023-24 two new Board members are welcomed: Nancy O’Dea and Rees Kassen. Membership growth and ongoing efforts for improved shoreline protection are some of the priorities for this coming year.
