Weeds

Weeds are prevalent in the canals and the Commission has the following programs in place to combat the issue:

• Harvesting
  Beginning in mid to late May, two pieces of orange coloured equipment will enter the canals in Lagoon City to begin skimming the water for debris. A harvester will collect debris and place it into a transporter barge. When full, the transport barge will return to a ramp to be emptied and then return to the harvester to continue.
  Due to fish spawning, no cutting may take place prior to July 1^st. After that time, the harvester will follow a pre-determined route through the canals to cut the weeds underneath the surface of the water.
• Weed Spraying
  This annual program begins immediately after the July 1^st, Canada Day long weekend, after the fish spawning season has concluded. This activity is regulated by the MOECP, Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks and is performed by an external company hired by the LCPWC. The MOECP grants a licence to spray REWARD, a herbicide, for 10 acres at a rate of 25 litres per acre, and this licence must be obtained annually. As a result, only the areas affected by abundant weed growth are treated.

Algae

Once algae are present in the water, there is little that can be done to remove it. Due to the slimy consistency of the matter, algae cannot be raked or picked up by the harvester as it slides through the screens of the equipment.

Please take precautions during the presence of blue-green algae and for further information, visit the related blue-green algae webpages of the Province of Ontario or the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

What are the health concerns involving Blue-Green Algae?

• If you ingest water, fish or blue-green algal products containing elevated levels of toxins, you may experience headaches, fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
• If you swim in contaminated water, you may get itchy and irritated eyes and skin, as well as other hay fever-like allergic reactions.
• If you suspect you might have come into contact with cyanobacterial toxins and are experiencing any of the above symptoms, rinse any scum off your body and consult your doctor immediately.
• Children are at greater risk than adults of developing serious liver damage if they ingest high levels of microcystins, because of their comparatively lower body weight.
• Animals who ingest blue-green algae may face extreme illness or death. Animals are not more sensitive than people to the effects of the toxins; they are simply not as concerned with the way water looks or smells before they drink it. The first recorded episode of animal poisoning attributable to cyanobacteria occurred in Australia in 1878. Since then, there have been many widespread incidents of poisoning, affecting a variety of both wild and domestic animals.

Geese

Geese are abundant in Lagoon City and there are a few things you can do to help deter geese from entering your property from the shorewall:

1. Scare tape is a reflective tape and when hung along the shorewall, the slightest breeze is enough to cause a fluttering sound and mirror-like reflections that will scare away even the bravest birds. This tape is available for purchase in 200 foot rolls at the Township office.

2. Ornamental grasses planted along the shorewall will also deter geese from entering your property. Geese are attracted to manicured lawns with tender grass.

3. Limit food sources and never feed the geese. Clean up seeds from under bird feeders.

Shorewall Planting

Shorewall planting offers several benefits:

• Prevents phosphorus leeching into the canals
• Deters geese from entering properties
• Provides habitat for bees and butterflies

Native plants also offer the additional benefit of being lower maintenance by thriving with less water and not needing pesticides or herbicides.

View the article, Shorewall Planting with Native Plants, written by former LCPWC member, Skip Beattie, for more information.