Environmental Considerations

There are many potential environmental impacts to consider including disruption of species at risk, and drinking and swimming water quality issues. Halls Lake is part of The Trent Waterway System, a 386km long canal route connecting Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay. It includes the Trent River, Otonabee River, Kawartha Lakes, Lake Simcoe, Lake Couchichng and Severn River. The following chart highlights the interconnectnedness of our water system.


TrentWatershedFlowChart.pdf


A few of the Identified Species at Risk

Blanding's Turtle (Endangered)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Critical nesting habitat along shoreline
  • Protected under ESA Section 9 and 10


Eastern Musk Turtle (Threatened)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Critical nesting habitat along shoreline


Painted Turtle (Specias of Special Concern)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Critical nesting habitat along shoreline


Snapping Turtle (Specias of Special Concern)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Critical nesting habitat along shoreline


Eastern Hog Nosed Snake (Specias of Special Concern)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Critical nesting habitat in sandy forested areas


Eastern Milk Snake (Specias of Special Concern)

  • Confirmed sightings in Halls Lake watershed
  • Requires forested areas for nesting and hibernation


Eastern Whip-poor-will (Threatened)

  • Known breeding habitat in surrounding forest
  • Protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act


Haliburton Golden Trout (Heratige Species)

  • Found in only a few lakes in the Haliburtion Highlands
  • Requires the specific habitat found in cold water lakes


The proposed agricultural operation would:

  • Disrupt critical habitat zones
  • Introduce harmful agricultural runoff
  • Alter shoreline characteristics
  • Impact water quality

For more information about Species at Risk in Ontario please visit the following websites


https://www.ontario.ca/page/species-risk-ontario


https://www.ontarioinsects.org/herp/part2.html


https://www.hhoa.on.ca/haliburton-gold




Water quality issues


The scientists say that our lake health is declining. Things within our control that impact lake health include organic pollution (human and animal waste), nutrient loading from use of fertilizers and non-phosphate free soaps, shorelines that are not naturalized (how much lawn we have down to the shoreline) and stirring up lake bottom sediments through boating. Things we can’t control are global climate change leading to warming of our lake waters and the huge changes in lake levels that we experience as TSW reservoir lakes.

So what you are doing to protect the quality of our waterfront property is important!

You can read more about it in today’s HHLPOA newsletter: https://hallshawklakes.ca/newsevents/weve-got-some-work-to-do-to-improve-our-lake-health/