THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE A G E N D A Meeting No. PED-9-2014 Monday, July 21, 2014 5:30 p.m. Birch Room, District Administration Building _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. DECLARATION OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS 3. WATER PROGRAMS a) Recreational Water Quality Model Review Review of Bays Report No. PED-9-2014-1 Recommendation None. For information. 4. ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS a) Subdivision File No. S2014-4 – Background for a Public Meeting (Deerhurst Resort Village Centre – Town of Huntsville) Report No. PED-9-2014-3 Recommendation None. For information. 5. MUSKOKA AIRPORT a) Art at the Muskoka Airport Report No. PED-9-2014-2 Recommendation THAT staff PROCEED to facilitate the display of art at the Muskoka Airport, as detailed in Staff Report No. PED-9-2014-2. 6. INFORMATION AND OTHER ITEMS a) Registered Plans i. Subdivision File No. S2002-6, “G.B. Catering – Phase 1”, located in the Township of Lake of Bays, was registered on June 16, 2014 as Plan 35M-731. 7. NEW BUSINESS 8. ADJOURNMENT Recommendation THAT the Planning and Economic Development Committee adjourns to meet again on Thursday, August 21, 2014 or at the call of the Chair. This agenda can be viewed in a larger font by increasing the magnification of the page. TO: Chair and Members Planning and Economic Development Committee FROM: Judi Brouse Director of Watershed Programs DATE: July 21, 2014 SUBJECT: Recreational Water Quality Model Review Review of Bays REPORT NO: PED-9-2014-1 ___________________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION None. For information. ORIGIN The District of Muskoka undertakes a comprehensive review of the Recreational Water Quality model every ten years in order to update the science, confirm the calibration of the model, and address lake specific issues identified by staff or the public. The recent review began in 2010 and is almost complete. As part of the review, the Muskoka Lakes Association requested that additional analysis of bays be undertaken to determine if certain bays on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph should be modeled separately from the main basin of these lakes. In addition, consultation with the Township of Georgain Bay and Georgian Bay Forever resulted in a simultaneous review of the modeling of bays in the Township of Georgian Bay. A review of bays on Lake of Bays was not included in the analysis as all bays on that lake are currently modeled separately. ANALYSIS The Water Quality Model Review A sub-task of the 10-year water quality review was to conduct additional analysis on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph to determine if certain bays should be modeled separately. The results of this analysis are separate and distinct from the overall review of the water quality model and are technical in nature. In particular, additional montioring sites have been idenitified and implemented this year. In addition, several bays were identified to be modeled and added to the water quality model. This work is currently being completed. The shape of many lakes is highly irregular with a large number of bays, peninsulas and islands, which result in a number of separate bays. These often differ in the type and degree of shoreline development. In some cases, the water exchange between these bays and the main basins is limited and water quality in the bays is different due to local watershed and bay characteristics. For these reasons, some bays are modeled separately in The District Municipality of Muskoka water quality model. Page 1 Currently, the District monitors and models the following bays on lakes across Muskoka: Lake # Modeled Lake # Modeled Lake # Modeled Bays Bays Bays Lake Joseph 2 Lake Muskoka 5 Lake Rosseau 4 Lake of Bays 7 Six Mile Lake 4 Sparrow Lake 2 Three Mile Lake 2 Twelve Mile Lake 2 Lake Vernon 3 Fairy Lake 2 Spense Lake 2 Georgian Bay 4 A number of lakes have multiple sampling points but it has been determined that separate modeling of the bays was not necessary. These lakes include: Lake # Monitored Lake # Monitored Bays Bays Kahshe Lake 2 Gibson Lake 5 Peninsula 2 Georgian Bay 3 Review of Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau, Joseph In addition to the overall water quality model review Hutchinson Environmental Science Limited (HESL) undertook an analysis of the water quality of the bays on these lakes as part of the overall water quality review. A set of criteria, including size, physical separation from the main basin, land use, and water quality were used by HESL to anaylze the thirty-two (32) bays identified by the MLA. Both the District and MLA water quality data sets were used in the analysis. Twelve of these bays were already modeled separately in the District model. Of the twenty remaining studied bays the following six were identified to be included in the model: Boyd Bay, Still’s Bay, Gordon Bay, Hamer Bay, Rosseau North (MLA site Royal Muskoka Island) and Rosseau East (MLA sites Tobin Island and Windermere). HESL recommended that currently modeled bays should remain in the model. Lake New Model Bay Municipality Status Joseph Gordon Bay Sequin Hamer Bay Sequin Still’s Bay Muskoka Monitored/modeled Muskoka Boyd Bay Muskoka Monitored/modeled Rosseau Rosseau North Muskoka/Sequin Monitored/modeled Rosseau East Muskoka Monitored/modeled The total phosphorous in the remaining bays is not statistically different from the main basin and there are no physical separations. These sites likely have regular water exchange with the main basin and therefore can be included as part of the main basin in the water quality model. Review of Bays on Georgian Bay The shoreline of Georgian Bay in Georgian Bay Township is also comprised of bays, islands and peninsulas, similar to the large Muskoka lakes. In consultation with the Township of Georgian Bay and Georgian Bay Forever, it was agreed to also review the modeling of bays in Georgian Bay. Several of these bays are currently being monitored by the District and Georgian Bay Forever (GBF), a subset of which is currently included in the District model. The District has monitored water quality in eight bays of Georgian Bay for many years. Four bays and two locations in Twelve Mile Bay have been modeled as distinct basins in the District water quality model. The three Bays that are monitored but not currently included in the model as separate basins are Go Home Bay, Cognashene Bay and Wah Wah Taysee. As a result of the recent review, it is recommended that Go Home Bay and Cognashene Bay also be modeled as separate basins. However, Wah Wah Taysee is Page 2 directly connected over large areas with Georgian Bay such that it cannot be modeled with confidence as a separate bay. Conclusions The revised model will include separate modeling of four District sites on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau, and Joseph and Go Home Bay and Cognashene Bay on Georgian Bay. In addition, the annual District water quality monitoring program has been modified to include the four sites on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph. A more detailed report is provided in Appendix “I”. Overall Review of the Water Quality Model The overall review of the water quality model is in the final stages of review and analysis. Minor refinements to the base data are being confirmed to ensure that the model is robust and accurate. A final report on the model review is anticipated in the fall. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS No impacts on the 2014 Draft Tax Supported Operating Budget and Capital Budget and Forecast are anticipated as a result of this report. COMMUNICATIONS Preliminary discussions have been held with the Muskoka Lakes Association to provide them with the consultant’s analysis. Further discussions to ensure coordination of monitoring on Lakes Muskoka, Rosseau, and Joseph will be held, as required. District Chair John Klinck will highlight the consultant’s findings at the Muskoka Lakes Association Annual General Meeting on July 25, 2014. Discussion with the Township of Sequin with respect to those bays in that township will continue. Staff will participate in the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve’s technical committee on the coordination and collection of nutrient information in eastern Georgian Bay. Municipalities (including the Township of Georgian Bay), volunteers, and government agencies are involved. Over two years the Committee will expand the monitoring of conditions in Georgian Bay and ensure consistency, transparency and coordination of water quality studies and monitoring on the Bay. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES The District of Muskoka participation in research into the health of our aquatic and terrestrial systems will assist in achieving the following Strategic Priorities: “1.1 Through leading by example, be recognized as a model municipality for the implementation of environmentally sustainable policies and practices. Continue to examine new technologies for their appropriateness in Muskoka.” “1.2 Maintain Muskoka’s reputation for high quality surface water and recreational opportunities and continue to support the Muskoka Water Strategy and the Lake System Health Program.” Respectfully submitted, Judi Brouse MA, MCIP, RPP Samantha Hastings, MCIP, RPP Director of Watershed Programs Acting Commissioner of Planning and Economic Development \\Sdmvfs02\ped\WATER\Reports for PED Committee\Muskoka Lakes Bay memo July 2014.doc Page 3 Appendix “l” Review of Bays in the Large Lakes in Muskoka The shape of many lakes in Muskoka is highly irregular with a large number of bays, peninsulas and islands, which result in a number of separate bays. These often differ in the type and degree of shoreline development. In some cases, the water exchange between these bays and the main basins is limited and water quality is different due to local watershed and bay characteristics. For these reasons, some bays are modeled separately in the District Municipality of Muskoka water quality model.