Elbow Lake - Fish Creek

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4.0 Elbow Lake Catchment: Land Cover

Land cover and any change in coverage that has occurred over a six year period is summarized for the Elbow Lake catchment using spatially continuous vector data representing the catchment during the spring of 2008 and 2014. This dataset was developed by the RVCA through heads-up digitization of 20cm DRAPE ortho-imagery at a 1:4000 scale and details the surrounding landscape using 10 land cover classes.

4.1 Elbow Lake Catchment Change

As shown in Table 12 and Figure 1, the dominant land cover type in 2014 is woodland.

From 2008 to 2014, there was an overall change of six hectares (from one land cover class to another). Most of the change in the Elbow Lake catchment is a result of the conversion of woodland to settlement and woodland reverting to wetland (Figure 62).

Figure 62 Land cover change in the Elbow Lake catchment (2008 to 2014)

Table 13 provides a detailed breakdown of all land cover change that has taken place in the Elbow Lake catchment between 2008 and 2014.

4.2 Woodland Cover

In the Environment Canada Guideline (Third Edition) entitled “How Much Habitat Is Enough?” (hereafter referred to as the “Guideline”) the opening narrative under the Forest Habitat Guidelines section states that prior to European settlement, forest was the predominant habitat in the Mixedwood Plains ecozone. The remnants of this once vast forest now exist in a fragmented state in many areas (including the Rideau Valley watershed) with woodland patches of various sizes distributed across the settled landscape along with higher levels of forest cover associated with features such as the Frontenac Axis (within the on-Shield areas of the Rideau Lakes and Tay River subwatersheds). The forest legacy, in terms of the many types of wildlife species found, overall species richness, ecological functions provided and ecosystem complexity is still evident in the patches and regional forest matrices (found in the Tay River subwatershed and elsewhere in the Rideau Valley watershed). These ecological features are in addition to other influences which forests have on water quality and stream hydrology including reducing soil erosion, producing oxygen, storing carbon along with many other ecological services that are essential not only for wildlife but for human well-being.

The Guideline also notes that forests provide a great many habitat niches that are in turn occupied by a great diversity of plant and animal species. They provide food, water and shelter for these species - whether they are breeding and resident locally or using forest cover to help them move across the landscape. This diversity of species includes many that are considered to be species at risk. Furthermore, from a wildlife perspective, there is increasing evidence that the total forest cover in a given area is a major predictor of the persistence and size of bird populations, and it is possible or perhaps likely that this pattern extends to other flora and fauna groups. The overall effect of a decrease in forest cover on birds in fragmented landscapes is that certain species disappear and many of the remaining ones become rare, or fail to reproduce, while species adapted to more open and successional habitats, as well as those that are more tolerant to human-induced disturbances in general, are able to persist and in some cases thrive. Species with specialized-habitat requirements are most likely to be adversely affected. The overall pattern of distribution of forest cover, the shape, area and juxtaposition of remaining forest patches and the quality of forest cover also play major roles in determining how valuable forests will be to wildlife and people alike.

The current science generally supports minimum forest habitat requirements between 30 and 50 percent, with some limited evidence that the upper limit may be even higher, depending on the organism/species phenomenon under investigation or land-use/resource management planning regime being considered/used.

As shown in Figure 63, 56 percent of the Elbow Creek catchment contains 3076 hectares of upland forest and 76 hectares of lowland forest (treed swamps) versus the 47 percent of woodland cover in the Tay River subwatershed. This is greater than the 30 percent of forest cover that is identified as the minimum threshold required to sustain forest birds according to the Guideline and which may only support less than one half of potential species richness and marginally healthy aquatic systems. When forest cover drops below 30 percent, forest birds tend to disappear as breeders across the landscape.

Figure 63 Woodland cover and forest interior in the Elbow Lake catchment (2014)

4.2.1 Woodland (Patch) Size

According to the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Natural Heritage Reference Manual (Second Edition), larger woodlands are more likely to contain a greater diversity of plant and animal species and communities than smaller woodlands and have a greater relative importance for mobile animal species such as forest birds.

