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4/23/2021 4:14 pm  #1


Dickson Lake

Anyone heard anything recently about how that algae in Dickson is doing? The FoA website still has an advisory that it is closed, but I can’t find anything about recent testing. I’d love to know if things seem to be improving or if it’s just going to be permanently closed to camping

 

4/23/2021 6:02 pm  #2


Re: Dickson Lake

No improvement by last fall. I doubt anything changed over the winter.

 

4/24/2021 12:56 am  #3


Re: Dickson Lake

Not saying that I'm current on this subject, but I did the loop from Opeongo through Big Crow, Lavielle and Dickson etc to get back to Opeongo in 2016.  At this time Dickson was really green; pretty matched the colour of the foliage around the lake.  When I returned in 2020, Dickson had returned to it's more natural colour and looked 'normal'.  I asked the driver of the water taxi from AO the status of Dickson as it looked like the bloom was over and he told me that the tests werecoming back clean and it was just bureaucratic red tape that was holding up the all clear (I'm paraphrasing here).  Would be nice that this was resolved as I loved the scenery around Hardy bay and Dickson and would like to spend a bit more than a couple of hours just paddling through.  Anybody have any personal experience last summer/fall?

 

4/24/2021 7:22 am  #4


Re: Dickson Lake

That’s really good to hear. I’ve never been through that way and had been hoping to save a trip until I could stay on Dickson. Maybe it’ll work out one of these years

     Thread Starter
 

4/24/2021 7:58 am  #5


Re: Dickson Lake

faitzy wrote:

Not saying that I'm current on this subject, but I did the loop from Opeongo through Big Crow, Lavielle and Dickson etc to get back to Opeongo in 2016.  At this time Dickson was really green; pretty matched the colour of the foliage around the lake.  When I returned in 2020, Dickson had returned to it's more natural colour and looked 'normal'.  I asked the driver of the water taxi from AO the status of Dickson as it looked like the bloom was over and he told me that the tests werecoming back clean and it was just bureaucratic red tape that was holding up the all clear (I'm paraphrasing here).  Would be nice that this was resolved as I loved the scenery around Hardy bay and Dickson and would like to spend a bit more than a couple of hours just paddling through.  Anybody have any personal experience last summer/fall?

 
Pre COVID I heard the same thing from a friend out if Whitney. Nothing official but rumour mill is just the government beuraceacy getting in the way of reopening.

 

5/07/2021 6:35 am  #6


Re: Dickson Lake

So Ryan Lake is open again. Wonder if that means something similar is coming for Dickson?

     Thread Starter
 

5/07/2021 7:43 am  #7


Re: Dickson Lake

If they reopen Dickson my Spring plans are going to change in a heartbeat. 

 

5/07/2021 7:50 am  #8


Re: Dickson Lake

faitzy wrote:

I asked the driver of the water taxi from AO the status of Dickson as it looked like the bloom was over and he told me that the tests werecoming back clean and it was just bureaucratic red tape that was holding up the all clear (I'm paraphrasing here).  Would be nice that this was resolved as I loved the scenery around Hardy bay and Dickson and would like to spend a bit more than a couple of hours just paddling through.  Anybody have any personal experience last summer/fall?

Was told the same thing last August after coming back from Dickson. We probably had the same water taxi driver. I wasn't there during the bloom but the water seemed fine to me. I recall a tot of bird life around Dickson as well which could mean it's on the mend?

 

5/07/2021 8:05 am  #9


Re: Dickson Lake

Just a reminder on some of biology/ecology around blue-green algae:

- Blue-green algae is naturally occurring but doesn't normally cause problems
- The problem comes when there is a large enough algae bloom to create dangerous levels of toxins
- Algae blooms themselves can occur naturally and in the case of both Dickson and Ryan this appears to be the case
- So far there is no meaningful way to predict when a bloom will occur, the bloom in Dickson was a shock to everyone
- Blooms are believed to be happening more often, and in places like Dickson with no human activity (like agriculture fertilizer run off) to explain the occurrence
- There is no water treatment, at least no portable water treatment, to filter out or neutralize the toxin
- The toxin is fatal and even on a lake as large as Lake Nippissing, a local algae bloom can create enough toxin to kill pet dogs who drink from the lake while being walked by their owners. 

So given the lack of any way to predict a blue-green algae bloom and the fact that if the toxin is ingested there is a high probability of death, there probably isn't any better approach than to test annually and wait until there are no repeat blooms for at least a few years before declaring the lake safe to camp on. 
 

 

5/09/2021 9:26 pm  #10


Re: Dickson Lake

I'll be crossing Dickson at the start of July and am considering bringing one of these along for interest sake
https://www.5strands.com/products/blue-green-algae-water-test

Of course I'll still be carrying 5 L of potable water just in case I get wind-bound (at least until I get to the Dickson-Small Island portage).

 

6/12/2021 7:45 pm  #11


Re: Dickson Lake

Even though Dickson is still listed as closed on the friends site, I noticed that it appears as bookable on the parks site.  Anyone know anything about it?

 

6/13/2021 6:20 am  #12


Re: Dickson Lake

It appears Dickson may be re opening later this summer? It is not available for reservation in the near future, but going ahead to September shows full availability on Dickson. 

Last edited by ATVenture (6/13/2021 6:22 am)

 

6/14/2021 1:59 pm  #13


Re: Dickson Lake

Looks like they're in business.  Everyone, pile on!
https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/2017/2017-03-14_algae_bloom_dickson_lavieille_ryan_lakes.php 

Last edited by IanTendy (6/14/2021 1:59 pm)

 

6/14/2021 3:07 pm  #14


Re: Dickson Lake

That’s great news. I was not confident they would ever reopen.

 

6/14/2021 9:42 pm  #15


Re: Dickson Lake

Sweet, just altered a reservation for 2 nights on Dickson

 

6/23/2021 9:36 am  #16


Re: Dickson Lake

Just to piggy-back on this post...

I've booked x2 nights on Dickson near the end of July... altered my Big Crow/Lavaeille loop.

Does anyone have any campsite input or information on Dickson? I've never camped on it before! 
Cheers, TIA.

 

6/23/2021 9:56 am  #17


Re: Dickson Lake

I'll be on Dickson one week from now, so I'll likely have some campsite recommendations when I get back. Although it may be pouring rain so I might not explore as much as I would otherwise!

Last edited by Uppa (6/23/2021 9:56 am)

 

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