Patterson Lake Workshop on Lake Management

Interested lake residents met at Watson’s Corners June 13 to discuss the key issues and possible focus for the Lake Management Plan. After a brief introduction, which showed examples of what is in a typical plan, the group divided into tables for discussion. Sixteen residents were present for the discussions. The list below is a compilation of all of the contributions. Each participant was given six stickers to place on results charts produced by each table. ( participants were allowed to use them all on one issue, or spread them around several issues depending on their level of interest) This discussion has gone a long way to confirm the consensus issues and will likely be reflected in the chapter structure of the Lake Management Plan. A discussion about what specific actions will be contained in the management plan will take place in September at the Annual General meeting – another chance for all to provide input and direction to those who are working on the plan.

Summary of Issues (with each vote of interest shown by a *) We have tried to cluster similar issues together. Note that there is some overlap among some of these issues – for example many of the other issues impact the natural environment and enforcement and compliance can apply to most of the issue areas: in the next stage we will try to make logical sense of these.

  1. Lake level (management of a stable level which controls extremes and respects the interests of all). *******************

  2. Sustaining the natural environment of the lake (including flora and fauna protection and management of invasive species like Eurasian milfoil , also control facilities for weeds and invasive species at entry points) **************

  3. Maintenance of natural areas (existing protected areas, naturalization of shorelines, buffers watershed protection (including logging)) ****

  4. Water quality ******

  5. Maintenance of fish stocks

  6. Shore zone protection (naturalization, zoning, erosion, enforcement of bylaws regarding alteration and setbacks) ******

  7. Enforcement and compliance (building, shore zone, environmental regulations, adequacy of laws and regulations) ******** (plus ***** also listed under shore zone protection above)

  8. Boating behaviour (wake impact, noise, safety, speeding, unsuitable size or use, influencing boaters) ************

  9. Building density and level of development *******

  10. Natural hazards – marking and removal of logs, obstructions to navigation

For those who wish to see a good example of a completed Lake Management Plan which deals with issues very similar to those for Patterson Lake please see the Otty Lake website at http://www.ottylakeassociation.ca/ and look at the LMP section. Or you can browse those other examples listed in the LMP section of the Patterson Lake website.