Bigger forests often provide a different type of habitat. Many forest birds breed far more successfully in larger forests than they do in smaller woodlots and some rely heavily on forest interior conditions. Populations are often healthier in regions with more forest cover and where forest fragments are grouped closely together or connected by corridors of natural habitat. Small forests support small numbers of wildlife. Some species are “area-sensitive” and tend not to inhabit small woodlands, regardless of forest interior conditions. Fragmented habitat also isolates local populations, especially small mammals, amphibians and reptiles with limited mobility. This reduces the healthy mixing of genetic traits that helps populations survive over the long run (Conserving the Forest Interior. Ontario Extension Notes, 2000).

The Environment Canada Guideline also notes that for forest plants that do not disperse broadly or quickly, preservation of some relatively undisturbed large forest patches is needed to sustain them because of their restricted dispersal abilities and specialized habitat requirements and to ensure continued seed or propagation sources for restored or regenerating areas nearby.

The Natural Heritage Reference Manual continues by stating that a larger size also allows woodlands to support more resilient nutrient cycles and food webs and to be big enough to permit different and important successional stages to co-exist. Small, isolated woodlands are more susceptible to the effects of blowdown, drought, disease, insect infestations, and invasions by predators and non-indigenous plants. It is also known that the viability of woodland wildlife depends not only on the characteristics of the woodland in which they reside, but also on the characteristics of the surrounding landscape where the woodland is situated. Additionally, the percentage of forest cover in the surrounding landscape, the presence of ecological barriers such as roads, the ability of various species to cross the matrix surrounding the woodland and the proximity of adjacent habitats interact with woodland size in influencing the species assemblage within a woodland.

In the Elbow Lake catchment (in 2014), one hundred and sixty-four (57 percent) of the 286 woodland patches are very small, being less than one hectare in size. Another 96 (34 percent) of the woodland patches ranging from one to less than 20 hectares in size tend to be dominated by edge-tolerant bird species. The remaining 26 (nine percent of) woodland patches range between 27 and 400 hectares in size. Six of these patches contain woodland between 20 and 100 hectares and may support a few area-sensitive species and some edge intolerant species, but will be dominated by edge tolerant species.

Conversely, nine (three percent) of the 286 woodland patches in the drainage area exceed the 100 plus hectare size needed to support most forest dependent, area sensitive birds and are large enough to support approximately 60 percent of edge-intolerant species. Two patches top 200 hectares, which according to the Environment Canada Guideline will support 80 percent of edge-intolerant forest bird species (including most area sensitive species) that prefer interior forest habitat conditions.

Table 14 presents a comparison of woodland patch size in 2008 and 2014 along with any changes that have occurred over that time. A decrease (of six hectares) has been observed in the overall woodland patch area between the two reporting periods with change occurring across all woodland patch size classes above one hectare.

4.2.2 Woodland (Forest) Interior Habitat

The forest interior is habitat deep within woodlands. It is a sheltered, secluded environment away from the influence of forest edges and open habitats. Some people call it the “core” or the “heart” of a woodland. The presence of forest interior is a good sign of woodland health, and is directly related to the woodland’s size and shape. Large woodlands with round or square outlines have the greatest amount of forest interior. Small, narrow woodlands may have no forest interior conditions at all. Forest interior habitat is a remnant natural environment, reminiscent of the extensive, continuous forests of the past. This increasingly rare forest habitat is now a refuge for certain forest-dependent wildlife; they simply must have it to survive and thrive in a fragmented forest landscape (Conserving the Forest Interior. Ontario Extension Notes, 2000).

The Natural Heritage Reference Manual states that woodland interior habitat is usually defined as habitat more than 100 metres from the edge of the woodland and provides for relative seclusion from outside influences along with a moister, more sheltered and productive forest habitat for certain area sensitive species. Woodlands with interior habitat have centres that are more clearly buffered against the edge effects of agricultural activities or more harmful urban activities than those without.

In the Elbow Lake catchment (in 2014), the 286 woodland patches contain 36 forest interior patches (Figure 63) that occupy five percent (261 ha.) of the catchment land area (which is equal to the five percent of interior forest in the Tay River subwatershed). This is below the ten percent figure referred to in the Environment Canada Guideline that is considered to be the minimum threshold for supporting edge intolerant bird species and other forest dwelling species in the landscape.

