2005 – 2007 Study Results
During three years of monitoring activity in the framework of the LSEMP, a substantial amount of water quality and quantity data has been collected. Our monitoring revealed that water quality is heavily affected in most Lake Scugog tributaries:
- Among them, Cawkers Creek and Blackstock Creek have the highest phosphorus concentrations.
- The highest phosphorus concentrations are usually observed during the spring freshet.
- The most prominent phosphorus levels have been detected in the Nonquon River at Scugog Line 6 (219 – 246 ug/L), Blackstock Creek (243 – 315 ug/L) and Cawkers Creek (390 - 415 ug/L).
PWQO stands for Provincial Water Quality Objective. The PWQO for phosphorus is 30 ug/L in river water and 20 ug/L in lake water.
For total nitrogen, there are no officially established guidelines on the provincial or federal level.
Total phosphorus and total nitrogen loads into the lake have been calculated. The sources of the phosphorus and nitrogen have been separated into several major categories: river flow, precipitation, urban runoff, urban point source (Port Perry sewage treatment plant) and septic systems (Figure 1 & 2). This data makes it possible to determine the most considerable sources of nutrients and to elaborate the remedial strategy for decreasing total phosphorus and nitrogen loadings.
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
Table 1. Calculated total phosphorus load in Lake Scugog from different sources during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 hydrological years
Total Phosphorus Load, kg/yr |
|||
2005- 2006 |
2006-2007 |
Target |
|
River Flow |
5,395 |
5500 |
3,400 |
Precipitation |
2,500 |
1780 |
1,600 |
Port Perry STP |
200 |
190 |
150 |
Urban Runoff |
815 |
1075 |
300 |
Septics |
890 |
890 |
650 |
Total: |
9,800 |
9435 |
6,100 |
Table 2. Total phosphorus load in Lake Scugog with tributary flow during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 hydrological years
|
Total Phosphorus Load, kg/yr |
||
Lake Scugog Tributaries |
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
Target |
Fingerboard Creek |
75 |
76 |
75 |
Layton River |
783 |
728 |
475 |
Nonquon at Scugog Line 6 |
572 |
694 |
320 |
Nonquon at Seagrave |
2,637 |
2,999 |
1,875 |
Cawkers Creek |
212 |
330 |
120 |
Blackstock Creek |
599 |
708 |
330 |
Part of the watershed drained via marshes |
804 |
397 |
400 |
The rest of the watershed drained into the lake |
1,256 |
1,181 |
800 |