In-Water Structures Restoration Projects
Canonto Lake – In-Water Structures Project
With confirmed funding for 2018 from Fisheries and Oceans Canada Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnership Program, Watersheds Canada, with support from the Canonto Lake Property Owners Association (CLPOA) and Lanark County Stewardship Council (LCSC), conducted site visits to determine and map out enhancement sites for the in-water brush bundle structures. The goal of this project was to make fish habitat enhancements in Canonto Lake through the deployment of 18 in-water brush bundles structures.
Christie Lake Fish Habitat Project
Cottage development along Christie Lake has resulted in the loss of in-water structures due to cottagers removing and “cleaning up” their shoreline properties. This project created brush/tree bundles and sunk them in waters greater than 12 feet deep to provide fish habitat without impeding boat traffic. These in-water structures (often called fishsticks) provide excellent nursery habitat for many species such as walleye, yellow perch, bass, crappie and panfish.
Dalhousie Lake Fish Habitat Project
The goal of this project was to make fish habitat improvements in Dalhousie Lake by naturalizing shorelines and providing fish habitat. In fall of 2014, two walleye spawning beds were enhanced, 20 fish habitat structures in the form of tree/brush bundles were placed in the lake, and six shoreline properties were stabilized where runoff, erosion, vegetation removal and nutrient loading have affected fish habitat.
Farren Lake Fish Habitat Project
Watersheds Canada staff and 18 volunteers were together on Farren Lake to build 29 new fish homes made of branches and root balls. These brush piles were deployed at 10 locations on the lake. They will become underwater woody debris areas that provide excellent habitat for fish like smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, sunfish, and yellow perch, and other wildlife.
Kashwakamak Lake Fish Habitat Project
This project was implemented in 2019 by Watersheds Canada and Peter Johnson, the Lake Steward of the Kashwakamak Lake Association, and with generous funding from the LUSH Charity Pot. Locations were chosen where the bundles would both increase wildlife habitat availability while also avoiding human activities such as boating. Reintroducing this woody debris to the lake bottom improved the fish habitat on Kashwakamak Lake.
Mazinaw Lake – In-Water Structures Project
Mazinaw Lake supports a cold-water fishery such as Lake Trout, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass and Burbot. There are over 300 properties along the waterfront of the lake, which include many boat in access only properties. With confirmed funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnership Program, Watersheds Canada with support from the Mazinaw Property Owners Association, and Lanark County Stewardship Council, conducted site visits to determine and map out potential enhancement sites for the in-water brush bundle structures. Consideration was also made to avoid the confirmed locations of the lake trout spawning beds.
Mississippi Lake Brush Bundle Project
One of the largest inland lakes in South-Eastern Ontario, Mississippi Lake is less than an hour’s drive from our Nation’s Capital. That being said, it has a high level of development pressure.
Mississippi Lake is known for its recreational cool and warm water fishery, particularly: Walleye, Northern Pike, and Smallmouth and Largemouth bass and is a popular destination for year round fishing from over 1,200 permanent and seasonal properties, as well as day users.
Olmstead-Jeffrey Lakes Brush Bundle Project
This community-led collaborative project on Olmstead and Jeffrey Lakes added 18 piles of woody debris back into the two lakes in order to create habitat for wildlife. In fall 2021, local organizations and volunteers came together to gather on-land woody debris like sticks and snags, tie them together with rope, anchor them to concrete blocks, and add them back into the lakes. Sunken logs, trees, branches, and root balls provide excellent habitat and are required to maintain healthy populations of key recreational fish species in the area such as walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, brown bullhead, and channel catfish. This project was made possible because of generous funding from Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund and the Pembroke Petawawa District Community Foundation.
Pine Lake Brush Bundle Project
The chosen location for this enhancement project was Pine Lake, about 60 minutes west of Perth in the Township of North Frontenac, Ontario. This lake was previously identified as having been impacted by fish habitat loss. This In-water Fish Habitat Enhancement project would not have been possible without funding from the LUSH Charity Pot, as well as Nathaniel Holloway who was the volunteer who initiated this project.
White Lake – In-Water Fish Structures
Through the hard work of community volunteers, White Lake Preservation Project, Arnprior Fish & Game Club, Lou Laventure’s team and Cedar Cove Resort staff, we were able to build and anchor 16 bundles and 19 recycled Christmas trees (donated by Home Hardware in Perth) for 19 sites on White Lake.