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Archived News

2022

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New Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting Chooses Executive

September 26, 2022 — The Enviro Lac Gauvreau BOD met on the 14th and 20th of September where newly elected members were welcomed, a renewed work plan agreed upon, and members of the Executive chosen.

At the recent AGM, a record nine candidates let their names stand for seven positions on the Board of Directors. The hybrid meeting—conducted in-person and via ZOOM— was well attended.

Because a new election method was used this year, the election was not held at the AGM as was customary in the past. Instead, it was run online using Election Runner. This is a proven and secure online election platform. It was selected for its simplicity, ease of use, and for its adherence to online security and privacy regulations.

Visit our Association page to see the new Executive and BOD, along with the draft minutes and financial statements

UPDATE: Water quality testing for summer 2022

SEPTEMBER, 2022 UPDATE — Results of the third set of water quality samples collected in August have been released. Our Association's sampling program measures 1) Total Phosphorus (TP) and 2) bacteria (E.coli) levels to determine safety for swimming. The next set of samples will be collected in the fall. Welcome our water testers as they go about their volunteer job.

ASSOCIATION TEST RESULTS

1) Our Association's sampling program measures bacteria (E.coli) levels to determine safety for swimming. Results to date show that our lake is safe for swimming.

2) Our Association's sampling program also measures total Phosphorus (TP) levels to determine nutrient levels. Results to date show that our lake has an excessive nutrient load that promotes the growth of milfoil and algae.

RSVL TEST RESULTS

Results of the first set of full RSVL test samples conducted in June 2022 have been released. More samples will be taken as summer progresses, and analysis/verdict will be available only at the end of the season. Enviro Lac Gauvreau is now fully supported by the “Réseau de surveillance volontaire des lacs” (RSVL).

Reports will be posted as they are received.

Visit our "Water Quality Monitoring" webpage

Milfoil marker buoys repositioned... Again!

August 4, 20212— Four buoys that mark the shallow area in the middle of the lake, halfway between the island and the campsite, were stolen twice this year and have been replaced for a third time. Having originally been placed this spring by volunteers, they indicate a significant milfoil bed and should have been left in in place.

With the assistance of hard working volunteers such as Marc and John, seen in the above photo, over forty buoys are now deployed. Locations will continue to be assessed and they will be moved or more added as appropriate.

Visit our Responsible Boating webpage

Outaouais research project to study impacts of invasive aquatic plant

July 15, 2022— Alexander Behne · CBC News

Eurasian water-milfoil grows into a thick mat beneath the water’s surface and can be harmful to native plants

A small municipality in the Outaouais, with the help of the province of Quebec, is launching a study to investigate the impacts of an invasive aquatic plant that could be damaging the ecosystems of lakes in the region.

Eurasian water-milfoil grows in dense strands just below the water's surface.

The fast-growing perennial plant poses a threat to aquatic ecosystems due to its aggressive, relentless growth which can crowd out native plants and potentially be harmful to fish communities.

Les pires lacs du Québec: cauchemars financiers près des lacs en mauvais état

July 2, 2022 — Mieux vaut s’informer de la qualité de l’eau avant de dépenser une fortune pour un chalet

Des propriétaires ont vu leur résidence perdre jusqu’à 25 % de sa valeur parce qu’elle est située autour d’un lac en très mauvaise santé.

Baignade interdite, résidences difficiles à vendre, batailles devant les tribunaux, pertes de revenus pour les villes; les algues bleu-vert (cyanobactéries) ou les plantes exotiques envahissantes comme le myriophylle à épi ne font pas qu’empoisonner la qualité de l’eau. Elles empoisonnent aussi la vie des riverains.

> Read an English translation of this article

> Visit the Blue-Green Algae page for more

Read the article at le Journal de Montreal

Impact of eurasion milfoil on cottages

Studies have indicated that waterfront property values on a lake with Eurasian Milfoil will drop by up to 19%. On a typical lake, this can represent >$3.8M loss per 100 cottages. Milfoil will damage the shallow waters of a cottage waterfront reducing the enjoyment and swimming in the area and will harm the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Milfoil will also eliminate critical fish habitats leading to a significant reduction of game fish populations in the given lake.

