Have they updated the warnings from last fall or is it still last year’s advisory? I’ve been hoping that it would somehow magically disappear over the winter but if this is an updated advisory then that sucks.

Last edited by AlgonquinLakes (5/12/2018 2:50 pm)

The advisory for Lavieille and Ryan has been in effect since 2016 - so I presume the problem is ongoing.

ATVenture wrote:

This problem I'm sure is probably still an issue, but I think the Two Rivers one has been in affect here and there over the last couple of years? I might be thinking of something else though.

I think you're right - but in years past, I don't think it was the algae on LOTR, I think it was a different kind of bacteria due to overuse at the public beaches (I could be wrong - but I'm positive I read something to this effect over the last few years). Similar to when other public beaches reach bacteria levels that pose a risk to human health. It happens all over every now and then.

Yes! I'm pretty sure that was it!! lol nailed it buddy

Pretty sure the cormorants and Canada geese are playing a part in this along with increased water temperature.

"Pretty sure the cormorants and Canada geese are playing a part in this along with increased water temperature."

Exotic algae species being brought in by waterfowl flying from lake to lake have been suggested as a reason for more blue-green blooms occurring. So have climate change and higher temps, and longer periods of warm water temps, esp where lakes are nutrient-poor like in APP.

There are blue-green blooms in the Bay of Quinte on Lake Ontario every year, and where there is a bloom there are advisories to avoid water use and contact. But in the BoQ, the reasons for blooms are high nutrient levels which have been known to be a cause for a long time. The reasons for blooms in nutrient-poor lakes (APP) aren't as well understood.

IIRC water use restrictions might be issued when toxins exceed critical levels, like 20 ug/L microcystin... I haven't seen anything on toxin levels from water samples taken in APP.

BoQ water is sampled intensively for toxin levels since there are thousands of shoreline residents and users so the funds for monitoring are made available and there's a critical need. Monitoring of APP lakes isn't going to match that kind of intensity since there are fewer users in the area and problems will exist associated with remote lake access and costs. 

I'd stay out of water that looks like green paint, OTOH since there probably isn't a great deal known about the APP blue-green blooms, there could be something different going on. The larger, long-term trend seems to be increasing blue-green blooms in lakes throughout Canada, in nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor lakes.

  I winter camped a lot at Mew this winter. And camped at LOTR and Mew the week-end they posted the advisory in Sept. I asked the warden if the water was OK (winter) he said its fine. He told me they actually pumped water from LOTR for Mew lake. He said you could drink it right out of the tap! I brought my own water anyway's. Hopefully it's just precautionary. Like Peek said, I think it has something to do with the beach use. They've had a few advisories over the years.  

Apparently this story still had legs as of early summer 2021.