Kennisis Lake Plan - Stewardship Site

This web site hosts an on-going community effort to maintain and enhance the natural, social and physical environments that is the Kennisis experience.

 
     
 
 
 

 

Welcome to the Kennisis Lake Plan Site


This resource site hosts stewardship information for those interested in the social and environmental welfare of the Kennisis watershed.  It is maintained by the Kennisis Lake Plan Steering Committee, to assist in the implementation of the Kennisis Lake Plan.  This page also contains environmental news flashes and is updated with latest water level information weekly.

 

Water Level Forecast: June 14, 2010   

 

As of June 14, 2010 the level of Kennisis Lake was 24" below the high water mark (top of the dam) a rise of 7 inches over the past month.

The current level is typical of the beginning of August. A more normal level for this time of year would be 4" below the high water mark. 

 

Unless there is heavy rainfall throughout the watershed, the Trent Severn Waterway (TSW) can be expected to start drawing down the reservoir lakes around the beginning of July. Until then Kennisis Lake should remain at close to its current level (higher if there is rain, slightly lower if it is hot and dry).

 

The TSW follow an ‘equal percentage drawdown’ model and because the lakes on the Burnt River system, such as Drag Lake, are higher than those on the Gull River system, like Kennisis, this means that TSW should delay the drawdown from Kennisis.

 

Following the KLCOA Spring Meeting the TSW were made aware of our concerns over water levels and have advised KLCOA of a number of water conservation measures now in place.

The TSW has also made a commitment to provide weekly water level forecasts available as soon as the drawdown begins. These will be posted on the Coalition for Equitable Water Flow website at www.cewf.ca

 

For more information

Click on "Issues - Water Levels"  from here you can access the TSW site for water level information on Kennisis lake that is updated daily.  (The way the TSW measures water levels, the lake is 'full' when the level is 2.9 meters above the sill plate of the dam).


Trent University  U-links Fishery Project on Kennisis:

 

The purpose of this project is to pull together existing fisheries information for the lake in order to develop research priorities for the future. The students will provide a report/summary of the information collected so that it may be published on the Kennisis Lake Plan website. An assessment of available information will be developed and recommendations for future fishery research or activities will complete the project. Students will be conducting a review of secondary data and providing an annotated bibliography to summarize what has already been accomplished. This project will also include conducting key informant interviews to gain an understanding of the current issues and gaps in information. Finally, students will provide a summary report including an analysis and recommendations for future research.

 

Kennisis Lakes Fishery, Past Present and Future

 

Click on the above chart to download a larger version.

 

 

Kennisis Lake Plan:

 

The purpose of the Kennisis Lake Plan is to recognize and protect the unique character of the watershed. Ways to ensure the long-term protection, maintenance and restoration of natural, social and physical features of the watershed are recommended in the plan. 

 

This web site is designed to assist in the creation and distribution of documents / tools for implementation of the Lake Plan including activities such as:

·        A permanent repository for documentation

·        Facilitate easy access and update of documents

·        Provide a community based, democratic forum for sharing information

 

One goal of the Lake Plan is to Produce a Practical Stewardship Guide to encourage cottage owners, renters and others to become good stewards of the land/water by promoting awareness about the impact of their activities on water quality and the natural environment.

 

The Guide will focus on environmental stewardship and especially the importance of natural shorelines. It will include information on ‘how to’ such as:

  • reduce or eliminate laundry and dishwasher detergents containing phosphorus;

  • eliminate the use of lawn fertilizers and other garden chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides;

  • select the best of the new septic technologies or maintain an existing septic tank;

  • properly drain a hot tub;

  • maintain and restore natural shorelines.

Page Last Updated: June 14, 2010