Eurasian water-milfoil is an extremely invasive water plant from Europe and Asia that has no natural predators in North America to keep it in check. Milfoil can easily spread in all types of lakes, whether they are nutrient rich (eutrophic) or mineral rich (oligotrophic). Although milfoil can grow as deep as 25 feet (7.6M), it is most dense between 1 to 12 feet deep (the littoral zone of a lake), a common fish spawning area. It has currently spread to well over 10,000 locations across in Canada (Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia) and the United States (Figure 2).

Visit the Block Aid website for more

Milfoil Task Force explores best practices and specialized tools to control milfoil

June, 2022 — Enviro Lac Gauvreau's Milfoil Task Force has been working on the best approaches to direct treatment of the pervasive weed. The Task Force had hoped to issue clear guidelines this Spring, but regulatory barriers have temporarily delayed this step forward.

Plans to control milfoil have followed two tracks: 1) measures designed to slow the spread of the weed—such as buoys, boating restrictions, etc. and 2) direct treatment.

Research indicates that clearing limited areas adjacent to the shoreline can best be accomplished in 2 ways:

• by careful manual removal methods and

• by covering some areas with burlap.

Visit our "Eurasian Watermilfoil" webpage to learn more

CLICK IMAGE ABOVE TO ENLARGE

Guidelines for Responsible Boating Practices

May 2022 — Enviro Lac Gauvreau formed a sub-committee that included a cross-section of the Lac Gauvreau community to develop responsible boating guidelines to minimize further spread of Eurasian milfoil.

Over the last ten years, the Association has made many efforts to deal with the milfoil issue and the role of watercraft in its spread. These efforts have included buoys delineating “no go” areas for all types of boats, signs to explain the buoys, direct communication with boaters found within the buoyed areas, membership education, professional assistance from ABV des 7 to explore remediation measures, and financial assistance from the Municipality to enhance the previously noted measures.

We hope that you will adhere to these guidelines in the spirit with which they were developed: to enable us to continue to operate our boats on the lake in a manner that is safe and environmentally friendly.

Visit our "Responsible Boating" page

Report from ABV des 7 biologists recommends shoreline restoration strategies

April 9, 2022 —The non-profit environmental organization ABV des 7 presented a well attended Zoom webinar for residents on the morning of April 9th. The objective was to present the rationale, and make recommendations, based on their recently released report on the condition of Lac Gauvreau and its shoreline.

Based on onsite observations and scientific evaluations, biologist Jean-François Ouellet, who is the General Manager of ABV des 7, presented their report that recommends actions focussing on the preservation and restoration of the lake's riparian (shoreline) buffer. The report was commissioned by the Enviro Lac Gauvreau owners association.

The report emphasized that restoration of the lake shoreline is one of the most important measures residents can take to avoid nutrients flowing into the water, a strategy that is vital to preventing further premature aging of Lac Gauvreau.

According to the report, Lac Gauvreau's eutrophication (lake aging) ranges from mesotrophic to the extreme end of the eutrophic classification, especially in Parent Creek and at its outflow. Eutrophication is the process in which lakes receive nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) and sediment from the surrounding watershed, and become more fertile and shallow.

Mesotrophic lakes are commonly clear water lakes with beds of submerged aquatic plants and medium levels of nutrients. Eutrophic lakes, on the other hand, contain excessive nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus—which promote the growth of algae blooms and aquatic plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil.

Phosphorus intake comes from agricultural drainage, non-compliant septic tanks, and impermeable infrastructures
close to the lake (structures that prevent the free flow of water). A watershed map of the area clearly shows that much of the pollution entering Lac Gauvreau is from agricultural productivity.

ABV des 7 has been actively working with area lake associations, including Lac Gauvreau's, for several years as concerns mount about environmental issues. ABV des 7 consists of a team of five specialists in stakeholder engagement, geomatics, limnology, and ecology. Their activities and services include: