6.0 Pike Lake Catchment: Accomplishments

Developed by the Pike Lake Community Association and volunteers, the Report on the State of Pike Lake and its Watershed (2009) and the Keeping Pike Lake Healthy Stewardship Handbook (2011) provide 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 Pike Lake Community Association and residents that have implications for the well-being of the land and water resources of the lake ecosystem. Specific achievements of the Pike Lake community are indicated by an asterisk.

Pike Lake and Catchment Health

Invasive Species

Pike Lake Community Association applied for and received funding from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and installed signage at the public boat launch to raise awareness about practices to reduce the spread of invasive species.*

Septic Inspections

Pike Lake Community Association promotes the importance of proper septic system maintenance in news articles and stewardship reports in the Pike Lake Post and at the Pike Lake AGM.*

Pike Lake Community Association sponsored and promoted  a free workshop, “Be Septic Savvy” (2012) in partnership with Tay Valley Township, the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, the Lake Networking Group and the Otty Lake Association.*

316 mandatory and voluntary septic system re-inspections have been conducted by the Mississippi-Rideau Septic System Office on 237 properties in the Pike Lake catchment as a service provided to Rideau Lakes and Tay Valley Townships, since 2004.

Shoreline Naturalization

Importance of keeping shorelines natural is intertwined with news articles and stewardship reports in the Pike Lake Post and at the Pike Lake AGM. Examples include information articles on “Naturalized Shoreline” and grant opportunities featured in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Pike Lake Post.*

814 native trees and shrubs have been planted at 13 project sites by the RVCA Shoreline Naturalization Program at an average buffer width of three metres along 180 metres of shoreline.

Tree Planting

21930 trees have been planted at five sites in the Pike Lake catchment by the RVCA Private Land Forestry Program, resulting in the reforestation of 12 hectares.

Water Quality

Pike Lake Community Association (PLCA) has participated annually in the RVCA Watershed Watch Program since it began in 2001.*

Pike Lake Steward has provided annual reports of water quality at the PLCA Annual General Meeting and prepared a summary report of water quality results from 2001-2010 in the 2011 Pike Lake Post newsletter, along with a feature article on water quality testing in the 2015 newsletter.*

Pike Lake water quality monitoring data from 2001-2015 is posted on pikelake.ca.*

Pike Lake Community Association promoted the use of phosphate-free soaps and cleaners in the Lake Steward’s report at the 2013 Pike Lake AGM.*

Crosby Lake, Elbow Lake and little Crosby Lake are each sampled yearly by the RVCA for five parameters, four times a year.

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

Pike Lake and Catchment Habitat

Fish Habitat

Pike Lake Community Association applied for and received $4000.00 through the Ministry of Natural Resources Community Fisheries and Wildlife Involvement Program to create three walleye spawning beds (2012).*

In-Water Habitat

Pike Lake Community Association article on research into algae and aquatic plant growth featured in the 2015 Pike Lake Post. PLCA invited the RVCA to speak about Algae Watch (Aquatic Vegetation Research Project) and learn about potentially harmful algae blooms (2013). An interactive display board on algae was featured at the 2016 Pike Lake Boatilla.*

Nineteen headwaters sites are sampled once every six years by the RVCA Stream Characterisation Program.

Island Habitat

Pike Lake Community Association worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources to identify suitable campsites on Pike Lake crown land islands. PLCA applied for and received funding from MNR and installed signage at boat launch promoting responsible camping. Installed tent symbol sign on Big Island where camping is permitted and no camping signs for islands MNR advises are too small for healthy camping.*

Loon Survey

Pike Lake Community Association participated in the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey (2012-present) and promotes responsible loon viewing following survey protocols and reports the observations in the Pike Lake Post and at the Pike Lake AGM. Survey results promote discussion of threats to loons and other waterfowl.*

Pike Lake Association Leadership

Municipal Liaison

Pike Lake Community Association invited the Reeve of Tay Valley Township to the Pike Lake AGM every year to speak about municipal issues and events affecting Pike Lake residents.*

Pike Lake Community Association provided input based on Lake Stewardship Handbook to Tay Valley Township’s Official Plan Review (2014) with a copy included in 2014 Pike Lake Post.*

Pike Lake Education

Pike Lake Community Association established a sub-committee which presented a guide, “Watch your Wake” included with 2013 Pike Lake Post and on the PLCA website. This has been distributed and shared as an example for boaters on Pike Lake and other lakes.*

Private donor on Pike Lake funded “slow” signs at sensitive locations with input from MNR and Transport Canada. Obtained funding from MNR for signage at public boat launch (2012).*

Pike Lake Community Association hosted “Bug Talk” at Boatilla 2015, where participants young and old learned about the invertebrates that live at the shoreline.*

Pike Lake Community Association raised awareness about Eurasian Milfoil and how it can spread as part of the Pike Lake Steward’s report at the 2014 Pike Lake AGM.*

Each year, the Pike Lake Post includes a feature article in the “Science for the Family” section: the Northern Pike (2012), Canadian Beaver (2013), Common Loon (2014), Great Blue Heron (2015) and Ticks and Lyme Disease (2016).*

Copies of the Pike Lake Post, Pike Lake State of the Lake Report, and of “Keeping Pike Lake Healthy” are available on the PLCA website for easy access and reprinting.*

Lake Planning

Pike Lake Community Association prepared the State of Pike Lake and its Watershed (2009) report that provides a summary of what is currently known about the Pike Lake watershed and which describes how that information relates to the issues that are important to people who enjoy the lake. Members of the Pike Lake community will use this information to develop actions and recommendations that help ensure the long-term health of Pike Lake and its watershed.*

Pike Lake Community Association prepared the Pike Lake Stewardship Handbook "Keeping Pike Lake Healthy" (2011) that provides an overview of Pike Lake, a summary of the key issues facing Pike Lake, and simple, inexpensive, and effective actions residents - individually and collectively - can take to keep Pike Lake healthy for present and future generations. It draws on the outcomes of the several-year process in which Pike Lakers identified issues affecting the present and future quality of the water and the Pike Lake environment more generally, and discusses how to preserve and improve the water quality and the lake environment.*

Pike Lake Community Association summarized the actions taken by the lake association in the report "Pike Lake Stewardship Update 2011-2016" that provides suggestions of potential actions to take moving forward. Since 2011, the PLCA has undertaken stewardship actions each year that have addressed the three priorities of water quality, natural environment and development pressures.*