Most patches (29) have less than 10 hectares of interior forest, eleven of which have small areas of interior forest habitat less than one hectare in size. The remaining seven patches contain interior forest between 12 and 64 hectares in area. Between 2008 and 2014, a small loss of one hectare of interior forest was observed in the Elbow Lake catchment (Table 15).  

4.3 Wetland Cover

Wetlands are habitats forming the interface between aquatic and terrestrial systems. They are among the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on the planet. By the 1980s, according to the Natural Heritage Reference Manual, 68 percent of the original wetlands south of the Precambrian Shield in Ontario had been lost through encroachment, land clearance, drainage and filling.

Wetlands perform a number of important ecological and hydrological functions and provide an array of social and economic benefits that society values. Maintaining wetland cover in a watershed provides many ecological, economic, hydrological and social benefits that are listed in the Reference Manual and which may include:

• contributing to the stabilization of shorelines and to the reduction of erosion damage through the mitigation of water flow and soil binding by plant roots
• mitigating surface water flow by storing water during periods of peak flow (such as spring snowmelt and heavy rainfall events) and releasing water during periods of low flow (this mitigation of water flow also contributes to a reduction of flood damage)
• contributing to an improved water quality through the trapping of sediments, the removal and/or retention of excess nutrients, the immobilization and/or degradation of contaminants and the removal of bacteria
• providing renewable harvesting of timber, fuel wood, fish, wildlife and wild rice
• contributing to a stable, long-term water supply in areas of groundwater recharge and discharge
• providing a high diversity of habitats that support a wide variety of plants and animals
• acting as “carbon sinks” making a significant contribution to carbon storage
• providing opportunities for recreation, education, research and tourism

Historically, the overall wetland coverage within the Great Lakes basin exceeded 10 percent, but there was significant variability among watersheds and jurisdictions, as stated in the Environment Canada Guideline. In the Rideau Valley Watershed, it has been estimated that pre-settlement wetland cover averaged 35 percent using information provided by Ducks Unlimited Canada (2010) versus the 21 percent of wetland cover existing in 2014 derived from DRAPE imagery analysis.

Figure 64 Wetland cover in the Elbow Lake catchment (2014)

Reliable, pre-settlement wetland cover data is unavailable for the Elbow Lake catchment; however, data for the years 2008 and 2014 is available and shows that wetland cover remains largely unchanged at 27 percent in 2014 (as indicated in Table 16 and shown in Figure 64). To maintain critical hydrological, ecological functions along with related recreational and economic benefits provided by these wetland habitats in the catchment, a “no net loss” of currently existing wetlands should be employed to ensure the continued provision of tangible benefits accruing from them to landowners and surrounding communities.

4.4 Shoreline Cover

The riparian or shoreline zone is that special area where the land meets the water. Well-vegetated shorelines are critically important in protecting water quality and creating healthy aquatic habitats, lakes and rivers. Natural shorelines intercept sediments and contaminants that could impact water quality conditions and harm fish habitat in streams. Well established buffers protect the banks against erosion, improve habitat for fish by shading and cooling the water and provide protection for birds and other wildlife that feed and rear young near water. A recommended target (from the Environment Canada Guideline) is to maintain a minimum 30 metre wide vegetated buffer along at least 75 percent of the length of both sides of rivers, creeks and streams.

Figure 65 shows the extent of the ‘Natural’ vegetated riparian zone (predominantly wetland/woodland features) and ‘Other’ anthropogenic cover (crop/pastureland, roads/railways, settlements) along a 30-metre-wide area of land around Elbow Lake, other lakes and along both sides of the shoreline of Fish Creek and the many unnamed watercourses (including headwater streams) found in the Elbow Lake catchment.

Figure 65 Natural and other riparian land cover in the Elbow Lake catchment (2014)

This analysis shows that the Elbow Lake catchment riparian buffer is composed of wetland (52 percent), woodland (37 percent), crop and pastureland (six percent), roads (two percent), settlement (two percent) and meadow-thicket (one percent). Along the many watercourses (including headwater streams) flowing into Duncan and Elbow Lake and Fish Creek, the riparian buffer is composed of wetland (51 percent), woodland (37 percent), crop and pastureland (eight percent), roads (two percent), meadow-thicket (one percent) and settlement areas (one percent).

Around Elbow Lake itself, the shoreline buffer is dominated by woodland (69 percent) and cottages and houses (19 percent) with the remainder comprised of wetland (12 percent) and roads (less than one percent). Along Fish Creek, the riparian zone is composed of wetland (79 percent), woodland (19 percent), roads (one percent) and meadow-thicket, settlement and crop and pastureland (total of one percent). 

Additional statistics for the Elbow Lake catchment are presented in Tables 17 to 20 and show that there has been little to no change in shoreline cover from 2008 to 2014.

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5.0 Elbow Lake Catchment: Stewardship and Water Resources Protection

The RVCA and its partners are working to protect and enhance environmental conditions in the Tay River Watershed. Figure 66 shows the location of all stewardship projects completed in the Elbow Lake catchment.

Figure 66 Stewardship site locations in the Elbow Lake catchment

5.1 Rural Clean Water

The Rural Clean Water Program provides technical and financial assistance to farmers and other rural landowners, to aid in the implementation of projects that protect water quality. Funding is granted to those projects that support best management practices for application in the protection and improvement of surface and ground water resources.  The program also supports climate change adaptation and low impact development projects as well as educating rural landowners about environmental stewardship of private property. Examples of supported projects include livestock exclusion fencing, controlled tile drainage, cover crops, erosion control, well related projects, and many more. For a list of eligible projects and to apply for funding, see Rural Clean Water.

In the Elbow Lake catchment from 2011 to 2016, one windbreak/buffer and one education initiative were completed at a total value of $2,115.00 with $978.00 of that amount funded through grant dollars from the RVCA.

5.2 Private Land Forestry

Forest cover and tree planting continues to be one of the most widely supported strategies to improve our environment. The many benefits of forest cover include carbon sequestration, flood mitigation and water quality improvement as well as providing wildlife habitat. For more information about the Program and landowner eligibility, please see the following: Tree Planting in the Rideau Valley Watershed and Trees for Tomorrow.

5.3 Shoreline Naturalization

Natural shoreline buffers rich in native plants are critically important to protecting the health of our lakes, rivers and streams. Shoreline vegetation protects water quality and aquatic habitat by intercepting potentially harmful contaminants such as nutrients, pollutants and sediment, regulating water temperatures, slowing runoff and providing important fish and wildlife habitat. Natural shorelines also help improve climate change resiliency by increasing flood storage and providing protection from erosion during extreme weather events.

Though the RVCA's Shoreline Naturalization Program, landowners (private and public property owners) have naturalized more than 2.3 km of shoreline in the Tay Watershed by planting over 10,563 native trees and shrubs at 96 sites since 2008. In the Elbow Lake catchment, a total of 426 native trees and shrubs have been planted along 100 metres of shoreline at an average buffer width of five metres for a total project value of $4,834.00.

5.4 Fish and Wetland Habitat Improvement

With funding from the Ministry of Natural Resources, a group of volunteer from Elbow Lake hauled cobblestone onto the winter ice in order to improve the potential of the walleye spawning bed in the lake. This work was completed in 2013 and its success is to be determined using the results from a fish survey conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in 2017.

5.5 Valley, Stream, Wetland and Hazard Lands

The Elbow Lake catchment covers 56 square kilometres with 2.5 square kilometres (or four percent) of the drainage area being within the regulation limit of Ontario Regulation 174/06 (Figure 67), giving protection to wetland areas and river or stream valleys that are affected by flooding and erosion hazards.

Wetlands occupy 15 square kilometres (or 27 percent) of the catchment. Of these wetlands, one square kilometre (or seven percent) is designated as provincially significant and included within the RVCA regulation limit. This leaves the remaining 14 sq. km (or 93 percent) of wetlands in the catchment outside the regulated area limit.

Of the 159.9 kilometres of stream in the catchment, regulation limit mapping has been plotted along 9.7 kilometers of streams (representing six percent of all streams in the catchment). Some of these regulated streams (6.9 km) flow through regulated wetlands; the remaining 2.8 kilometres of regulated streams are located outside of those wetlands. Plotting of the regulation limit on the remaining 150.2 kilometres (or 94 percent) of streams requires identification of flood and erosion hazards and valley systems.

Within those areas of the Elbow Lake catchment subject to the regulation (limit), efforts (have been made and) continue through RVCA planning and regulations input and review to manage the impact of development (and other land management practices) in areas where “natural hazards” are associated with rivers, streams, valley lands and wetlands. For areas beyond the regulation limit, protection of the catchment’s watercourses is only provided through the “alteration to waterways” provision of the regulation.

Figure 67 Regulated natural features and hazards in the Elbow Lake catchment

5.6 Vulnerable Drinking Water Areas

Mississippi-Rideau Source Water Protection Program has mapped the north boundary of the Elbow Lake catchment as a Significant Groundwater Recharge Areas and all of the catchment as a Highly Vulnerable Aquifer. This means that the nature of the overburden (thin soils, fractured bedrock) does not provide a high level of protection for the underlying groundwater making the aquifer more vulnerable to contaminants released on the surface. There are no Well-Head protection Areas in the catchment.

The Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Plan includes policies that focus on the protection of groundwater region-wide due to the fact that most of the region, which encompasses the Mississippi and Rideau watersheds, is considered Highly Vulnerable Aquifer. For detailed maps and policies that have been developed to protect drinking water sources, visit the Mississippi-Rideau Source Protection Region website.

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6.0 Elbow Lake Catchment: Accomplishments

Developed by the Elbow Lake (Parham) Association and its partners, the Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan (2012) provides information on many aspects of the lake environment, as well as issues of concern and actions to be taken to maintain and improve the long-term health of the lake. The following list includes some of the accomplishments of the Elbow Lake Association and residents that have implications for the well-being of the land and water resources of the lake ecosystem. Specific achievements of the Elbow Lake community are indicated by an asterisk.

Elbow Lake and Catchment Health

Shoreline Assessment

In 2013, an assessment of the Elbow Lake shoreline was carried out under the Love Your Lake Program. Individual assessment reports were made available to property owners in the spring of 2014. To date, only 39 of the 72 reports have been ordered (although it should be noted that 11 of the 72 properties are undeveloped). In 2017, the Elbow Lake Association decided to help fund the (re)printing of all 72 reports and will deliver them to property owners in 2018 along with information about the RVCA's Shoreline Naturalization Program.*

Out of the 72 properties assessed under the Love Your Lake Program, 28 (39 percent) were classified as majority ornamental, 23 (32 percent) as majority natural and 21 (29 percent) as majority regenerative. It is recognized that ornamental or degraded waterfronts will contribute additional nutrients and sediments to a waterbody such as Elbow Lake.

Shoreline Naturalization

In 2015, while carrying out a live planting on one resident’s property, RVCA presented a short workshop on shoreline naturalization. As a follow-up, the Elbow Lake Association appointed a coordinator to help organize RVCA site visits for residents and has been promoting the Program at its AGM's. To date, another seven properties have had site visits. In addition, at least three others have agreed to planting plans in the course of obtaining building permits to replace their cottages with new homes. One of these was for a new home on the site of a small campground, which was the only commercial development on the lake and has now been removed.*

426 native trees and shrubs have been planted at five project sites by the RVCA’s Shoreline Naturalization Program at an average buffer width of five metres along 100 metres of shoreline.

Water Quality

Elbow Lake is sampled yearly by the RVCA for five parameters, four times a year along with one stream sampling site on Fish Creek being sampled for 22 parameters, six times a year to assess surface chemistry water quality conditions.

One Ontario Benthic Biomonitoring Network site on Fish Creek is sampled by the RVCA with three replicates to assess instream biological water quality conditions.

Two Rural Clean Water Program projects were completed by the RVCA Rural Clean Water Program.

Township of Central Frontenac will implement a septic re-inspection program (mandatory/voluntary) in 2019. The service is to be provided by the Mississippi-Rideau Septic System Office.

Elbow Lake and Catchment Habitat

Broad-scale Fish Community Monitoring

2012 fish survey was conducted by the Frontenac Stewardship Council at the request of the Lake Steward in order to establish a baseline for determining the success of any future fish enhancement project. Specimens were sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources for aging, etc. The 2017 fish survey was conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.*

Walleye Spawning Enhancement Project

With funding from the Ministry of Natural Resources, a group of volunteer lake residents in 2013 hauled cobblestone onto the winter ice in order to improve the potential of the walleye spawning bed. The results of the 2017 fish survey will help to evaluate the success of this effort.*

In-stream Habitat

2.7 kilometres of Fish Creek are surveyed and 27 headwaters sites are sampled by the RVCA Stream Characterization Program.

Elbow Lake Association Leadership

Lake Planning

The Elbow Lake (Parham) Stewardship Plan was published in spring 2012 and distributed to all property owners. It was also presented to the Township of Central Frontenac Council in the fall. Since then, projects and issues related to the Plan’s five main objectives have been discussed annually at the Lake Association’s Annual General Meeting.These objectives are to: 1) maintain and improve water quality 2) maintain and improve wildlife and fish habitat 3) preserve peace and tranquility 4) emphasize safety in the pursuit of recreational opportunities and 5) strengthen a sense of community.*

Liaison with Other Lake Associations

The Elbow Lake Association continues to liaise with other local lake associations through its participation in the Lake Networking Group.*

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7.0 Elbow Lake Catchment: Challenges/Issues

Developed by the Elbow Lake (Parham) Association and its partners, the Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan (2012) provides information on many aspects of the lake environment, as well as issues of concern identified by the lake community that could threaten the long-term health of the lake. The following list includes some of those identified issues that have implications for the water and land resources of the lake ecosystem. Specific issues noted by the lake community are indicated by an asterisk.

Development

Waterfront property development is occurring primarily through the transformation of traditional, seasonal cottages into larger year-round dwellings. This transition is taking place either through re-development of an existing cottage lot or incremental alterations (additions, sleeping cabins, gazebos, decks, sheds, boat houses, garages, lawns, shoreline modifications, docks), all of which may put additional stress on the sensitive shoreline zone and the lake along with potential, added septic system loading.

Many waterfront properties contain existing non-conforming dwellings with respect to minimum water frontage and lot area and are often located within 30 metres of the water that require minor variances for expansion and/or reconstruction of dwellings where standard development setbacks from water are difficult to achieve. In these cases, of which there are many, staff at the Township of Central Frontenac and the Conservation Authority often meet with resistance and push back when attempts are made to implement standards for development setbacks, vegetated shorelines and septic systems.

Monitoring implementation of conditions of planning and regulatory approvals is challenging due to a lack of resources.

Headwaters/In-water Habitat/Shorelines

The Elbow Lake Association has been actively promoting good shoreline practices for many years. The Executive is disappointed that more Elbow Lake residents have not ordered their 2013 Love your Lake Shoreline Assessment Reports or participated in the RVCA Shoreline Naturalization Program.*

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the level of aquatic vegetation in Elbow Lake has increased significantly since the Frontenac Stewardship Council conducted a survey in 2010. At the time, Eurasian Watermilfoil was found at six sites with only one patch being of significant size; in 2017, at least one other large patch has appeared along with other smaller ones.*

Elbow Lake has seen a small increase in the area of settlement (0.28 ha.) along its shoreline between 2008 and 2014, due primarily to a loss of woodland.

Two of twenty-seven sampled headwater sites in the catchment have been modified (one is channelized, the other is a roadside ditch)(see Section 3.4.2 of this report).

Littoral zone mapping identifying substrate type, vegetation and habitat features along with opportunities for shoreline enhancement is unavailable for Elbow Lake.

Land Cover

Land cover has changed across the catchment (2008 to 2014) largely as a result of an increase in the area of settlement (4 ha.) and wetland (2 ha.) and loss of woodland (6 ha.)(see Section 4.1 of this report).

