The natural beauty of the lakes in the Harvey area is a valuable treasure. Not only are they a feast for our eyes and a repose for our spirits, our lakes provide a variety of recreational opportunities from swimming and fishing to canoeing and boating activities.
What kind of impact do homes, cottages or recreational activities have on the quality of water in the lakes? The Greater Harvey Economic Development Committee has been studying the greater Harvey area for a number of years. We felt that in order to plan for our future, our communities should take stock of what we already have, so that growth can be realized while preserving the qualities that make this a special place. Part of this inventory involved a look at our lakes. A water quality sampling program was carried out in the spring and summer of 2000 with the help of several dedicated students and teachers of the High School and the NB Department of Environment and Local Government. This sampling was intended to evaluate the existing water quality of lakes in the area in order to allow lake residents, land owners, the community and other stakeholders to make informed decisions about future development.
To get a picture of lake water quality, over 30 parameters were measured including, temperature, oxygen, bacteria and phosphorus. Elevated levels of bacteria in lakes can be a health concern and too much phosphorus can lead to changes in the lake which degrade water quality and deplete oxygen. Phosphorus levels can increase in lakes as the result of increased development along lake shores. Phosphorus enters the lake from fertilizers, sediments and domestic wastewater, etc. With an increase in phosphorus levels, algal growth in the lake increases and may put stress on the aquatic environment. When algae die, they settle out at the bottom of the lake. As the dead organic material is broken down in the lake, oxygen is consumed, leading to water quality problems, odour generation and impacts on fish habitat.
Our water quality measurements found that Harvey Lake and Lake George had healthy dissolved oxygen levels, low phosphorus concentrations and low counts of bacteria. The measurements indicated good water quality with little stress from development. We did however, find an increase in phosphorus in soils near the lakes next to septic systems. Our group is proposing to continue to keep an eye on things and, together with the Department of Environment and Local Government, take water samples this summer. This will enable more information to be gathered and a more complete evaluation made of the status of area lakes.
In summary, to date, the quality of water in the lakes looks good. There is room for developing more cottages along the lakes without impacting water quality. Steps we can take to minimize our impact on the water quality of our lakes include:
All lake residents and users play a vital role in protecting this valuable resource to ensure its continued benefit to current and future generations. We especially welcome any residents or associations of the lakes in the Harvey area to become involved in this project to work toward protecting these valuable resources.
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