Wetlands cover 27 percent (1548 ha.) of the catchment (in 2014). Ninety-three percent (1434 ha.) of these wetlands remain unevaluated and unregulated and although they are not under imminent threat from development activity, they do remain vulnerable to drainage and land clearing activities in the absence of any regulatory and planning controls that would otherwise protect them for the many important hydrological, social, biological and ecological functions/services/values they provide to landowners and the surrounding community (see Section 4.3 of this report).

Water Quality

Elbow Lake surface chemistry water quality rating ranges from Very Poor to Poor (see Section 2.1 of this report).

The Elbow Lake Association notes that phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations have shown persistent instances of elevated levels above the Provincial Water Quality Objectives through the years. This may be due to the influence of such factors as the large wetland along the south shore of the lake and repeated dynamiting of the beaver dam along the CPR railroad.*   

Fish Creek surface chemistry water quality rating ranges from Fair in its upper reach (at the Wagarville Rd. crossing) to Poor and Good close to its outlet into the West Basin of Bobs Lake (upstream of the Bobs Lake Rd. crossing)(see Section 2.2 of this report).

Fish Creek instream biological water quality conditions range from Poor to Good at the County Road 38 inventory location (south of Parham)(see Section 3.3.1 of this report).

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8.0 Elbow Lake Catchment: Actions/Opportunities

Developed by the Elbow Lake (Parham) Association and its partners, the Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan (2012) provides information on many aspects of the lake environment, as well as actions to maintain and improve the long-term health of the lake. The following list includes some of those identified actions that have implications for the land and water resources of the lake ecosystem. Specific actions noted by the Elbow Lake community are indicated by an asterisk.

Elbow Lake and Catchment Health

Development

Work with approval authorities (Central Frontenac Township, Frontenac County, Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Health Unit, Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office and RVCA) and waterfront property owners (including the Duncan Lake community and Elbow Lake Association) to consistently implement current land use planning and development policies for water quality and shoreline protection adjacent to Duncan Lake, Elbow Lake, Fish Creek and headwater streams in the catchment (i.e., a minimum 30 metre development setback from water).

Explore ways and means to more effectively enforce and implement conditions of land-use planning and development approval to achieve net environmental gains (particularly with respect to rehabilitating or protecting naturally vegetated shorelines and water quality).

Encourage Committee of Adjustment to take advantage of technical and environmental information and recommendations forthcoming from planning and environmental professionals.

Municipalities in the Tay Watershed are encouraged to strengthen natural heritage and water resources official plan policies and zoning provisions (pertaining to water setbacks, frontage and naturalized shorelines and wetland protection) where deemed appropriate.

Work with Central Frontenac Township, Frontenac County and agencies to ensure that development approvals around lakes and along watercourses take into consideration the protection of fish habitat (including the near-shore nursery and spawning habitat).

Municipal and agency planners together with development proponents are to use the 2014 Site Evaluation Guidelines to inform decision-making about the application of development setbacks on lots with shallow soils/bedrock, steep slopes and sparse vegetation cover along with the use of the appropriate, development related, best management practices.

Utilize RVCA subwatershed and catchment reports to help develop/revise official plan policies to protect surface water resources and the natural environment (including woodlands, wetlands and shoreline cover).

Establish RVCA regulation limits around the 93 percent (1434 ha.) of wetlands in the catchment that are unevaluated. Doing this will help protect landowners from natural hazards including mitigating surface water flow by storing water during periods of peak flow (such as spring snowmelt and heavy rainfall events) and releasing water during periods of low flow (this mitigation of water flow reduces flood damage), as well as contributing to the stabilization of shorelines and to the reduction of soil erosion damage through water flow mitigation and plant soil binding/retention.

Shorelines

Continue to explore ways and means to increase individual Elbow Lake property owner acquisition of the 2013 Love Your Lake Program waterfront assessment reports and participation in the implementation of individual property recommendations.*

Take advantage of the RVCA Shoreline Naturalization Program to re-naturalize altered creek, lake and stream shoreline identified in this report as “Unnatural Riparian Land Cover". Given the undeveloped nature of most of the catchment, consider concentrating stewardship efforts on Elbow Lake waterfront properties shown in orange on the Riparian Land Cover map (see Figure 65 in Section 4.4 in this report). Other stewardship opportunities in the catchment may be determined based on septic system inspections and surface water quality monitoring results. Use the Elbow Lake coordinator to help disseminate information about the program.*

Promote the use of bioengineering methods (using native shrub/tree planting, fascines, live stakes) as a shoreline erosion mitigation measure as well as a cost effective alternative to shoreline hardening (with rip rap, armour stone, gabion baskets, walls).

Educate landowners about the value and importance of natural shorelines and property best management practices with respect to shoreline use and development, septic system installation and maintenance and shoreline vegetation retention and enhancement (Central Frontenac Township, Elbow Lake Association, Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Health Unit, Frontenac County, Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office and RVCA).

Water Quality

Work with the Township of Central Frontenac to establish a septic re-inspection program (mandatory/voluntary) on Elbow Lake.*

Provide advice to the Elbow Lake Association about the physical state of the large beaver dam along the south shore of Elbow Lake and its potential impact to lake water quality, if it were to fail.*

Consider further investigation of the 1) Very Poor to Poor surface chemistry water quality rating on Elbow Lake, 2) Poor to Good surface chemistry water quality rating in Fish Creek and Poor to Good instream biological water quality rating in Fish Creek as part of a review of RVCA's Watershed Watch, Baseline and Benthic Invertebrate surface water quality monitoring.

Offer funding provided by the RVCA Rural Clean Water Program to landowners with potential projects that could improve water quality on Elbow Lake and its tributaries including Fish Creek (e.g., livestock fencing, septic system repair/replacement and streambank erosion control/stabilisation).

Educate waterfront property owners about septic system care and maintenance by providing information about sewage system maintenance (i.e., when to pump out septic systems and holding talks) through initiatives such as the Septic Savvy Workshop and services provided by the Mississippi Rideau Septic System Office.

Reduce pollutant loading to Elbow Lake through education about the application of shoreline, stormwater and agricultural best management practices; also consider using low impact development (LID) methods to improve the quality and reduce the amount of stormwater runoff directly reaching the lake ecosystem. This will be particularly beneficial in areas with extensive impervious surfaces (i.e., asphalt, concrete, buildings, and severely compacted soils) or on sensitive waterfront properties (with steep slopes/banks, shallow/impermeable soils).

Elbow Lake and Catchment Habitat

Aquatic Habitat/Fisheries/Wildlife

Consider a follow-up survey of the aquatic vegetation in Elbow Lake to determine if the anecdotal evidence of the level of aquatic vegetation in the lake has changed substantially since the 2010 Frontenac Stewardship Council survey.*

Explore the feasibility of control measures for Eurasian water milfoil, such as use of the native water milfoil weevil.*

Discuss alternatives to the dynamiting of the beaver dam along the west side of Elbow Lake undertaken by the Canadian Pacific Railway, to alleviate the Elbow Lake Association's concerns about its impact on the lake ecosystem including water quality.*

Consider a second fish spawning enhancement project on Elbow Lake, if the results of the 2017 MNR fish community survey suggest the need to do so. This action would address a number of goals listed in the Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan (2012).*

Consider a Bioblitz to learn more about the flora and fauna in the area, which could be organised by the Elbow Lake Association.This endeavour would have the added benefit of bringing residents together to exchange ideas and ultimately increase participation in other projects such as the naturalization of shorelines.*

Educate waterfront property owners about: 1) fish habitat requirements, spawning timing and near-shore and in-water activities that can disturb or destroy fish habitat and spawning sites 2) the causes of excessive algae and aquatic vegetation growth (see the RVCA publication entitled Algae and Aquatic Plant Educational Manual) and 3) healthy lake ecosystems and associated water level fluctuations in a natural environment.

Elbow Lake Association Leadership

Lake Planning

Continue to tackle projects and issues related to the 2012 Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan's five main objectives: 1) maintain and improve water quality 2) maintain and improve wildlife and fish habitat 3) preserve peace and tranquility 4) emphasize safety in the pursuit of recreational opportunities and 5) strengthen a sense of community.*

Use the information contained in the Tay River Subwatershed Report 2017 and Elbow Lake Catchment Report 2017 to assist with implementation of the 2012 Elbow Lake Stewardship Plan.*

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